Brentford manager provides update on Ivan Toney amid interest from Manchester United
After returning to football from an eight-month ban earlier this year, Brentford striker Ivan Toney is being courted by multiple clubs. Early this year, London rivals Arsenal and Chelsea were linked with the 28-year-old, only to reportedly drop the pursuit this summer.
But if other reports are to be believed, Manchester United are still interested in the England international, who impressed off the bench in Euro 2024. Are Brentford ready to part ways with their star striker if the offer is right? Well, head coach Thomas Frank didn't seem to be in a hurry.
"What I'm focusing on is that Ivan [Toney] is a Brentford player and I'm very happy that he's here. If he's here when we start the season, I would be over the moon. I've said before we're a selling club but what I know is that Ivan is a player for us," the Bees gaffer stated to Sky Sports.
Brentford's pre-season is entering its final stages, as they'll face VfL Wolfsburg on August 10, before starting their EPL campaign on August 18 against Crystal Palace. Ivan Toney hasn't been part of the pre-season friendlies after completing his international duties, but Frank said against the Bundesliga team, there's a possibility of the talismanic forward being involved in some capacity.
"Let's see but I can imagine if he will be available," he added.
Which club would Ivan Toney fit well?
Now 28, Ivan Toney is already well into his prime years, and the English striker has for long, eyed a move that would take him up the ladder. Before being found guilty of breaching the FA's betting rules, Toney was one of the hottest prospects in the country. However, the eight-month ban didn't help in preserving the momentum he had earned.
He returned to football early this year, and his performances for Brentford were mixed. But his game-winning performances off the bench for England at the Euros brought the spotlight back on him. Manchester United have been interested in the forward for a while, but the price tag is what has reportedly been putting them off. Plus the fact that they already have a certain Rasmus Hojlund in their ranks.
Chelsea have reportedly turned to Victor Osimhein as their key target to solve their striking quandary. But the other London club, Tottenham Hotspur, are yet to find an appropriate replacement for Harry Kane and have been forced to use Son Heung-minas a makeshift forward.
However, Toney has been known to thrive in low-block systems, and with Ange Postecoglu's Spurs playing a more possession-based style of football, it might not be an immediate fit.
But if both Postecoglu and Ivan Toney can find a fix, and Tottenham can secure the Brentford striker's services on a budget, it might solve a lot of their visible struggles.