Chelsea are reportedly interested in signing Brentford striker Ivan Toney, valued at £50 million, in the summer.
Chelsea are in search of a reliable goal-scoring option to lead their attack. And according to a report by GiveMeSport, they are interested in signing English striker Ivan Toney, who Brentford value at £50 million. Graham Potter wants an out-and-out number nine to lead the attack in the upcoming season and is keen on acquiring the services of Toney.
The 26-year-old striker has been performing on a consistent basis for Brentford in the Premier League. And, a few big clubs in the English top flight have their eyes set on him. As a result, Chelsea will have to battle it out with other parties involved to secure Ivan Toney.
The Brentford striker has over two years left on his contract at the club. With a lot of time left in his contract, the Bees will have a strong position while negotiating his departure. Back in the day Newcastle United had enquired about the striker but dropped their interest because of the £50 million price tag.
Ivan Toney has played 21 matches in the ongoing season and has been directly involved in 18 goals. He has found the back of the net on 14 occasions and has helped his teammates score on four occasions. The English striker has over 100 appearances for the club. He has been a great servant for Brentford but might look for a bigger challenge in the summer.
Brentford are currently seventh in the Premier League and are pushing for European football next season. If they manage to achieve the desired target of European football, they might have a better chance of keeping him at the club for another season. However, they will surely not let him leave for cheap.
At the start of the season, Chelsea decided to let go of Timo Werner and Romelu Lukaku (on loan) because the two could not live up to the expectations. Kai Havertz is currently leading the line for the Blues but is not an out-and-out number nine. Graham Potter wants a proper striker with physical presence to lead the line in the upcoming season. And, with Lukaku’s future up in the air, it makes perfect sense for Chelsea to push for the services of Ivan Toney.
But there are dark clouds looming over his future which might affect his transfer. The Brentford striker was charged with 262 alleged breaches of FA betting rules at the end of 2022. There is an investigation going on, and Toney could face a long ban of around six months if he is found guilty of betting on his own team. So, it will be interesting to see what happens with his future.
