Nigel Reo-Coker has urged Arsenal to snub a transfer for Brentford striker Ivan Toney this summer and pursue a forward who is a better match with Mikel Arteta’s system.
Centre-forwards are likely to be highly coveted over the off-season as teams target the goals to become champions. Arsenal are one team set to explore strengthening their frontline this summer, having seen Gabriel Jesus and Eddie Nketiah struggle to lead their attack this term.
Jesus has only started two of Arsenal’s last 15 Premier League games as a striker after falling behind Kai Havertz in the pecking order at Emirates Stadium. Arteta also last started Nketiah in the top-flight on New Year’s Eve. Havertz has opened 11 of their last 15 games as a striker.
Nigel Reo-Coker urges Arsenal to snub Ivan Toney and target Alexander Isak’s transfer
Arteta has trusted Havertz to lead Arsenal’s attack having scored seven goals and laid on six assists in those 11 starts. Jesus only has four goals and five assists from 26 appearances this season. Nketiah also has five goals and two assists in 27 games and last scored in October.
So, Arteta has identified some striker targets and Florian Plettenberg reports their interest in Brentford talisman Toney. He is also on Chelsea’s radar, plus West Ham United have made an enquiry. The Bees are open to selling the 28-year-old for around £30-40m over this summer.
But Reo-Coker has urged Arsenal to snub Toney and target the transfer of Newcastle United striker Alexander Isak. He is adamant the 24-year-old would match Arteta’s style better. He also believes captain Martin Odegaard would have a prolific partnership with Isak at Arsenal.
“Isak would fit Arsenal better because of his style,” Reo-Coker told BBC Radio 5 Live (17/05, 19:33). “He is more suited to a professional style in the sense [of] how Mikel Arteta wants to play. Odegaard would feed him tremendously.
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“I love Ivan Toney. What Ivan Toney reminds me of, which I like, is the individuality, that individual flair, street baller [and] playing like how I grew up playing cage football. But I think Isak would fit better with Mikel Arteta’s style and system, which makes more sense, as well.”
Mikel Arteta views Newcastle United star Alexander Isak as Arsenal’s No1 striker target
Toney returned from his FA-imposed ban in January and has scored four goals in 16 Premier League appearances for Brentford. Yet the two-cap England international bagged each goal over his first five appearances back. He has since only offered one assist in 11 appearances.
Isak, on the other hand, has 20 goals over 29 Premier League appearances this season with Newcastle. The 44-cap Sweden star has also scored 10 goals in 12 games since Toney last hit the back of a net in February. Isak has also offered one assist during his last 12 matches.
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Luckily for Reo-Coker, then, The Independent reports that Arteta rates Isak as Arsenal’s No1 striker target for the summer sales. The Sun even claims Arsenal are preparing a £100m bid for Isak. The Gunners are keen to thwart any attempt Tottenham Hotspur make to sign him.
But while Reo-Coker believes Isak and Odegaard would be a match made in heaven and it is one that Arteta wants to establish, Newcastle and Eddie Howe are loath to sell. The Magpies will do what they can, without breaching PSR, to see the Solna native stay at St James’ Park.