Jed Wallace was full of praise for the impact Ivan Toney has made at Brentford, after missing out on the chance to play alongside the £25 million-rated goal-machine at Wolverhampton Wanderers, while speaking to Not The Top 20 Podcast.
A lot has changed at Molineux since 2014.
At the time, a Wolves side coached by Kenny Jackett were putting together a squad capable of breaking into the Championship play-off places and felt that an 18-year-old, lower league striker was the man to boost their top-six prospects.
But, according to the Express and Star, Toney’s £500,000 move from Northampton to the Black Country fell through after he failed a medical on deadline-day.
Seven years on, it is fair to say both player and club have put that disappointment behind them.
While Wolves have comfortably established themselves as one of the Premier League’s most ambitious, well-run clubs, it seems only a matter of time before Toney is joining them in the top flight.
The prolific number nine has been linked with a move to Arsenal, West Ham and Leicester City after scoring 25 times during his debut season at Brentford. Six more goals in the next 13 games will see Toney shatter Glenn Murray’s all-time Championship record of 30 in a single campaign.
“I’ve known Ivan for years and he looks like he could have the greatest ever goalscoring season (in the Championship). If he gets 35 goals, (Brentford) are going to go up aren’t they? 35 goals in your first season in the Championship is some going to be honest,” said Wallace, the former Molineux winger now wreaking havoc at Millwall.
“I was at Wolves, and Wolves and Northampton aren’t far apart. So I’d spend a lot of time with the Northampton lads and they always loved him.
“Ivan went to Wolves slightly before me and failed a medical. Everywhere he’s been, he’s always scored goals but I think he’s probably surprised himself by how much he’s stepped up.
“When he played against us, it was the sixth or seventh game of the season and he hadn’t scored yet, he walked up to take the penalty like he had a cigar in his mouth and just sticks it in the bottom corner. He’s got that confidence that every great goalscorer has.”
According to the Sun, Brentford will demand £25 million for Toney this summer.
Although, if Thomas Frank’s side can retain their place in the automatic promotion positions, they may not have to sell after all.
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