Fabrizio Romano reveals latest on Arsenal's Ivan Toney pursuit
Cameron Smith
- Updated: 31 Oct 2023 15:44 GMT
- 3 min read
Fabrizio Romano has confirmed that Ivan Toney is “appreciated” by Arsenal, but a deal has not yet been agreed with Brentford.
Toney, 27, is expected to leave the west London club during the January transfer window, with both Arsenal and Chelsea monitoring his situation closely.
The English forward is currently serving a footballing ban after pleading guilty to over 200 betting breaches, but he is able to return to action in January.
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As a result, transfer speculation is beginning to ramp up, but despite keen interest from Arsenal, Romano has revealed the Gunners aren’t guaranteed to sign Toney during the next transfer window.
Furthermore, the transfer expert has revealed that Eddie Nketiah is unlikely to leave the Emirates Stadium, despite Arsenal’s desire to sign Toney.
The England international is contracted to the club until 2027 and he scored a hat-trick in their win over Sheffield United on Saturday.
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What has Romano said?
Romano appeared on The Debrief podcast and he revealed: “Arsenal really wanted him [Nketiah] to stay, they extended his contract months ago, so the idea has always been to trust him. I have no indications of him leaving.
“Toney is really appreciated by Arsenal, same as Chelsea, so I think the race is absolutely open," he added. "At the moment nothing is agreed with the player or Brentford, but for sure he’s appreciated.
“We’ll have to see Arsenal’s situation in December, it will depend on their position in their Champions League group and the Premier League table.
“It’s not guaranteed that they will spend big money on Toney, because it would have to be at least £65m, so Arsenal want to take their time to decide on what they need.”
Arsenal are currently second in the Premier League table, two points behind their north London rivals Tottenham Hotspur. In addition, they are top of Group B in the Champions League, with six points from their opening three matches.
