Brentford boss Thomas Frank has slapped a £100 million valuation on Ivan Toney with the England international one of the strikers on the radar of Premier League giants Manchester United.
If it wasn’t for the potentially lengthy FA ban hanging over his head, it’s not hard to imagine that Toney would be a damn sight higher on Erik Ten Hag’s summer wishlist.
A Manchester United side who create almost as many goalscoring chances as title challengers Arsenal but convert a whole lot less, as outlined by The Athletic, are desperate to bring an elite-level number nine to Old Trafford.
And while Ivan Toney may lack the longevity of Harry Kane or the sky-high reputation of Victor Osimhen, his record speaks for itself. Only Kane and (guess who?) Erling Haaland has more than his 20 Premier League goals this term.
And it’s a testament to Toney’s remarkable penchant for self-improvement that comparisons with Robert Lewandowski and Karim Benzema do not seem all that wide of the mark, even if Toney was plying his trade in England’s third tier as recently as 2020.
Is Ivan Toney for Manchester United?
“There are some players every time they come up to one level, they kick on and continue. He did well in League One, then the Championship,” Frank tells The Athletic. “Now, he is on 20 (Premier League goals) and hopefully getting more.
“What is the limit? He has a very good potential.”
The natural next step, one would argue, is for Toney to prove he can lead the line at one of England’s bonafide big-hitters. Manchester United is certainly one of those; a striker with the ruthlessness of Toney if not the final piece of Ten Hag’s jigsaw then certainly one who will make the full picture a lot clearer.
“I know he is not 22,” Frank adds. “But look at some of the best strikers in the world; Lewandowski, Benzema. It’s like good wine. They just keep getting better.
“What would you pay for a striker that guarantees you 20-plus goals? And this is 20 goals for a mid-table club. What can he do in a bigger club?”
When pressed further on how much Toney should cost, Frank suggested that the former Newcastle United reserve deserves a place in the same bracket as a Kane or an Osimhen.
“100m-plus? I love Ivan and it’s fantastic what he has achieved here, and there is more for him to achieve here. I’m really happy he is a Brentford player.”
The Mirror reported last year that Toney had caught the eye of Manchester United.
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