Man Utd urged to sign £50m Chelsea target but report reveals their ‘extreme caution’ over transfer

Lewis Oldham
Man Utd-linked Toney

Man Utd have been encouraged to sign Brentford striker Ivan Toney as a potential alternative to Tottenham Hotspur standout Harry Kane.

The Red Devils are in the market for a new striker heading into this summer, with Wout Weghorst and Anthony Martial both likely to leave the club.

They are being linked with Harry Kane and Victor Osimhen but Toney is a cheaper option if moves for other targets do not come to fruition.

Toney has been in stunning form for Brentford this season. He is among the Premier League’s leading scorers with his 19 goals in 30 appearances.

Ex-Premier League forward Dion Dublin thinks Toney would “only get better” if he secured himself a move to Old Trafford.

“In my opinion, he is good enough to go and play for Manchester United, and I think he’d only get better if he went there,” Dublin told William Hill.

“Erik ten Hag likes a big striker and they need a proven goal-scorer so maybe they should take a look at Ivan Toney.”

A report from Football Insider claims Man Utd ‘remain interested’ in Toney but they are ‘concerned about tabling a bid’.

United are ‘closely monitoring his availability’ but they ‘are extremely cautious about submitting a bid while his gambling investigation rumbles on in the background’.

It was reported last month that Toney ‘faces a lengthy ban’ after ‘pleading guilty’ to ‘many’ of the 262 betting charges against him.

The report from Football Insider adds: ‘United are worried about making a big-money bid only for Toney to not be available for large parts of a season due to his ban.

‘It is understood that Brentford have placed a £50million asking price for Toney ahead of the summer transfer window, and United would be tempted to match that fee had it not been for the ongoing investigation.

‘Chelsea are also interested in signing Toney this summer, while Newcastle were long-term admirers but recently dropped out of the race.’

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Speaking earlier this month, Gabby Agbonlahor claimed Chelsea need Toney or Romelu Lukaku next season.

“It’s just Chelsea’s finishing – it’s half-embarrassing when you watch them now,” Agbonlahor told talkSPORT.

“Chelsea just need a striker. To have Hakim Ziyech, Christian Pulisic and not put Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang in the Champions League squad, it doesn’t make sense to me.

“I’d bring Lukaku back. Ivan Toney is also a great shout. They need someone who is going to score you goals, all types of goals, and who has played in the Premier League.”

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