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Arsenal are putting together final preparations ahead of Sevilla's visit to the Emirates on Wednesday (November 8) in the UEFA Champions League. Mikel Arteta's team are leading Group B after three games, with two wins and one defeat.
Meanwhile, the Gunners have been advised to sign Brentford striker Ivan Toney. Elsewhere, Newcastle United are interested in Gunners midfielder Emile Smith Rowe.
On that note, here's a look at the key Arsenal transfer stories as on November 8, 2023:
Arsenal sent Ivan Toney advice by former player
Former Liverpool defender Jamie Carragher has advised Arsenal to target Ivan Toney to bridge the gap with Manchester City.
The English striker has had 65 goals and 21 assists from 165 games across competitions for Brentford. He's serving an eight-month ban from football due to an involvement in illegal betting but will be available for transfer in January. The Gunners are among the clubs eyeing him with interest.
On Monday Night Football, Carragher urged the north London side to take a chance with Toney.
"Yes, he could (join Arsenal), and he is a different type of striker. Huge fan of his but making jump to a big club and can you not cope with the scrutiny, there’s not that expectation against Brentford.
"No doubt that the quality is there, but take Arsenal to title? Arsenal might need to take that chance if they don’t fix that position and the goalkeeper situation, then it’s difficult to overhaul Man City," said Carragher.
Chelsea also have their eyes on Toney.
Newcastle United want Emile Smith Rowe
Newcastle United are keeping a close eye on Emile Smith Rowe, according to transfer insider Ben Jacobs.
The English midfielder has been a peripheral figure at Arsenal this season, managing just 230 minutes of first-team action across eight games. Only two of those games have been starts, adding to the player’s frustration.
Jacobs told GiveMeSport that the Gunners are willing to wait till the summer to listen to offers for the player.
"There are clubs looking at Smith Rowe. Newcastle are one of them, for example. Aston Villa have looked in the past as well. But Arsenal may be a bit more bullish about this and, before they agree to any kind of possible exit talks, they may first want to see whether the player can get fit in the second half of the season and then assess their options in the summer, rather than January," said Jacobs.
He continued:
"Smith Rowe may feel the same as well because it's all very well having your head turned by a possible move, but when you've been injured for this amount of time, stability can actually be the best thing to rehabilitate, build up your match time and then to assess your position within the Arsenal squad in the summer."
Smith Rowe missed a chunk of last season due to multiple knocks. Jacobs said that the player’s injury history remains a cause of concern for his suitors and parent club.
"Both Arsenal and suitors, historically, have been concerned about the injury record over a long period of time. Before we can really define what might happen with Smith Rowe, he needs to get fit. Arsenal are prepared to be patient, let him get fit, and then decide on his future. But, obviously, all of these new setbacks are not helpful at all," said Jacobs.
Smith Rowe picked up a knee injury last week and will remain sidelined for a while.
FA unlikely to take action against Mikel Arteta
Mikel Arteta is likely to escape without a ban following his recent outburst at VAR, according to The Telegraph.
The Arsenal manager didn’t mince words after the league defeat at Newcastle United over the weekend. The Magpies won by a controversial Anthony Gordon goal, which was allowed to stand following a lengthy review by VAR.
Arteta urged for immediate improvements after the game, slamming the match officials. However, the FA reckon that his comments haven’t violated any rules, including questioning the integrity of the referees.
The Gunners also backed their manager with a statement stressing for reforms. While the FA haven’t reaching a final decision yet, it's believed that no action will be taken against the Spanish manager for now.
