5 months ago
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Arsenal could have signed top striker target Ivan Toney in January and avoided any Financial Fair Play punishment.
That is according to FFP expert and financial adviser Stefan Borson, who has poured cold water on talk the Gunners didn't have enough funds this month.
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It is no secret that Mikel Arteta's side are in the market for a new centre-forward, with Gabriel Jesus and Eddie Nketiah scoring just nine Premier League goals between them this season.
Brentford star Toney was heavily linked with a move, with the one-cap England international himself appearing to drop a 'come and get me' plea.
talkSPORT understands that the Bees were demanding at least £80million - something Borson has hinted Arsenal had the means to do.
But the north London outfit failed to formalise their interest in the 27-year-old, and ultimately decided against making a single signing in January.
However Borson - speaking on Jim White and Alex Crook's Deadline Day show - has insisted Arsenal weren't in threat of breaching FFP rules.
He said: "You have a combination of teams who have chosen not to spend, so that's teams like Arsenal.
"Because Arsenal could have spent if they wanted.
"If they were to invest in the necessary equity, they could push their limit up to the £105m from the £15m that it is now.
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"But they opted to stay out of the market."
Pressed by White at how much Arsenal could have forked out, Borson remarked: "Well it's always very, very hard to calculate the exact amount.
"Certainly tens of millions pounds on a player - they could have bought the striker that everybody thinks they need."
Asked whether they'd have been in danger should they have splashed the cash, he stated: "If they would have chosen to, it would have required the owners to have put in a very considerable amount of equity.
"They would have had to put their hands in their pockets, and ultimately, I think in line with most in the game around Europe, there is a limit.
"And people are saying, 'Actually, I don't want to do it anymore."
