Saturday,9 March,2024
McCreadie Andias
Brentford’s 27-year old hitman Ivan Toney has raised to the ranks as the hotcake every top premier league club is courting into its camp.
Two reasons behind Toney’s wild chase is his consistent form that draws back from the 2022/2023 season where he scored 20 Premier league goals and adding 4 assists on top aiding the Bees to avoid relegation and finish 9th on the Standings.
The English man has continued with the burning form scoring 4 goals under the current campaign despite recently resuming from an 8-month ban over breach of gambling rules.
Toney is even more of a darling for top clubs since he is currently serving the tail of his contract at Brentford and this could see his exit triggered by a lower price as compared to the multi-million price tag of about 100 million Euros that was under his name at the steam of his form.
Top Clubs including Manchester united, Chelsea, Liverpool and Arsenal feel like they now have an incredible and inevitable opportunity to grab his invaluable services at only a lower fee.
The debate on where Toney will be heading next has continued to spark especially after Brentford Manager Thomas Frank officially announced that their High-Prolific striker will be most certainly parting ways with the club at the end of the current season. “It’s quite obvious that Ivan Toney will most likely be sold in the summer”, Thomas Frank told Tipsbladet.
“It’s normal as he only has a year left on his contract with us. We also know what he’s worth, so we’ll see”.“This winter, we actually had zero bids for him… but it would surprise me if there aren’t a lot of clubs in July”.“I don’t think there are many strikers in the world who are better than Ivan Toney right now”, Frank also added.
Meanwhile, Ivan Toney has remained constraint on his future will openly admitting that he would enjoy to make a move at a top club where he can achieve spectacular Sucess.
“It’s obvious I want to play for a top club and fight for titles, yes”.“If a club was to pay the right money… then, who knows. January or whenever is right time, I’ll be ready”.“I want to enjoy and play now” Toney told Sky Sports.
Brentford went even further to make Toney’s exit a great possibility as they signed top Brazilian striker Igor Thiago who will be Ivan Toney replacement. Brentford will pay fee in excess of £30m with add-ons to sign the Brazilian striker from Club Brugge on a five year deal until June 2029.
Now that Toney will be out of the picture for Brentford, Where will he head next?, which club will be lucky enough to aquire his signature. On the transfer battlefield, Manchester United, Liverpool, Chelsea and Arsenal have shown clear interest of acquiring his services.
The clubs have placed salivating offers to court the striker into their camps but there alot more to that. Toney will have to play his cards right to ensure he gets the best deal not only in a top club but in a club where he will get maximum opportunities to play for the first team.
The striker has certainly keept his options open for after he served his betting ban in January. He has clearly shown his optimism of going after the best option.
“Everyone wants to play at the top of the tree. Not that Brentford aren’t there, but everyone wants to play for these big clubs and compete for trophies. If a chance was to come along, I would be silly not to look into it.Toney has made it clear he is a Liverpool fan but Arsenal’s deal is also too sweet to walk away from.
“The next club I go to will be the right club. I am a Liverpool fan my whole life. I have liked Arsenal from young, how they play and how passionate their fans are. But I’m a Liverpool boy, Liverpool fan at heart.”
But despite all these rumors and interests, there could be only one destination for Toney, the destination could be uncertain but it could also not be too difficult to calculate where he stands a bigger and better chance.
With Manchester United already having a good striker Rasmus Hojjund who has recently picked form despite his previous woes, the Red devils could not be so desperate for Toney especially after their striker became the first EPL under 21 player to score in six straight matches. That gave them a little bit comfort and confidence on Hojjund. Yes they have the millions and Toney’s price tag wouldn’t be a thing to them but there he will have great conflict of interest on whether he or Hojjund is best suited to start. So United would be a No for Toney.
Liverpool comes next, Toney loves the club, they have a good atmosphere, quality players, quality form a good coach and currently leading the premier league standings. There he is most poised to have great Sucess under the assist of Mo Salah and the rest. But again Liverpool have good strikers Cody Gakpo and Darwin Nunez who have recently shown great goal scoring prowess and consistency. It could be a mistake if he signs for Liverpool since the club has many options and competition for game time will be intense.
Chelsea will always pour their money where they see quality, and maybe especially if it is a black player, Chelsea will not get tired of signing it doesn’t matter how much money they will spend until they get their best. The blues are also very Persuasive in offering sweet lucrative long deals and maybe Toney will be convinced but their current struggling form might affect Toney’s overall performance, Somehow Chelsea lacks the right players to contribute to Toney’s form and that would make it very possible for him to flop so as many other good players have flopped at Chelsea. Let’s not forget Christopher Nkunku, a very brilliant striker is at Chelsea although he is currently struggling with injuries but upon fitness there might be conflict on who best to start.
Manchester City is most certainly a rule out and ofcourse which striker would have the audacity to sign in a similar club where Erling Haaland is playing, Let’s not forget world cup winner Julian Alvarez is at City too but overshadowed by Haaland’s robotic performance. On top, Haaland has about four more years to his contract at City and he can’t just stop making record breaking achievements. Toney will certainly not pick a fight with Haaland, not a chance and signing for City would be burying his career on the graveyard.
Tottenham could be a good shot for Toney but they don’t have the right money nor the sweetest deal to lure him into their camp. And yet they might not be what he describes as a ‘top club’ for him they are hungry and dry of titles. But again he could have a good atmosphere and playing time at spurs since their current main striker Richarlison is injury prone and would not be a good starter ahead of Toney.
With almost all the big names mentioned, we can ofcourse rule out a move out of the Premier league as Toney most prefers to play at home.
There’s only one name left unmentioned and this could not only offer Toney a fair deal but also the best atmosphere and game time.
Arsenal would be an “excellent option” for Ivan Toney. Amid their current struggles to finish their chances, Toney would perfectly fill the void for them.
Their current striker Gabriel Jesus has been struggling to put goals behind the net with an inconsistent form if not his recurring injury woes. Eddie Nketiah can only serve as an optional striker, his age is tender and he cannot meet striking consistencies. The Gunners have adapted to depending on their sharp wingers Bukayo Saka, Gabriel Martinelli or Leonardo Trossard for goals. Martin Odegaard has often been compelled to help with scoring duties and all this are repercussions of their need on a top striker.
Let’s all agree that Arsenal, Mikel Arteta’s Project will be complete with Ivan Toney’s signature and Ivan Toney will also be complete at Arsenal. The club is doing well financially they can afford to hit his Price tag from Brentford as well as offering his sweet wages. He has more chances to grow being surrounded by a group of young but experienced players with energy, determination and consistency. He also has a guarantee of being in the first team with no better options ahead of him.
Arsenal are currently in sterling form running from the 2022/23 season where they finished second in the Premier league table losing out to treble winner Manchester City,Many thought the Arsenal project will die but they have retained the consistency into the 2023/24 season chasing the title against heavyweights like Manchester City and Liverpool and are similary seen as favourites for the title and future titles with a young and quality squad. Mikel Arteta ,a young ,energetic,tactical and proactive squad dramaless and player-friendly.
The gunners have also made a majestic comeback to champions league football with will give Toney and incredible opportunity to announce his name in the European top club competition as an elite striker.
More perfomance for him means more chances of featuring into the England national team squad and battling for a position against Harry Kane or Otile Watkins.Toney should pick the pen and sign as a gooner, there’s clearly no better place for him.
By McCreadie Andias,
