Ivan Toney is being heavily linked with Arsenal (Picture: Getty)
Bacary Sagna says he is confident Ivan Toney has the ‘quality’ to play for Arsenal but is concerned about how the striker will cope with adjusting to the physicality of Premier League football after such a long absence.
Suffering a severe dip in form over the last month, Arsenal are on the hunt for attacking reinforcements and have drawn up a shortlist of potential striking options which is understood to include the likes of Victor Osimhen, Dusan Vlahovic and Toney.
Brentford star Toney has established himself as one of the most feared strikers in the English top flight – scoring 20 goals in 33 appearances last season – but has not featured in a competitive match since as far back as May after being slapped with an eight-month ban for gambling offences.
However, the 27-year-old England international gave a timely reminder of his undoubted talent in front of goal at the weekend as he fired in a hat-trick for Brentford’s B team during a behind-closed-doors clash with Southampton’s Under-23 side.
Given Eddie Nketiah and Gabriel Jesus have managed just eight league goals between them this term, former Arsenal full-back Sagna feels an addition up front would come as a huge boost to Mikel Arteta in the second half of the campaign.
But the Frenchman believes Toney may struggle to hit the ground running should he complete a switch to the Emirates due to his prolonged stint on the sidelines.
‘I like Ivan Toney. I think he is a very talented player,’ Sagna told The Daily Mirror.
‘It will be interesting to see how he comes back after missing the first half of the season through suspension.
Sagna has no doubts about Toney’s quality in front of goal (Picture: Getty)
‘How will he be able to deal with the physicality of the Premier League after a six-month absence?
‘I know that he has been training, but training and playing in competitive games are very, very different. That would be my only concern if Arsenal were looking at signing him.
‘He definitely has the quality to play for Arsenal. He is a top striker who is strong, holds the ball up well and can score goals.
‘Of course, he has the profile that would be good for Arsenal.’
Jesus and Nketiah have scored just eight league goals between them this term (Picture: Getty)
Sagna believes the Gunners’ current attacking options have at times been ‘disrespected’ as speculation mounts over the possible arrival of players who could replace them in Arteta’s starting XI.
‘We shouldn’t forget that Arsenal already have a top striker in Gabriel Jesus,’ he added.
‘People are always questioning his ability, but I think he is a wonderful player.
‘A lot of people have suggested that Arsenal need to upgrade the strikers they have, but I think sometimes it’s easy to be a little bit disrespectful towards the players that are already in the squad.
‘Arsenal have good strikers. Eddie Nketiah is also a good player that has scored some vital goals for Arsenal.’
Toney scored 21 goals in 35 games for Brentford last season (Picture: Getty)
Speaking to Sky Sports earlier this week, Toney thanked Brentford for their support during his time on the sidelines and insisted he remained fully focused on repaying the club’s faith.
‘Thomas Frank has been nothing but the biggest help I could have asked for – the whole club has,’ he said.
‘From putting on extra sessions for me, from taking their time out to put a session on and go outside when it’s raining when they’re not supposed to be in.
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‘I have a lot to repay them and I can’t wait to try and do that.’
He added: ‘The fans were also behind me. Even when I wasn’t at their games, they were singing my name.
‘A friend of mine sent me a video of the fans singing my name, I got goosebumps to know that they’re still behind me, even though I’m not there.’
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The Brentford striker is being heavily linked with the Gunners this January.