Former Premier League striker Troy Deeney advises Ivan Toney to snub Arsenal for Chelsea
Come January, the Blues, under the leadership of their manager Mauricio Pochettino, will be focusing on signing clinical strikers. Chelsea have particularly struggled in the final third this season as they lack a clinical and experienced finisher.
There are two forwards that Chelsea have set their eye on as a priority signing – Napoli’s Victor Osimhen and Brentford’s Ivan Toney.
Former Premier League striker Troy Deeney believes that Ivan Toney should join Chelsea rather than Arsenal if he decides to leave Brentford in January.
Ivan Toney would fit Chelsea like a glove
In his column in the Sun (h/t football. london), the Watford icon examined Toney’s options with the Blues and Gunners vying for his signature. Ultimately, Deeney felt that a move to Stamford Bridge will be better suited to Toney’s skillset and also to Chelsea’s needs.
‘My advice to him would be to join a project where you fit like a glove — and that would be Chelsea.’
He noted that Chelsea still lack a reliable striker, even after the heavy spending of £1BILLION under new owner Todd Boehly. Chelsea had signed two forwards this season – Christopher Nkunku, who’s still to don the blue jersey on the pitch owing to a knee injury, and Nicolas Jackson who has been vastly underperforming.
Deeney reckons Toney could be the goalscoring solution Mauricio Pochettino desperately needs to lead the attack. With Brentford likely to demand around £80m, signing the 27-year-old would be expensive but not prohibitive for Chelsea’s riches.
Deeney believes stylistically, Toney would not be an ideal fit at Arsenal compared to Chelsea’s more direct approach. He suggested Toney is not a natural player to lead the press or make runs in behind as Mikel Arteta demands from his forwards.
At Chelsea, Deeney feels Toney would have runners like Raheem Sterling and Cole Palmer supplying him while leading the line himself. Pochettino could construct his system around getting the ball into Toney’s feet in dangerous areas.
Deeney also noted joining Chelsea would aid Toney’s England ambitions more than being a squad option at Arsenal. The former striker’s insight suggests Stamford Bridge, not the Emirates, is the right environment for Toney to thrive in.
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Chelsea’s need for a clinical finisher perfectly marries with Toney’s own skillset than Arsenal’s specific tactical setup.
According to Deeney, a big-money January move to West London makes sense for all parties if Brentford sanction Toney’s exit.