Mikel Arteta admits defeat in Ivan Toney chase

Carlo Garganese

• 9 Jan 2024 09:28 GMT
• 3 min read

Arsenal have given up on signing Ivan Toney in January, according to the Daily Mirror.

Mikel Arteta has recognised that buying the England striker this month will be impossible after Toney promised to repay Brentford for sticking by him during his gambling ban.

In an interview this week with the Mirror, Toney suggested that he will stay at Brentford until the end of the season as gratitude.

What did Toney say?

"They (Brentford) have been nothing but amazing for me,” Toney said.

“I can't thank them enough, especially the fans. They were behind me from the first minute as well. So it's kind of like I have a lot to repay.

“Everybody at Brentford knows I will do my best to try and get the club out of the sticky patch we're in.”

Previously, Toney has suggested that he may depart the club during the winter window, amid links with Arsenal and Chelsea, and FootballTransfers understand that he would be keen on a move to the Emirates Stadium.

However, sources have informed us that Mikel Arteta’s side have no intention of meeting Brentford’s €116 million (£100m) valuation.

The Gunners are in the market for a striker in the new year and have been looking at a number of top options.

These include Dusan Vlahovic of Juventus, Victor Osimhen of Napoli and Brentford striker Toney.

All three players have been followed by both Arsenal and Chelsea, as the two London sides are both looking to strengthen their number nine position.

Toney has proven himself as one of the best English strikers around in recent years with 20 Premier League goals in 2022-23.

He has won one cap for the England national team and he is hoping to work his way back into the squad for Euro 2024 next summer.

He is currently banned for illegal betting but will return to playing this month.