Brentford value Ivan Toney at £25 million amid interest from Premier League trio West Ham United, Leicester City and Arsenal, as reported by the Sun (21 February, page 62).
The Bees are running one of English football’s finest finishing schools and some of their most feted graduates have made a real impact in the top flight this season.
Said Benrahma is going from strength to strength at a West Ham side sitting pretty in the Champions League places, while Ezri Konsa and Ollie Watkins are flying high at Aston Villa.
Neal Maupay might have his critics but the Brighton striker has still scored 17 Premier League goals since the start of 2019/20.
With a run of three successive defeats damaging their promotion prospects, fears are growing among the Brentford fanbase that Toney may be joining Watkins and co in the top flight next season.
The former Peterborough talisman has produced a remarkable 24 goals and nine assists in 30 Championship games this season.
According to the Sun, Leicester have identified Toney – an aggressive and skillful centre-forward – as a potential long-term successor for 34-year-old Jamie Vardy at the King Power.
Arsenal and West Ham United are also interested; the latter sending Winston Reid to Brentford on loan in order to foster a close relationship between two London neighbours (Eurosport).
It would take a fee of £25 million for Brentford to even consider selling Toney, however, with Thomas Frank’s side destined to make a huge profit on a striker they bought for just £10 million in August.
While £25 million might look like a huge fee for a second-tier striker, let’s not forget that we all thought the same about Watkins just a few months ago.
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