Toney transfer: Romano reveals ‘different’ Brentford plans as Arsenal, Chelsea, Man Utd receive boost
Brentford’s demands for Arsenal and Chelsea target Ivan Toney will be ‘different’ in the summer after receiving no bids in January, according to reports.
Toney has been outstanding in the Premier League for the Bees, scoring 34 goals in 71 top-flight appearances.
His form has caught the eye of Chelsea, Arsenal and Manchester United, who were all linked with the England international in the winter transfer window.
Brentford essentially issued a hands-off warning by slapping a £100million asking price on Toney with Thomas Frank very reluctant to lose his star man mid-season.
No Premier League club could afford to pay that sort of fee in January and the Bees comfortably kept hold of the striker.
The summer will be a different story, though. Speaking this week, Frank admitted that he is expecting to lose Toney at the end of the season.
“It is relatively obvious that Ivan Toney will probably be sold this summer,” Frank told Danish magazine Tipsbladet.
“It can be ‘expensive’ to sell your best player, but conversely I also know that this summer he only has one year left on his contract with us.
“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.”
Frank added: “I would prefer to keep Toney but one day it could be fun to see him in a top team.
“This winter, we actually had no bids for him, but it would surprise me if there aren’t a lot of clubs interested in him.”
OPINION: Arsenal should swerve desperation transfer triple tax for £80m striker
Toney has expressed his desire to move to a club competing for trophies and Manchester United, Arsenal and Chelsea are all expected to be vying for his signature in the summer transfer window.
All three clubs need a new striker, although Erik ten Hag’s plan is to relieve some of the pressure on Rasmus Hojlund, who is the club’s long-term No. 9.
Chelsea and Arsenal, meanwhile, need a starting striker who can fire them to Premier League glory. Another player they are both being linked with is Napoli’s Victor Osimhen.
All three clubs have been handed a boost in their pursuit of Toney via Fabrizio Romano, who says Brentford’s demands will be ‘different’ at the end of the season as the 27-year-old enters the final 12 months of his contract.
Romano does not say how much the Bees will ask for their talisman, but it is ‘likely’ that their asking price ‘will be lower than the £100m it would have cost to sign him in January’.
Toney’s contract situation should have a massive impact on how much clubs are willing to pay for him.
Writing in his CaughtOffside column, Romano said: ‘Another story that could be relevant for Chelsea, who want to sign a striker this summer, and also for Arsenal, is that Thomas Frank has spoken publicly about Ivan Toney being likely to leave at the end of this season.
‘He’ll have just a year left on his contract, so his price tag will likely be lower than the £100m it would have cost to sign him in January.
‘I think this situation makes sense and I don’t think clubs needed Frank to say that, it’s quite obvious and also one of the reasons why no one wanted to pay that amount of money in January. In the summer it will be different, for sure.’
READ NEXT: Ivan Toney begins a four-month shoot-out to be Harry Kane’s understudy
