BRENTFORD rate Arsenal and Chelsea target Ivan Toney at £100milion.
And the Bees aim to keep the England striker until at least the summer.
ReutersIvan Toney could be chased by a string of top clubs in January[/caption]
Toney‘s eight-month ban for betting offences ends on January 16 – just as he enters the last 18 months of his contract.
Sky Sports say the Bees value the once-capped star in the same bracket as Europe’s elite hitman because of his goalscoring consistency.
And that might be a blow to his host of admirers – mainly Prem rivals.
The title-chasing Gunners and Maurcio Pochettino‘s Blues are both seeking a natural scorer.
But it’s thought Brentford’s “bigger” London rivals are weighing up bids for Toney of “only” around £50m-£60m.
The ex-Peterborough ace has reportedly hinted he’s keen to move.
However, one consideration might be his hopes of making the Three Lions’ squad for Euro 2024.
Brentford will surely offer him regular football, whereas he would have to decide if a fresh start at a new club would be a risk or a bonus.
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Bayern Munich paid Tottenham £104m for England skipper Harry Kane, 30, in the summer.
And Three Lions’ midfielder Declan Rice, 24, joined Arsenal from West Ham for £105m.
So it’s understandable that even in pre-season Bees boss Thomas Frank said of Toney: “£100m plus?… 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?”