Many expected Arsenal to sign a striker last summer, but they did not. Arsenal were linked to a number of top strikers but signed none.
On deadline day, many were surprised that the Gunners did not pursue Ivan Toney, a striker rumoured to have once caught the eyes of Arsenal chiefs. The Brentford striker was a top target for the Gunners in late 2023 and early 2024, according to gossip columns. Despite the expectation of signing him during the January transfer window, Arsenal’s decision to not spend £100 million on the player led to the deal’s collapse.
The North Londoners did not pursue the Englishman in the summer, contrary to expectations. That said, given the fact that Toney has recently joined Saudi Arabian team Al Ahli for about £33 million, one would wonder why Arsenal didn’t try to hijack that bargain deal.
Despite Toney’s undeniable qualities, it’s now clear that it wasn’t his quality that prevented him from moving to the Emirates Stadium. According to Miguel Delaney of the Independent, Arsenal’s technical bench was unsure how the Al Ahli attacker would fit into their group.
Assuming he would struggle to establish chemistry with the team, Arsenal never made the last-minute push to recruit him, as speculated.
The hope is that Toney has a successful season in the Saudi Pro League, and we Gooners should put our trust in Arteta and Edu. There’s a reason they didn’t sign a striker, and we hope Kai Havertz, who the Gooners expect much from, can deliver.
Havertz has two goals and an assist in two games. He has just picked up where he left off last season (8 goals and 7 assists in 9 league games), and the expectation is that he will continue to improve.
Daniel O
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I’m glad that we weren’t at all interested, and it seems no coincidence that no other PL clubs went for him either. He’s found his level in Saudi, and I wish him the best.
I wouldn’t say that Arsenal are not looking for a striker, but are holding on till January or next summer when some world class players may be availabe😉.
Won’t win the title with Havertz as our main striker
Well, you’re never going to know for certain if any other main striker(s) would have won the title for us if we, for perhaps many of the other 2105 possible other reasons, happen to not win it. However, something tells me that you’ll be reminding us that this was the reason if we don’t become champions.
Of course I will
And I won’t be the only Gooner
No doubt. Everyone loves an easy answer even if it can’t be proven to be the correct one.
Of course you will🙄.
Yeah I just said that lol
Dan why don’t you just admit you don’t want Arsenal to win the title so you can attack Havertz and Arteta.
Because it’s not true
But it’s natural if Arsenal don’t win the title that fans will discuss reasons why
I don’t think it’s outrageous to say I think we don’t have a Halland
I agree with you and if a Halaand profile was available i would have loved for them to join. However the honest answer is none of the strikers available are even an upgrade on Havertz. The one that could have been was Victor Oisimhen but him ended up at Gala speaks volumes of his attitude. I totally get youre frustrations though because i have the same ones with Martinelli.
No-one does
You can’y say for sure that we would have won the title with any other striker we might have signed.
But, with respect, that’s not the point in 2024-25. No club can rely upon its (best) starting eleven because it won’t be that as the season progresses. We’ve seen it in Arsenal’s case and we’re only three games in.
The debate about a striker (which is redundant now but may not be come next May) is that without Havertz (injury, suspension, fatigue, loss of form – all fairly usual occurrences at one time or another) there’s very little in reserve. Arsenal would be relying on goals from elsewhere across the team.
The striker shortfall wasn’t addressed in the ten weeks available but other areas were. There may, or may not, be good reasons for that but it remains one of the biggest potential dangers across a whole season. Arsenal is basically relying upon Havertz unless Jesus can comfortably surpass his 2023-24 tally of four EPL goals (assuming he’s fit).
As you say, there’s no guarantee a striker brought in at any time would be successful, but that applies to any player in any position – it didn’t stop Edu buying a defender, a midfielder and a winger in the window to strengthen those areas.
Yes, it’s redundant now and it will be in May no matter what. I hope it isn’t redundant every day on JA.
It won’t be redundant in May (if it’s a factor should Arsenal not win the EPL) because there will be questions asked of Edu why nothing was done when it could have been.
The questions regarding why are fine but the only thing we know for certain whether it’s now or in May is that a striker was not brought in.
How will we really know the effect on winning the EPL (or finishing 3rd, 4th, 8th, etc.) or not? By goals the team or an individual scored? By chances the team or an individual missed? By chances the team or individual converted? By how many high presses were successful? A matter of fact statement that a certain striker who isn’t even there would have changed things for the better (or worse) is not possible. An opinion is.
I have the opinion that the right striker added to the team would have been useful but there is no definitive way of knowing whether I am right or not anymore now than in May no matter how much I went over it again and again from every angle conceivable. Who can prove that we wouldn’t have done better playing without the chosen striker? Who can prove that we would have done better playing with the chosen striker? No one can regardless of where we happen to finish in the table. We can all suggest an opinion but again there is no way to definitively prove what would have been the right or wrong one because we can only play out what if scenarios in our minds.
Well said! The fact remains we needed a striker most than a defender!
My fear is that MA wants to prove a point with Havertz after the backlash from supporters after his signing. He thinks Havertz can deliver in a strikers role. Such a gamble to me will cost us everything this season
No but if we don’t win it with Havertz up front we can say it wasn’t enough can’t we
If “it” is the team, yes we can. Otherwise, no.
People will asses mate
As some are already saying we need.a striker I would assume that would be questioned if we don’t win the title.
Being questioned is fine and one thing. Not that I’m accusing you Dan, but a commenter stating something is fact when it can only be opinion and using it to further an argument having very little to do with the matter at hand is totally different imo.
Well we know factually it wasnt good enough last season
No, we don’t know that was THE reason for whatever finish. We can propose a “what if” question but no one can give a definitively correct or incorrect answer, just an opinion.
We know factually it wasnt good enough to win title last season based on ….we didn’t win title last season lol
The reason(s), yes potentially plural reasons, for not coming in first (or 5th or 8th) rather than 2nd could be many things including not having whatever striker you want to name. Could we have finished lower because we had that striker and he screwed up at a crucial time or was red carded or injured when he was being relied upon in whatever ways? The point is we don’t know but can only express our opinion with respect what would have been the effect of having whatever striker. It is not a fact for anyone, including me and you.
Two points was all it was, no-one else came close and no-one has for two seasons except us, I believe it will be even closer this season.
Obviously, even at the relatively early age of 28 the money from Saudi was the big factor in his decision.
It wasn’t the fee but the wages on offer that Arsenal certainly couldn’t/wouldn’t even consider matching even if they wanted Toney. Those are a reported £400,000-a-week including bonuses – the equivalent of £800,000-a-week before tax in the UK. Fantasy land stuff really.
I do think though that there’s a false narrative developing around Havertz and not bringing in another striker (and there were more than just Toney available). It isn’t that there’s little/no confidence that Havertz will continue to develop. It’s that there’s a lot resting upon him but he’s human and, as a footballer particularly, prone to injury, possible suspension, fatigue and simply a drop in form which players can and do experience.
If/when any of those should occur (and both the recent freak injury to Merino followed by the red card for Rice is surely a pointer to even the “unexpected” happening) then Arsenal are light on “proper”, effective, striker replacements. That was known before and during the window and remains the case (even post-Sterling).
Of course, no one may be needed, there are “goals across the team” etc., in which case that’s fine and the decision is fully justified. But if someone is needed, then what? We’ll just have to hope that it doesn’t come to that.
As a supporter, I feel we should have – but if MA felt he didn’t fit into his plans, then I obviously back his decision.
No, we would have had to pay jon silly wages.
He ain’t all that good
He made a name for scoring twenty goals on season but eight were penalties.
Last season he did not score in his last ten matches.
Toney was a big fish in a small pond and was used to the limelight which comes with being the centre of attraction on and off the pitch.Had he moved to Arsenal, how would he react to not being assured of a starting position and being surrounded by many more talented players.For a young aspiring player such a move would not present a problem, but for someone of his age and expectation he may not have reacted well to such a situation.I suspect this was why Arteta/Edu decided not to take the risk.
I think he would have made an improvement over Jesus, Havertz and Trossard up front but we can get better centre forwards than Toney
With cash to spare we’ll be able to make a realistic bid, without infringing on any rules, for Haaland if (and when) he comes on the market next summer or possibly even as early as January.
1. It’s not just ths transfer fee, the Saudis also pay high wages, would Arsenal want to match that?
2. He’s played in sides whose primary objective is to avoid relegation, forced into a mainly defensive, counter-attacking approach. That’s not how Arsenal play.
3. Anyone who has personal issues such as betting when he knows it’s against the rules is not the right stuff for squad harmony, which is a big factor in the Arsenal squad these days.
Apparently he did bet against Brentford and the only reason he didn;t get a lifetime bam was the mitigation that he wasn’t playing in the matches where he bet against them.
4. Arsenal don’t play with a full-on striker. They want people with ball skills in every position. In many ways, the current side reminds me of City pre-Haaland.
1 + 2 + 3 + 4 = No to Toney.