"I'm convinced he will be absolutely on it" - Premier League manager sends strong warning to Arsenal and Chelsea ahead of January transfer window
Brentford manager Thomas Frank has said that he wants striker Ivan Toney - an Arsenal and Chelsea target - to stay at the club.
Toney, 27, is serving an eight-month suspension after being found guilty of breaching 232 betting rules of the FA. He's set to return to action on Jan. 16, in the middle of the January transfer window, which opens on 1st and concludes on 31st in England.
The Brentford striker is contracted with his club till 2025 and has had success in the English top flight. Toney has 68 goals across competitions for them, including 32 in the Premier League. Twenty of them came last season for a Brentford side that finished ninth, attracting the attention of the Gunners and the Blues (as per Mirror).
However, Brighton boss Frank has said that Toney is a key player and is expected to stay despite interest from other clubs. He said (as per The Evening Standard via Mirror):
"Everyone saw what he did last year. It’s not like he broke a leg or did his ACL, so he’s fit and probably even more ambitious to get success. I’m convinced he will be absolutely on it. I don’t want to lose him. I hope, and think, he’ll be a Brentford player on February 1.”
What else has Brentford boss said about Arsenal and Chelsea-target Ivan Toney?
Arsenal and Chelsea-target Ivan Toney has an impressive record in the Premier League. In two seasons in the competition for Brentford, the Englishman has racked up 32 goals and nine assists in 66 games.
Considering his importance to the side, Brentford boss Frank said that he wishes the striker to stay at the club 'forever', adding that the striker is happy at the Premier League club..
"He (Toney) is happy at the club," Frank said (as per the aforementioned source). I want him to stay. Ivan is happy to stay. He's happy at the club. What happens in the future is impossible to guess about."
"Ivan's skillset in terms of finishing, composure in those moments, link-up play, presence, character. … He is a very good package. It's not for me to put a price tag on him. It is down to the club. I'm happy with him, and I hope he plays here forever."
Frank's words won't be music in the ears of Arsenal and Chelsea who are looking to sign Toney.