Transfer Centre

Brentford chief confirms no offers for Arsenal, Chelsea-linked Ivan Toney

By Darren Plant, Senior Reporter | 28 November 2023

Brentford chief confirms no offers for Arsenal, Chelsea-linked Toney

Brentford director of football Phil Giles says that he has never received a formal offer for Ivan Toney since his arrival at the club.

Director of football Phil Giles has revealed that Brentford are yet to receive any formal offers for Ivan Toney.

The 27-year-old has been absent so far this season due to serving a suspension for breaching Football Association betting regulations.

However, despite being without competitive football for eight months and not being due back until the middle of January, speculation persists regarding the forward's future.

In his two seasons of Premier League football, the England international has contributed 32 goals and nine assists from 66 appearances, putting him in the sights of several of the division's biggest clubs.

Arsenal, Tottenham Hotspur and Chelsea have all been heavily linked with Toney in recent months as they contemplate adding to their striking options.

Brentford's Ivan Toney in action with Arsenal's Bukayo Saka on February 11, 2023 © Reuters

From Brentford's perspective, they would ideally not want to part ways with their key man, yet he has reached a stage where just over 19 months remain on his contract.

If a new contract is to be signed, reports have indicated that Toney would insist on an attainable release clause, it unclear whether that is a realistic option as it stands.

Nevertheless, according to Giles, Brentford are yet to be put in a position where they have had to fend off interest in Toney's signature since he left Peterborough United for West London in 2020.

Speaking in an interview with BBC 5 Live, Giles said: "I've never had one phone call in three-and-a-half years about Ivan Toney, in terms of interest in buying him.

Brentford's Ivan Toney celebrates scoring their first goal with teammates on April 29, 2023 © Reuters

"If my phone rings between now and then, I'll see what's happening. But I'm really not focused on that at all."

Head coach Thomas Frank has recently insisted that Toney remains happy at Brentford, despite suggestions that he was angling for a transfer away from the Bees.

Any club interested in Toney ahead of the January transfer window would be expected to pay in excess of £60m, but it is unclear whether any of the aforementioned clubs will pull the trigger on a proposal.

Chelsea are said to be prioritising Napoli's Victor Osimhen, while each of Arsenal and Spurs would allegedly prefer to sign a new central midfielder and winger respectively.