Chelsea are set to rival Arsenal for Brentford star Ivan Toney as they look to bolster their attack in the summer transfer period.
The 27-year-old has enjoyed a good run of form of late as he has put in a few eye-catching displays for Brentford in the Premier League. Toney has banged in four goals in nine matches for the Bees this season across multiple competitions.
The English talent deserves a lot of credit for averaging 1.2 tackles, 0.9 interceptions, 1.0 clearances, 2.8 shots, 0.8 key passes and 0.6 dribbles per 90 minutes in the Premier League. However, he needs to find a way to improve his ball distribution up top after making 55.4% of his attempted passes in the English first division (stats via whoscored).
His current contract at the English club will run out in the summer of 2025. Thus, Chelsea could potentially land him on a cut-price deal if they can convince Brentford to reduce their asking price for their prized asset.
Brentford’s English striker #17 Ivan Toney heads the ball clear during the English Premier League football match between Brentford and Liverpool at the Gtech Community Stadium in London on February 17, 2024. (Photo by ADRIAN DENNIS/AFP via Getty Images)
What Will Toney Bring To Chelsea?
Toney usually works his socks off defensively and can shoot the ball with venom from long-range. He can create some inviting chances for his teammates in the final third and is a decent dribbler with the ball as well. Standing at 1.85m, Toney can be a real handful for the opposition defenders. However, the English forward has to find a way to improve his link-up play on the offensive end of the field.
We can expect Toney to bring more firepower to Chelsea boss Mauricio Pochettino’s attack. He has what it takes to fight for a regular starting spot at Stamford Bridge next season. Toney has got a wealth of experience in Premier League football and won’t take much time to settle into life at the West London club.
At 27, the English forward’s peak years are ahead of him which makes him a worthy target for the Blues to pursue at the end of this campaign. Therefore, Chelsea should focus on trying everything they can to win the race for Toney’s services later this year.