Ivan Toney sends latest clear message as Chelsea and Arsenal transfer links ramp up

Chelsea and Arsenal transfer target Ivan Toney appears to be hitting his stride upon his return to football. After being away from football for four months, half of his eight month ban from the FA after breaching betting rules across a prolonged period, he was eligible to join up with his teammates once more last month.

Having scored 20 times in the league last season Toney has quickly become one of the most interesting players in England and made his debut earlier this year as well following a snub from the 2022 World Cup squad. However, with the forward not able to play competitive matches again until late in January 2024, no side took the plunge to try and buy him over the summer.

Any team that does make a play for the 27-year-old has already been warned as well that it will cost a pretty penny to prize him away from Thomas Frank and the Bees. “£100m plus,” the manager quoted last season when asked about how much a player of his quality would cost in the modern market.

“I love Ivan and it’s fantastic what he has achieved here, and there is more for him to achieve here. I’m really happy he is a Brentford player. There are some players every time they come up to one level, they kick on and continue. He did well in League One, then the Championship, first year [in the Premier League] 12 goals, now he is on 20 and hopefully getting more. What is the limit? He has a very good potential.

“I know he is not 22, but look at some of the best strikers in the world: [Robert] Lewandowski, [Karim] Benzema. It’s like good wine; they just keep getting better. What would you pay for a striker that guarantees you 20-plus goals? And this is 20 goals for a mid-table club. What can he do in a bigger club?”

Frank also admitted last month that