Ivan Toney is expected to be the subject of a lot of interest this summer, with his Brentford future in doubt. The striker, who has been a revelation since joining The Bees, has spoken of his desire to challenge himself at the highest level possible, but talks on his future will now be put on hold because of Euro 2024.
Toney, 28, has been one of the highest-scoring English strikers in the Premier League since arriving in the division with Brentford. In eighty-five top-flight appearances, Toney has scored thirty-six goals and made eleven assists, and it’s impressive numbers like this that have leading clubs taking an interest.
However, after being overlooked at international level for a while, Toney hasn’t just made England manager Gareth Southgate’s training squad; he will be on the plane to Germany after making the cut, and you’d expect him to play a role, albeit a small one, in a tournament where 2024 Euro betting online have the Three Lions as favourites to be victorious.
Harry Kane will undoubtedly be England’s starting striker, with Toney operating off the bench. But there will be times he’ll be called on by Southgate, especially if England need a goal. And this alone could bring more suitors to the table when the tournament ends. Although for Toney, he’s got his eyes set on a move to a big club exclusively.
If a move doesn’t materialise, it will certainly be interesting to see what happens next for a number of reasons. The first is that Toney is now going into the final year of his contract at Brentford, and, at the time of writing, it appears as though he doesn’t intend to extend his stay at the Gtech. Under no circumstances would Brentford be happy to lose Toney on a free transfer in the summer of 2025. So, you’d expect there would be a determination to sell if no new deal can be agreed upon.
Another factor in all of this is that Brentford have already signed a player they believe to be a direct replacement for Toney. A deal is already in place for Club Brugge’s prolific Brazilian striker Igor Thiago to join the club this summer in a move worth over £30 million. Of course, manager Thomas Frank would love to have both Toney and Thiago at his disposal, but to balance the books financially, you’d expect a big money sale, the sale of Toney, now has to happen.
Fortunately, in the Premier League alone, it’s likely that several of the top clubs who match Toney’s ambitions and can pay Brentford the kind of money they’re looking for are in the market for a proven goalscorer. Arsenal need a number nine, knowing that signing one could help them take the next step. Manchester United have Rasmus Hojlund, but at times he’s flattered to deceive. And Chelsea want a new striker too. You’d imagine all three clubs would appeal to Toney, but for now, they’ll have to wait, as Euro 2024 is about to commence.