11 December 2023 , 22:41
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Paul Merson believes Arsenal and Chelsea must sign a striker in January if they are to be successful in the Premier League this season.
The player linked with both clubs is Ivan Toney, Brentford's England international. Toney, 27, is currently suspended for breaching the Football Association's betting rules but will be allowed to play again in January - when the transfer window is open again.
Brentford are determined not to sell Toney and could demand up to his £100million to let him leave the Gtech Community Stadium. Yet Toney has just 19 months remaining on his contract and now could be the perfect time for the Bees to sell their prized asset.
Although Toney's signature will not come cheap, Merson believes it's necessary for either Arsenal or Chelsea to sign him in January. The Gunners legend, who is a Blues fan, thinks both clubs could live to regret it if they don't bring in a striker as soon as possible.
"Chelsea have to get a centre forward in January," insisted Merson in his latest column for Sky Sports. "How many teams do anything without a centre forward? What will Arsenal's downfall potentially be this season? It will be no centre forward."
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Arsenal's joint-leading scorers in the Premier League are Bukayo Saka and Eddie Nketiah, who have scored five goals each. Their first-choice striker Gabriel Jesus has just two goals to his name in the Premier League, although he has scored four times in Europe.
Arsenal's lack of a prolific striker was clear in their 1-0 loss at Aston Villa on Saturday, a game which Merson thinks they "dominated". The result leaves them one point behind leaders Liverpool. Winning a first league title in 20 years is Arsenal's primary aim this term.
Ivan Toney scored 20 Premier League goals last season (Getty Images)Do you agree with Paul Merson? Let us know in the comments below!
Chelsea are looking to get back into Europe after finishing 12th in the Premier League last season. They sit in the same spot this time around, with Nicolas Jackson scoring just six times in the league. Three of those goals came in one game against Tottenham.
Yet it's hard to be too critical of Chelsea's attack because star striker Christopher Nkunku is still waiting to make his Premier League debut after suffering a knee injury on the eve of the season. He scored 58 goals for RB Leipzig during the previous two seasons.
Nkunku is on the verge of making his comeback, but Merson still thinks it would be wise for Chelsea to improve their attack. He added: "I think Ivan Toney could be in demand. Sometimes you become a better player when you are out of the game.
Gabriel Jesus has struggled for goals again this season (Getty Images)"But will Brentford sell him? I don't think they can afford to, especially with a couple of their players going to the Africa Cup of Nations. Does Toney want to go? Will he want to show some loyalty to Brentford? It's a really hard one to call."
Toney would be a good signing for either club to make after scoring 20 Premier League goals for Brentford last season. He managed 12 in the same division the year before, and he scored 33 goals in all competitions to fire the Bees to promotion in 2020/21.
Merson noted: "It is a lot of money. I do think he is a really good player, but he hasn't been at a top club yet... It might just be worth the risk. I feel Arsenal and Chelsea might need Toney if they are to do anything this season. The hardest job in football is to score goals."
Merson believes "there just aren't many top-quality centre-forwards around" and insists it would be a "gamble" to sign an overseas star - such as Napoli's prolific striker Victor Osimhen - because players often struggle when they first come to the Premier League.
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