Ian Wright reveals the 'final piece of the puzzle' Arsenal need to win the Premier League

11 Oct 2023 16:02 BST
4 min read

Arsenal legend Ian Wright has claimed his former club can sign ‘the final piece of the jigsaw’ in January in order to beat Manchester City to the Premier League title this season.

The Gunners fell at the final hurdle in the race for the championship last season but have started this season brightly, going into the international break unbeaten and joint-top alongside rivals Tottenham.

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However, while results on a whole have been positive, strikers Gabriel Jesus and Eddie Nketiah have just three Premier League goals between them so far and Wright believes recent speculation linking Arsenal to Brentford’s Ivan Toney could be the ‘obvious’ answer.

TOP OPTION: Toney is 'number one target' for Arsenal

“We spread goals out last season and it took us to a certain place,” Wright told Sky Sports’ The Overlap. “I think with Toney the links won't go away as it's blatantly obvious to see, that focal point that player who scores, that takes you somewhere else.

“You can't question the endeavour of Eddie or Jesus but you look back at the Tottenham game with the Jesus chance. For a player of that calibre to be in that position 1-0 up, those chances have to be buried.

“The margins are so small now you can't afford to be missing chances like and that and not winning games. The work off the ball is fantastic for both players.

“The Toney links don't go away because for me that is the last piece of the jigsaw. He'll do it if it can be done.”

Arsenal’s missing link in attack

Arsenal have scored 16 goals in the Premier League this season – one less than they had after eight games last year, with Bukayo Saka the current top scorer for Mikel Arteta’s side, having netted four times.

Nketiah has started up front in almost every game this season but the 24-year-old has scored just twice, leading to speculation that Toney could be pursued in January when he is available to play football again after his suspension for betting breaches.

Jesus scored 11 times last season but has struggled with fitness this season and has only one goal to his name in the league, with doubts having followed him throughout his time in England over his ability to become a consistent goalscorer and finisher.

Toney, meanwhile, grabbed 20 goals last season – more than the combined output of Jesus and Nketiah’s best domestic seasons – and the 27-year-old openly revealed that Arsenal would be his dream move if he left Brentford.

DESPERATE: Toney is 'coveting' Gunners transfer

Ivan Toney: “The next club I go to if I was to move, it would be the right club. I’ve been a Liverpool fan my whole life but from young, I’ve liked Arsenal, watching Arsenal, how they play & how passionate the fans are.” [The Diary Of A CEO]

Full episode: https://t.co/chp6qL6vj5 pic.twitter.com/ONyygzbzey
— afcstuff (@afcstuff) August 21, 2023

Brentford are believed to be open to Toney’s departure for the right price and Arsenal have held a long-term interest in the England international, meaning Arteta could pursue the striker as an alternative option to Jesus and Nketiah in order to find a physically-imposing, reliable goalscorer for his team.