Brentford manager Thomas Frank has admitted that Ivan Toney “will probably” depart the club this summer. The star striker recently returned from an eight-month suspension for breaching the Football Association (FA) betting rules. Nevertheless, he was the subject of constant transfer speculation throughout the January window.
In the end, Toney remained with the Bees and will continue playing for Frank for the remainder of the campaign. The center forward made an instant impact with his club in his return to the team on January 20th. Toney scored a free kick on the evening against Nottingham Forest. He then followed this up with another goal 11 days later against Tottenham Hotspur.
Thomas Frank says Ivan Toney will move on to ‘top team’
Despite heavy interest from other Premier League teams, Frank claims that an offer was never submitted during the January window. “This winter we had no offers for him, but it will surprise me if there aren’t a lot of clubs that will be interested in him,” stated Frank according to Danish sports magazine Tipsbladet.
While Toney now remains on the Bees roster, the manager does not believe that will continue soon. “It is relatively obvious that Ivan Toney will probably be sold this summer,” Frank continued.
“We also know what he is worth. I don’t think there are many strikers in the world who are better than him right now. He is a really skilled striker who is in his prime football age. Personally, as a coach, I would prefer to keep Toney but one day it could be fun to see him on a top team.”
It was previously reported that Brentford set an asking price for Toney at around $125 million. This turned off potential suitors of the star striker. Frank, however, even claimed that his center forward was well worth the astronomical fee.
“£100 million [$125 million] plus?… What would you pay for a striker that guarantees you 20-plus goals?” asked the Bees manager. “And this is 20 goals for a mid-table club. What can he do in a bigger club?”
Arsenal, Chelsea to pursue striker this summer
Nevertheless, Bees brass will have to cave quite a bit to sell Toney this summer. The 27-year-old striker has made it fairly clear that he wants to join a top club in the near future. His Brentford contract is also set to expire in June 2025 as well. This means that the club has to sell him this summer or risk watching him depart the team for free the following July.
Arsenal and Chelsea have both been linked with Toney for months now and for good reason. The two teams currently have issues in the center-forward position. Despite spending over $1 billion on new players, the Blues still struggle to score. Arsenal, on the other hand, needs a star striker to truly complete their typical starting lineup.
While the duo are interested in Toney, neither club will accommodate Brentford by offering $125 million for the forward. The final fee could also be driven down even further if the England international officially submits a transfer request. Either way, Toney looks certain to wear a new jersey heading into the 2024/25 season.
PHOTOS: IMAGO.
