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Arsenal are interested in signing Brentford striker Ivan Toney in the January transfer window - which may be bad news for Eddie Nketiah and Gabriel Jesus. Mikel Arteta has made it clear he wants quality competition in every area of his squad with the Gunners said to be keen on signing new striker to support their Premier League title challenge.

A lack of goals from their only recognised centre forwards, Nketiah and Jesus, has, however, been identified as a possible cause for concern for Arsenal. Toney would provide a genuine goalscoring outlet - proven by his 20 goals in 33 Premier League appearances last term - Gunners icon Martin Keown fears Arsenal may not yet be ready to accommodate a player of Toney’s ilk in the same way that Manchester City were able to integrate Erling Haaland.

Keown told talkSPORT: "Once Man City secured the midfield with De Bruyne, Gundogan and Rodri they then went OK let’s bring that striker in. It’s whether or not Arsenal are ready for that.

"When Jesus is playing striker we often see him back at left-back and all over the pitch. Maybe he has to do that because the team wasn’t strong enough defensively.

"It’s about where the team is but I get it. Ivan Toney is a prolific goalscorer although a lot of them would’ve been penalties.

"Now they’re looking Brentford can they deal without him? They realise a huge offer is coming in for him and Arsenal would probably be at the top of the list.

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"But it’s about the structure of the team and whether they’re ready for that. He’s going to be an out-and-out striker, he won’t be popping back to be helping out in the way that Jesus does, but I think they could do with a third striker."

Many of the teams that have gone on to win the Premier League title had a clinical striker firing for them throughout the season - and there are questions as to whether Nketiah and Jesus can be that player for Arsenal. Bukayo Saka and Gabriel Martinelli have been the two players to score in crucial moments for the Gunners in the past - proven once again by the latter's late winner against City last weekend.

Jesus and Nketiah need to prove to Arteta they can consistently score and make the difference in the big moments for Arsenal. Otherwise, it could spell the end of their time as the Gunners' focal point in attack with a bidding war set to begin for Toney's signature in January.

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