Arsenal might wisely decide not to pay ludicrous money for Ivan Toney in January but they could go to Aston Villa for Douglas Luiz…
ARSENAL TO SWERVE TRIPLE TAX ON TONEY
Having written in September that Arsenal should avoid the triple tax on Ivan Toney that is an English player from the Premier League in the January transfer window = somehow £80m, it’s good to read on TEAMtalk that sense has prevailed and Arsenal have decided that they should not move for the Brentford striker in January.
So we move over to Football Insider and their claim that Tottenham ‘are set to go head-to-head with Premier League rivals for the signature of Brentford striker Ivan Toney next summer’, which we thought was pretty much common knowledge but does at least back up the claim that there will be no January transfer.
They name Arsenal, Chelsea and Manchester United as Toney’s other suitors, all waiting to see if he comes back sharp from his lengthy betting ban.
READ: Mikel Arteta has a ‘superb’ Arsenal striker option if he puts stubbornness aside
DOUGLAS LUIZ TO ARSENAL?
There would be a January and a Premier League tax on Aston Villa midfielder Douglas Luiz but will that be deemed okay by Arsenal as they look for more midfield reinforcements to help out the excellent Declan Rice? Brazilian Luiz is a brilliant player long coveted by Edu at Arsenal and would undoubtedly thrive at a Champions League club.
Brazilian outlet UOL say Arsenal have turned to Luiz and have taken their eyes off Fluminense man Andre, along with Liverpool. So the new favourites for his signature are Fulham, who are eyeing the youngster as a replacement for Joao Palhinha, who is expected to join Bayern Munich in January.
JUVENTUS TURN TO SPURS
Penny for the thoughts of the Juventus sporting director Cristiano Giuntoli who went to Tottenham v Chelsea ostensibly to watch Pierre-Emile Højbjerg (weird as he was never going to start), only to see an absolutely bat-sh*t mental game. He did at least see Højbjerg play an unexpectedly starring role in the game as a series of red cards and injuries left him as one of the last lines of defence (is it still called a defence if it is parked on the half-way line?)
Anyway, the Daily Telegraph now claim that he is a target for Juventus in January. We have heard this one before along with links to Atletico Madrid and Bayern Munich. Anyway, it makes sense; there will be a market for his limited stylings, which absolutely do not suit 11-man Spurs but could be valuable elsewhere.
