Arsenal and Chelsea set for summer Ivan Toney transfer battle as Brentford boss admits banned striker could be sold
ARSENAL and Chelsea are reportedly set for a transfer battle over banned Brentford star Ivan Toney.
And Bees boss Thomas Frank admits his star man could be sold once an eight-month betting suspension ends in January.
Toney, 27, is back in Brentford training after serving half his ban for breaching FA betting rules.
The England international will be able to return to action in 2024.
And the Mirror claims Toney already has a host of admirers chasing his signature.
Arsenal are known to be big fans and were reportedly lining up a move for Toney in the previous transfer window before his ban kicked in.
Likewise, Chelsea are also keen as they struggle to score goals under new boss Mauricio Pochettino.
The duo could now battle it out to seal a £60million deal for Toney.
But they are likely to wait until next summer, when the hitman has just 12 months remaining on his contract.
It would also provide Toney with the chance to get his match sharpness back with Brentford.
The Bees would ideally like to keep hold of their talisman.
But speaking on Monday Night Football, manager Frank revealed his club are always open to selling players for the right price.
He told Jamie Carragher: “I think every club in the world are a selling club except five or six clubs. We are a selling club, if the right price is there.
“If they have developed with us, been on the journey and now they’re proven good enough to go to the top clubs, then I think it’s the right thing, if it’s the right price.
“[Does that apply to Toney?] Yeah I think so. I understand why there are a lot of rumours out there about him.
“For me he’s one of the best strikers, I don’t see many out there who are better than him, of course you have Harry Kane, Robert Lewandowski, Erling Haaland, but not many.
“He scored 20 Premier League goals last year in a very good Brentford side but we are not creating as many chances as the top teams.
“Imagine him in a top team, he’d easily score 20, 25. I think he’s composed, a good finished, top mentality, so I understand why clubs are looking at him.”
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