It is no secret that forward Ivan Toney is a wanted man this January, with sides such as Arsenal, Chelsea and Tottenham interested in the 27-year-old.
Toney, who joined the Bees for £10m from Peterborough back in 2020, has a price tag of at least £80 million to try and fend off any interest in the striker.
The striker is yet to feature this season due to an ongoing suspension, however, that doesn’t seem to be an issue for the clubs previously mentioned who are interested in the former Newcastle United man.
When does Ivan Toney return?
The 27-year-old is currently serving a suspension for gambling, which saw the Brentford forward admit to 232 breaches of FA Rule E8 – which states any player, manager or official can’t bet on anything directly or indirectly to do with football.
His eight-month suspension started in May, with the forward allowed to return to Brentford’s first-team from January 17th 2024.
Chelsea bosses not “fully sold” on Toney ahead of Brentford return
According to CaughtOffside, Chelsea bosses aren’t fully sold on a move for Toney, with the Blues hierarchy preferring a move for Napoli’s Victor Osimhen.
Osimhen has become a top European striker in recent seasons, with Mauricio Pochettino’s side looking for a new forward heading into 2024.
The bosses at Chelsea are put off by Toney’s asking price, with Osimhen available for around £20 million, but more importantly, the Nigerian is three years younger than Brentford forward Toney.
Arsenal “unlikely” to pursue Toney deal in January
Although at one stage Arsenal looked like the most likely destination for the striker, Mikel Arteta’s side are now unlikely to enter the race for Toney in January.
The Gunners spent heavily in the summer trying to bridge the gap to champions Manchester City, including a club-record deal for Declan Rice.
However, Arteta’s side are unlikely to sign anyone this winter, as they focus on outgoings before bringing anyone else to the Emirates.
Tottenham to focus on other areas in January
Ange Postecoglou has had a brilliant start to life in the Premier League with his side currently two points off the top of the table.
Spurs are set to strengthen once again in January, but, will be focusing on other areas rather than their forward line.
Tottenham have already registered interest in fellow Brentford player Christian Norgaard ahead of the window, with a deal for Toney highly doubtful.