Arsenal failed to finish the year 2023 on a positive note, having dropped points in three Premier League games in a row. After playing out a 1-1 draw with Liverpool, the Gunners have endured back-to-back defeats at the hands of West Ham and Fulham respectively. As the London Dwellers seek a resurgence, their boss Mikel Arteta is keen to strengthen the forward line during the January transfer window. Amid all the chaos about their attacking issues, it was reported that Arsenal were keeping track of Brentford’s Ivan Toney, who is set to be released this winter. The potential deal, however, took a U-turn after Brentford asked a hefty transfer fee of £100 million for the English striker.
In a bid to secure Tony’s signing, Arsenal would have to sell a few players to meet Profit and Sustainability rules. As the deal seems unlikely as of now, Arsenal may shift their focus to Victor Boniface, according to a report by the Mirror. Considering his recent stats and market value, the Bayer Leverkusen star can prove to be an affordable and better alternative than Toney.
Due to a series of poor performances, Arsenal could not hold their place among the top three in the Premier League table. Arteta’s men are currently fourth in the standings with 40 points in 20 games. An underwhelming show from the centre forwards is mostly responsible for the setback. Both of their strikers– Eddie Nketiah and Gabriel Jesus have failed to match the expectations this season. While Nkeitah has scored only five goals, Jesus has struck the back of the net three times.
These problems can be resolved with the arrival of Victor Boniface, who has been branded as a “physical monster” by Sport.de. The Nigerian forward reportedly has a price tag of £52 million. Boniface has represented Bayer Leverkusen in 23 matches across all competitions this season. He has netted a total of 16 goals while providing 8 assists.
Owing to his physical strength, Boniface can handle more than one defender at a time, while his height of over 6 feet makes him an aerial threat as well. His speed and explosiveness have also helped Leverkusen enable more goal-scoring opportunities. Considering his rise, it is unlikely that the Bundesliga club will easily leave the promising youngster during this January window. If Arsenal fail to clinch the deal now, it can be predicted that several major European clubs will go after Boniface in the summer.
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