Pochettino tells Chelsea 3 reasons to complete Ivan Toney transfer in January

Ivan Toney was one of the most coveted strikers in the Premier League before he received a lengthy ban from football

Mauricio Pochettino has outlined three reasons why Chelsea must signed Ivan Toney in the January transfer window. The 27-year-old striker was heavily linked with an exit from Brentford ahead of the summer but, after receiving a eight-month ban from football for breaching Football Association betting rules, a move failed to materialise.

While Toney has been out of action recently, he's still been subject to plenty of interest ahead of his return. In fact, according to London World, the Blues are currently leading the race to sign Toney with the moves being made behind the scenes ahead of a potential bid in the winter.

The report states that the Englishman is Pochettino's ideal option as he looks to further bolster his frontline. Nicolas Jackson and Raheem Sterling have impressed for Chelsea so far this term, but they haven't quite managed to score as many goals as they might have been expected to.

London World add that the Blues boss is in the market for a reasonably-aged English striker who is proven in the English top-flight, with Toney fitting the bill. Despite Pochettino's admiration for Toney, he has consistently backed Armando Broja to come back firing on all cylinders following his injury.

The 22-year-old striker missed the remainder of last season after suffering a ruptured cruciate ligament in his right knee during a mid-season friendly against Aston Villa. The Chelsea boss said: "We cannot forget him. We cannot stop him. We really believe in him – we know how important he can be for Chelsea.

"We need to be careful. I think it’s a big disappointment with the situation of Christopher [Nkunku’s injury]