Arsenal have reportedly decided to push on with a bid to sign Brentford striker Ivan Toney during the January transfer window.
The 27-year-old has not kicked a competitive ball for the Bees in the 2023-24 campaign after being banned for breaking Football Association betting rules earlier in the year.
Toney's eight-month suspension is set to end in the middle of January, when Thomas Frank will be hoping the England international can hit the ground running at the Gtech Community Stadium.
The West Londoners have struggled without their talisman in the Premier League this season and lost at Crystal Palace in their final match of 2023.
According to The Independent, Arsenal are going to prioritise a move for Toney in the New Year at the expense of recruiting options in other areas of the pitch.
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The report claims that Mikel Arteta has decided that a reinforcement in his attack is the most beneficial move as his side strive for the Premier League title.
Arsenal failed to find the net in their 2-0 loss against West Ham United on Thursday night, with Tomas Soucek and ex-Arsenal man Konstantinos Mavropanos scoring.
English duo Bukayo Saka and Eddie Nketiah lead the Gunners' scoring charts with just five strikes each in the Premier League, with the latter attracting interest from Crystal Palace.
It is understood that a deal for Toney in the New Year would cost Arteta's men at least £80m, with Brentford reluctant to let their talisman leave during a tough campaign for the Bees.
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A possible transfer is further complicated by the fact that the Gunners are walking a tightrope in terms of financial fairplay, with the North London club spending £105m on Declan Rice from West Ham in the summer.
Chasing their first Premier League crown since the 2003-04 invincible campaign under Arsene Wenger, Arsenal are fourth in the league standings, but crucially just two points behind league leaders Liverpool.
Brentford meanwhile are only four points above 18th-placed Luton Town following Saturday's results, meaning that the departure of Toney in January would be a serious blow to their survival chances.
Arsenal have the opportunity to enter 2024 at the top of the Premier League, with Arteta's side travelling across the capital to face Fulham on Sunday afternoon.
Carter White
