Mikel Arteta identifies player he wants Arsenal to sign ahead of January target Ivan Toney - Reports

Mikel Arteta reportedly wants Arsenal to sign Pedro Neto ahead of Brentford's Ivan Toney in the January transfer window.

According to FootballTransfers (h/t CaughtOffside), Arteta wants Neto to lighten the workload on Bukayo Saka. The report also mentions that the Gunners have a limited transfer budget and value the Portugal international at £40 million.

Wolverhampton Wanderers, meanwhile, believe their winger is worth £70 million. Neto has registered 12 goals and 18 assists in 119 games for Wolves' senior side since joining them from Lazio in 2019.

The 23-year-old has started the 2023-24 season in great form, scoring once and laying out five assists in eight matches. His contract at Molineux expires in the summer of 2027, giving Wolves a considerable say in his future.

Saka, meanwhile, is one of Arteta's most trusted players. He played in 87 consecutive Premier League games before missing his team's 1-0 win over Manchester City on 8 October at the Emirates.

Neto's inclusion could increase the competition for a starting berth down the right-hand side. On the opposite flank, Gabriel Martinelli seems to be ahead of Leandro Trossard in the pecking order while Gabriel Jesus and Edward Nketiah are contenders to start at No. 9.

It is worth mentioning that Reiss Nelson (23) always majorly plays down the right flank. But it remains to be seen if Arteta trusts him enough to include him in his starting XI on a regular basis.

The Englishman has, after all, played just 35 minutes of league football this season.

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Chelsea among clubs also linked with Arsenal target Ivan Toney

According to Football.London, Chelsea, Liverpool, and Tottenham Hotspur have also been mooted as potential destinations for Arsenal target Ivan Toney.

The 27-year-old striker seems set to leave Brentford in the January transfer window with his eight-month betting-related ban ending in the winter. According to Fabrizio Romano's YouTube channel, the Bees will ask for around £50-60 million for his services.

Toney has been a reliable source of goals for the London-based club since signing from Peterborough United in 2020. Since then, he has netted 68 goals and 21 assists in 124 appearances.

This includes the 31 strikes and 10 assists he managed in 45 Championship games during the 2020-21 season, which helped Brentford reach the Premier League the following season.

Tottenham did not sign a new striker after losing Harry Kane to Bayern Munich this summer while Armando Broja and Christopher Nkunku are currently sidelined with injuries for Chelsea. Liverpool, however, have Diogo Jota, Darwin Nunez, and Cody Gakpo as their No. 9 options.