Rio Ferdinand warns Ivan Toney about his ego if he’s to join Arsenal
It’s no secret that Ivan Toney is on the radar of Arsenal this summer and having Gabriel Jesus out for a lot of the season due to injury only solidates that interest. Toney could be the perfect pick up for Arsenal as he’s a born goal scorer and is already Premier League proven but he does come with a bit of baggage. Not only has he just come back from a lengthy eight month ban due to a betting charge, he also is a very outspoken player who doesn’t usually hold back.
Brentford’s manager Thomas Frank recently came out in an interview and said that Toney would be likely to leave Brentford in the summer after a lot of interest has emerged in the media recently but also said that Brentford hadn’t received any offers for him in the January transfer window.
Toney then bit back “jokingly” saying that the Brentford manager “doesn’t want me” saying “I see that as he doesn’t want me! The manager has said what he’s said, but I can’t make clubs come and get me. I’ve just got to keep doing what I do, and that’s score goals. What will be will be”. Obviously striking a nerve from the 27-year-old Englishmen, and Rio Ferdinand has said he think’s he said it in jest.
The Manchester United legend speaking on Toney moving to Arsenal in his latest episode of Vibe With Five on YouTube and warned the Brentford striker that if he was to join the Gunners he might have to watch what he says and control his ego if he wants to thrive in London.
Rio said this when talking about Toney’s possible move to Arsenal “I don’t think he would move like that. I would be surprised. Remember he has never played for a big club. He’s going to go there, and he will have to be respectful and know where he is in the pecking order”.
“There’s some big players in there. Do you think he is going to come with that chat about Mikel Arteta when you have Declan Rice, William Saliba, Gabriel Magalhaes, Martin Odegaard and Gabriel Jesus?”.
And personally, I don’t think he would come into Arsenal and assume he would be the top player when he’ surrounded by such big talents. He’s a great striker but as Rio said, he’s never played at a club like Arsenal before and I think he would quickly learn his place.
At Brentford right now, he’s the big man and he’s one of their best players. He produces a lot of their goals and even after being out for eight months he’s come back looking at his best, scoring 3 goals already since his return, so you can imagine when he’s sitting in Brentford he does feel like the big man and the best player but if he does end up joining Arsenal in the summer, he will have to drop that ego.
Obviously, anything can happen when it comes to football, and we might not even end up with Toney, but it does leave me to wonder if he comes with a bit too much baggage and if it’s a smart move. Brentford will want a pretty penny for the striker, and we might be able to find more quality elsewhere.
What’s your thoughts Gooners?
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