BUZZING OFF Arsenal handed Ivan Toney transfer boost as Brentford chief admits star could leave Bees ‘very shortly’

Posted Wednesday, December 20, 2023 by Thesun.co.uk

Bees hope to fetch massive sum if the England striker departs in January

BRENTFORD have admitted Arsenal and Chelsea target Ivan Toney could move "very shortly".

The £100millon-rated England striker is reportedly "very excited" by interest from the Gunners as he returns from a betting ban next month.

Ivan Toney is hungry to return after his lengthy suspension from playing and is said to be delighted that Arsenal might be keen Credit: Reuters

BUZZING OFF Arsenal handed Ivan Toney transfer boost as Brentford chief admits star could leave Bees ‘very shortly’
Toney has been reduced to a watching brief on match-days this season Credit: Getty

And Bees' director Lee Dykes is expecting "lots of interest" for the 27-year-old in the January transfer window.

The one-cap star hit 20 goals last season as the type of natural finisher that Arsenal and Chelsea crave.

Dykes told Brentford's media team: “There should be interest, and maybe the time comes very shortly that Ivan moves on to another club.

“But they will have to pay a decent transfer fee to acquire his services because he is some talent."

Dykes added: “I am so excited for Ivan to come back because I see him out there in training and he is some player - it looks like he’s never been away.

“There’s a real ambition from him and I can see in his eyes that he’s going to be better than he’s ever been. I really believe that will be the case”.

The Bees are tipped to seek a nine-figure sum for Toney - although £80m might be a more realistic ambition.

And in the end Prem rivals could hope to land him for closer to £60m.

Brentford manager Thomas Frank has already conceded the Bees "are a selling club if the right price is there".

And Dykes is confident of attracting a massive sum.

He said: “Yes, there will be lots of interest in Ivan in January. Naturally, there should be.

“He was the third-highest Premier League goalscorer last season - one of them [Harry Kane] has gone to Germany now, so he’s up there as one of the best strikers in the division. He is in the top five in the world, in my opinion”.