Chelsea has been given an encouraging signal in their pursuit of Ivan Toney, with Brentford indicating their willingness to consider offers for the striker at the right price. Despite Chelsea’s significant investment in new talent, including a whopping £1 billion ($1.2 billion) spent across the last three transfer windows, the Blues are still on the lookout for a proven No.9.
Ivan Toney, who has been on Chelsea’s radar, could potentially be a target in the future. However, the England international is currently serving an eight-month ban for violating FA betting regulations, making any immediate transfer unlikely. Nevertheless, the prospect of Toney joining Chelsea remains alive.
Manchester United and Tottenham have also expressed interest in the talented forward, further emphasizing his desirability in the transfer market. Brentford’s manager, Thomas Frank, understands the financial dynamics of modern football and recognizes that for the right price, any player can be tempted away.
Frank acknowledged the club’s selling nature, saying, “I think every club in the world are a selling club except five or six clubs. We are a selling club, if the right price is there. I think if it’s the right time for the player to go, from my perspective that’s not my decision that would be Phil [Giles, director of football] or Matthew [Benham, owner] in the end, then I think if they have developed well with us, been on the journey, and now they’re proven good enough to go to the top clubs, then I think it’s the right thing, if it’s the right price.”
When asked specifically about Ivan Toney’s availability in the transfer market, Frank responded affirmatively, stating, “Yeah, I think so. I understand why there are a lot of rumours out there about him. For me he’s one of the best strikers, as a striker No.9, I don’t see many out there who is better in the world than him, of course you have [Harry] Kane, [Robert] Lewandowski, [Erling] Haaland and these types, but not many. He scored 20 goals in the Premier League last year, in, of course, a very good Brentford side but of course we are not creating as many chances as the top six or seven teams. So imagine him in a top team, he’d easily score 20, 25 goals, for me. I think he’s composed, he’s a good finisher, top mentality, so I understand why clubs are looking at him.”
Ivan Toney, who will be eligible to resume his playing career in January 2024, joined Brentford in 2020 and has since been a prolific scorer, netting 68 goals in 124 appearances. His potential availability has set the stage for an intriguing transfer battle among top clubs, with Chelsea in the mix to secure his services when the time is right.