'I want to play for...' - Toney sends Arsenal and Chelsea transfer message

Tom Weber

• Updated: 17 Jan 2024 16:48 GMT
• 3 min read

Ivan Toney has openly admitted that he wouldn't reject the chance to join a 'top club' this month.

The striker's ban for illicit betting has finally expired and Toney will now be reintegrated into Brentford's squad. Or will he? While head coach Thomas Frank recently again reiterated how much he wants the 27-year-old to stay, Toney's latest interview will be cause for concern.

The sought-after forward spoke to Sky Sports after his ban expired and revealed his ambition to join a 'top club' and a willingness to depart the Bees this month should the right offer come in. "You can never predict when is the right time to move elsewhere," Toney said, "but I think it's obvious I want to play for a top club."

"Everybody wants to play for a top club that is fighting for titles. Whether it's this January that is the right time to be for a club to come in and pay the right money, who knows? But my main focus is to do what I do on the pitch, and let the background work take care of itself."

Arsenal and Chelsea alerted

This will be music to the ears of club chiefs at Arsenal and Chelsea, who have been linked with a swoop for Toney since the summer. However, whether a move is realistic remains to be seen.

Neither the Blues nor the Gunners are capable of another spending spree like we saw from both in the summer without selling someone for a significant fee beforehand. Indeed, Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta recently admitted that signing a centre-forward is 'not realistic' this month.

As for Chelsea, it appears to be a similar story here, hammered home by the fact that they have made Albanian striker Armando Broja available for a permanent transfer despite their ostensible shortage of options in that department.

His potential exit will not be contingent on the signing of a replacement, meaning that they have likely resigned themselves to the fact that an elite number nine can only be signed in the summer.