Brentford director makes HUGE Toney claim amid Arsenal and Chelsea links

Brentford director Phil Giles has made an eyebrow-raising statement on Ivan Toney‘s future.

The Bees striker is the subject of hot transfer speculation despite his gambling from football. The 27-year-old was, at one point, all but expected to leave Brentford in the winter, with Arsenal and Chelsea heavily linked.

In recent days and weeks, however, doubts have arisen regarding his future and the player is said to be weighing up putting pen to paper on a new deal rather than departing when his ban expires in January. Moreover, there is the financial aspect: Toney could command north of €100 million, which isn’t a trifling fee even for the richest Premier League sides.

Regardless of whether a winter move is realistic, transfer interest in the Englishman remains at an all-time high and Toney has been a sought-after commodity for some time. Yet, according to Brentford director Phil Giles, no team has ever made any approach for the striker.

What did Giles say?

Speaking on BBC Radio 5 Live, Giles made a quite stunning claim: “I’ve never had one phone call in three-and-a-half years about Ivan Toney, in terms of interest in buying him.”

“My job is really easy,” he continued, “because I get on with the day-to-day. I have a lot to do and spend less time worrying about Ivan’s situation than others. With Thomas [Frank], it’s [a case of] getting him ready, getting him fit, getting him some practice games in, and then the expectation is he’ll come back in the team.”

“If my phone rings between now and then, I’ll see what’s happening. But I’m really not focused on that at all.” The situation will be one to watch, for sure.

Both Chelsea (Victor Osimhen) and Arsenal (Dusan Vlahovic) have a clear priority for the number nine position in mind for January, but signing either will be as tough as landing Toney, so one of those two could fall back on the 27-year-old and it is highly likely that Giles will, at last, receive his first inquisitive call in the near future.