Chelsea are reportedly set to rival Manchester United in the race to sign Brentford striker Ivan Toney before the transfer window closes.
According to the Mirror, Chelsea and Manchester United are ready to go head-to-head in their pursuit of Brentford striker Ivan Toney as they desperately seek to sign a new No. 9 before the transfer window ends.
Since joining Brentford from Peterborough United in 2020, Toney has grown leaps and bounds and was one of the Bees’ best performers as they achieved promotion to the Premier League last season. Upon returning to the top flight, the 26-year-old performed admirably and has started the new season with a bang as well, already scoring and assisting two goals apiece from three matches.
Toney’s growth and development over the past couple of years has not gone unnoticed, as several clubs have taken an interest in the Englishman. The striker’s former team, Newcastle United, had been linked this summer although those rumours have gone quiet in recent weeks. But Chelsea and Manchester United have now emerged as suitors for Toney.
Chelsea’s search for a new No. 9 is well-documented following their decision to let go of Romelu Lukaku (loan) and Timo Werner this summer. The move has left the Blues with Armando Broja as the only natural striker in the squad, something that manager Thomas Tuchel is intent on addressing before the window closes.
Chelsea are working on a move to sign Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang from Barcelona, with talks said to be progressing well. However, in case there are any roadblocks in pursuit of the former Arsenal captain, the Blues are preparing for contingencies and have identified Toney as an alternative to the 33-year-old hitman.
Meanwhile, Manchester United also find themselves scouring the market for a quality striker as they have failed to replace Edinson Cavani, while Cristiano Ronaldo’s future remains far from clear. With Anthony Martial sidelined and Marcus Rashford’s form on the decline, Erik ten Hag is desperate to sign a new striker.
It has led to links with a host of names within England and across Europe, with Brentford’s Toney also registering on their radars. Manchester United got a good look at the 26-year-old when they faced Brentford in the Premier League last weekend and were hammered 4-0, with Toney grabbing a couple of assists.
Apart from Chelsea and Manchester United, Everton are also interested in Toney as cover and competition for Dominic Calvert-Lewin, who is out with an injury. The 26-year-old is tied down to a contract with Brentford until 2025 and it could thus take a significant sum of money for Chelsea or Manchester United to pry him away from the Bees.
