The Ivan Toney tussle is more complicated, with Brentford reportedly set to demand £100 million, with Arsenal and Chelsea keen.
According to Sky Sports, Brentford could slap a £100 million price tag on star striker Ivan Toney ahead of the January window. The heavy demand could ward off suitors like Arsenal and Chelsea, with the London duo likely to enter the winter window for another frontman.
Ivan Toney has endured a mixed year on the pitch and off it. The 27-year-old striker’s performances for Brentford earned him a call-up to the England squad before tragedy struck, and the forward received an eight-month ban over betting allegations.
Toney has resumed training with Brentford since September and remains on course to return to the field around mid-January. There are doubts about whether he might play another game for the Bees, considering the heavy speculation surrounding his future ahead of the next window.
Amid a wave of interest from fellow London clubs, Toeny might consider moving to a bigger Premier League club. Arsenal and Chelsea have seen links to the 27-year-old striker ahead of the next window, with both teams needing a new frontman in their system.
If Arsenal or Chelsea want Ivan Toney, they'll need to pay Brentford £100m 🤯
— GOAL News (@GoalNews) November 2, 2023
Thomas Frank had recently hinted Brentford will consider offers for all players, including Toney. Very recently, he hinted at a price point for the 27-year-old striker. He said, “£100m plus?… What would you pay for a striker that guarantees you 20-plus goals? And this is 20 goals for a mid-table club. What can he do in a bigger club?”
Brentford have now slapped a £100 million tag on the striker, which they hope will ward off interest from Premier League sides. That is because they ideally want to keep the Englishman until the summer transfer window. Another report states Arsenal will not pay over the odds for the 27-year-old striker.
The Gunners want to add the forward but may lean towards signing a winger over Toney. Things could still change for Mikel Arteta’s side before the January window opens. The Gunners also have Kai Havertz, who plays in that leading striker role. But so far, he has yet to see much game time in that position.
The other big contender, Chelsea, are in dire need of bringing in a new No.9. While Arsenal have the goals spread out among other players, the Blues are thoroughly struggling in that aspect. Hence, Pochettino would prioritise a new frontman, and as per previous reports, they are confident of landing Toney.
Chelsea also showed their hand in the previous window, splashing heavily on young, inexperienced players. Brentford will keep that in mind when dealing with the Blues and demand a heavy fee if they want Toney as their new striker.
