Chris Sutton has now urged Arsenal to overlook a transfer for Brentford striker Ivan Toney and sign Dominic Solanke as the AFC Bournemouth man is...
Chris Sutton has now urged Arsenal to overlook a transfer for Brentford striker Ivan Toney and sign Dominic Solanke as the AFC Bournemouth man is their ‘best’ target.
The Gunners are in the market for a new frontman in January as manager Mikel Arteta looks for goals. Eddie Nketiah and Bukayo Saka are currently Arsenal’s main scorers in the Premier League this season with five each. Gabriel Jesus has only recorded three in 14 appearances.
Arteta has long appreciated what Toney could offer at Emirates Stadium if Arsenal agree to a transfer with Brentford. The Mirror even reports he still considers the 27-year-old to be their top target. Toney is also interested in joining Arsenal if they meet Brentford’s £60m demand.
Mikel Arteta has marked Dominic Solanke as his alternative transfer target to Ivan Toney
Brentford are not opposed to selling Toney for the right price in January when he can return from an eight-month ban. The one-cap England striker has only spent this season training at the Bees. But he can get back on the pitch in January, and Toney hopes to do so for Arsenal.
Yet Arsenal are not putting all of their eggs in Toney’s basket as Arteta also holds an interest in Solanke’s transfer from Bournemouth. The Daily Star reports the Gunners boss will target the Cherries star if Toney is out of reach. Solanke has also impressed Emirates Stadium staff.
Arsenal chiefs particularly appreciate Solanke’s hard-working displays at Bournemouth so far this season. The Cherries are also pragmatic about selling in January and will consider offers worth £50m. Even though Solanke has scored 12 of their 27 Premier League goals this term.
Chris Sutton urges Arsenal to sign Dominic Solanke from AFC Bournemouth in January
Solanke even boasts 13 goals in 21 games for Bournemouth in all competitions this term to tempt Arteta to target his transfer to Arsenal as an alternative to Toney. The 26-year-old has also fired home against Newcastle United (2), Brighton, Aston Villa and Manchester United.
Toney finished third for the 2022/23 Premier League Golden Boot to Erling Haaland (26) and Harry Kane (30) with 20 goals. But as Toney has not played a second since the start of May, Sutton feels Solanke would deliver Arsenal a greater chance to win the Premier League title.
“Brentford’s Ivan Toney has been linked for a while,” Sutton has told BBC Sport. “But he has not played for months because of his suspension. He will have been training. But how much match sharpness does he have?
“Arsenal are trying to win the title, so they haven’t got time to wait for anyone to get up to speed. If we are looking at the names that are supposedly within their grasp, Bournemouth’s Dominic Solanke stands out as the best candidate.”