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Arsenal and Chelsea have been handed a huge twist in the race to sign Ivan Toney in the January transfer window, following on from an admission made by Brentford boss Thomas Frank. It comes as the two London sides look to add a striker option to their squads in the coming months.
For the Blues, they have had familiar issues when it comes to scoring goals and finding a number nine that will find the back of the net. Christopher Nkunku has been out with injury, while Nicolas Jackson has been a threat that's lacked the clinical edge that the west London outfit are after.
That has seen the links with a move to land Toney in January, following on from the conclusion of his ban from football due to breaching FA gambling regulations. £100million has recently been claimed as the price tag set by the Bees, though that valuation has fluctuated in recent weeks.
Arsenal join Chelsea in their admiration of Toney as they look towards a different profile that could help a potential title race this season. It remains to be seen whether either will make their move, but Frank is adamant that he wants to keep the striker at Brentford if possible.
He told the media on Friday: "He is happy at the club, I want him to stay. Ivan is happy to stay. He's happy at the club. What happens in the future is impossible to guess about." It suggests that a transfer could be off the cards unless there is a dramatic change in the next few months.
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Frank was then asked about the reasons for wanting to keep Toney at the club, which he added: "Ivan's skillset in terms of finishing, composure in those moments, link-up play, presence, character... He is a very good package. It's not for me to put a price tag on him, it is down to the club. I'm happy with him and I hope he plays here forever."
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