Tottenham Hotspur have supposedly learned that one of their top striker targets could be available for a discount price this summer.
The future of Brentford talisman Ivan Toney has been a topic of much debate for months on end, even when the England international was serving a lengthy suspension for betting offences.
The 28-year-old put himself in the shop window by scoring 20 Premier League goals last season, although his eight-month ban denied him the chance to move up the ladder in 2023.
After returning to action, Toney only managed four goals and two assists in 17 Premier League games in the 2023-24 campaign, but he was lauded for his all-around centre-forward play.
The 28-year-old is also in England's preliminary Euro 2024 squad and is expected to make the final selection for the tournament in Germany, where impressive performances would help to increase his falling stock.
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Tottenham 'could sign Toney for £40m'
As Toney only has one year left on his contract with no sign of a renewal, Brentford boss Thomas Frank has conceded that the striker will almost definitely leave this summer, and both Arsenal and Chelsea were previously considered the frontrunners.
Over the winter, Brentford slapped a £100m price tag on Toney, and while the Bees are not expecting to garner such a fee now, the two London clubs have since moved onto alternative targets.
Consequently, Tottenham and West Ham United are now thought to be leading the charge for the 28-year-old, and according to Football Insider, the Lilywhites could succeed with an offer of just £40m in the upcoming window.
Brentford are understandably desperate to avoid Toney departing on a free transfer when his deal runs out in 2025, and a £40m transaction would still represent a healthy profit on the £4.8m they paid for his signature in 2020.
The former Newcastle United and Peterborough striker has since amassed 72 goals and 23 assists in 141 matches for the Bees in all tournaments, and he scored his first goal for England in March's 2-2 friendly draw with Belgium.
Toney to replace Richarlison at Tottenham?
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As Tottenham opted against signing a big-money replacement for Harry Kane last summer, while also loaning out Alejo Veliz to Sevilla in the second half of the season, Richarlison and Son Heung-min both enjoyed stints as Spurs' number nine.
However, the former is believed to be one of 11 players that Tottenham are open to offers for in the summer window, as he has struggled with injuries while also failing to string a consistent goalscoring run together.
In addition, captain Son is out of contract at the end of next season, although a renewal offer is expected for the South Korea international, who contributed 17 goals and 10 assists from 35 Premier League games in 2023-24.
Should Tottenham ultimately pass up the chance to sign Toney for a cut-price fee, Stuttgart's Serhou Guirassy and Feyenoord's Santiago Gimenez have been mentioned as possible alternatives.
Moves for Jota and Kyogo Furuhashi - two of Postecoglou's former Celtic stars - have been mooted too, although such talk has quietened in recent weeks.
Ben Knapton
