Arsenal remain keen on landing Brentford marksman Ivan Toney during the upcoming transfer window

Arsenal 'definitely have a level of interest' in luring Brentford star Ivan Toney to the Emirates Stadium during the summer, but transfer insider Dean Jones has told GIVEMESPORT why boss Mikel Arteta could be forced to turn his attentions elsewhere.

The Gunners are firmly in the Premier League title race after recovering from their FA Cup exit at the hands of Liverpool by sealing five consecutive wins in a run which has included scoring five goals or more on three occasions, but sporting director Edu is already putting plans in place ahead of potentially drafting in reinforcements before the 2024/25 campaign gets underway.

Although Arsenal's push to be crowned champions has come after they showed plenty of ambition last summer, with Declan Rice becoming their club-record signing thanks to sealing a £105million switch from West Ham United, they were unable to strengthen their options ahead of the winter window slamming shut on February 1.

Gunners run the rule over Toney ahead of potential summer swoop

Arsenal sent scouts to watch Toney put in a goalscoring performance in Brentford's win over Wolverhampton Wanderers earlier this month, according to HITC, as Arteta decided to up the ante in his pursuit and continue making checks after being a long-term admirer.

The report suggests that the Gunners were keen to see the one-cap England international in action, having returned from an eight-month ban for breaching betting regulations during the early stages of 2024, as Manchester United and arch-rivals Tottenham Hotspur are also considering whether to head to the negotiating table when the transfer window reopens.

Toney has been in stunning form since making his first-team comeback in January, finding the back of the net four times in his first five appearances of the season, and statistics highlight that he is more clinical than Arsenal's first-choice striker Gabriel Jesus.

Manchester United and Tottenham are not the only Premier League rivals providing Arsenal with competition for Toney's services as it is understood that he has also worked his way onto Chelsea's radar as they seek alternative options to Napoli marksman Victor Osimhen.

But, in a major boost for Arteta, transfer expert Fabrizio Romano recently told GIVEMESPORT that the frontman would be keen to complete a move to the Emirates Stadium if he brings the curtain down on his Brentford career in the coming months.

Arsenal have been given further hope of being able to negotiate a deal ahead of the 2024/25 campaign as Brentford chief Thomas Frank has conceded that a summer move is likely to be on the cards due to Toney being set to enter the final 12 months of his contract at the Gtech Community Stadium.

Dean Jones - Brentford valuation could complicate matters for Arteta

Although Arsenal insider Teamnewsandtix has revealed that he is less confident that Toney will be heading to north London at the end of the season, Jones understands that the Gunners remain interested in reaching an agreement with Brentford despite making no inroads at this stage.

But the respected journalist feels that the former Newcastle United's price tag, which stood at £100million during the winter window, could prove to be a sticking point for Arteta if the Bees refuse to lower their demands when the transfer window reopens for business.

Toney is not the only striker on Arsenal's radar ahead of the summer as, according to Spanish sources, the Gunners are considering whether to make a move for Aston Villa's Ollie Watkins after Arteta has set his sights on making his side even more of a threat in the final third of the pitch.

The report suggests that the 28-year-old has caught the north Londoners' attention with his prolific performances this season, having found the back of the net 18 times and provided his teammates with a further 12 assists in 35 outings, but the Villans could demand up to £86million as they aim to keep him in the Midlands.

Villa are in a strong negotiating position as Watkins committed his long-term future to the club in October, when he penned a £130,000-per-week contract which is not due to expire until the summer of 2028, which will complicate matters for Arsenal in their attempts to reach an agreement.

Sunday People chief sports writer Neil Moxley previously told GIVEMESPORT that the England international is worth more than £75million and his current employers would struggle to bring in a direct replacement, meaning ex-Gunners chief Unai Emery will be desperate to retain his services.