Thomas Frank says Ivan Toney likely to be sold by Brentford in summer amid Arsenal and Chelsea transfer links

Thomas Frank has conceded that Ivan Toney is likely to leave Brentford this summer, assuming the club receives a suitable offer for the striker's services.

Toney recently returned from an eight-month ban for betting offences, and has already rediscovered his shooting boots with goals against Nottingham Forest and Tottenham Hotspur in his first two appearances of the Premier League season.

“It is relatively obvious that Ivan Toney will probably be sold this summer,” Frank told the Danish media via Tipsbladet.

“We also know what he is worth. I don’t think there are many strikers in the world who are better than him right now.

“He is a really skilled striker who is in his prime football age. Personally, as a coach, I would prefer to keep Toney but one day it could be fun to see him on a top team."

The Bees' London rivals, Arsenal and Chelsea, have both been linked with Toney, but Frank revealed that the club had received no offers in January for the frontman.

“This winter, we actually had no offers for him, but it will surprise me if there aren’t a lot of clubs that will be interested in him," added the Dane.

Toney, 27, admitted his desire to “to play for a top club” in an interview with Sky Sports last month.

"You can never predict when is the right time to move elsewhere,” he 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 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."

Toney has aspirations to break back into the England team after being a surprise omission from Gareth Southgate's 2022 World Cup squad, and wants to compete with Harry Kane as his country's primary striker.

"To be the best, you have to play with the best and compete against the best," he continued. "We all know Harry Kane is one of the best strikers in the world and he's been doing it for some years now.

"If I want to be England's No 1, then I have to compete against him. He's not a bad striker to be taking tips off and be training with.

"I just have to keep scoring goals, keep playing well and then who knows what could happen? If I just fall short, then hopefully I can become the second best in the world."

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