Brentford manager Thomas Frank says the club have already signed Ivan Toney’s replacement, whether or not the England striker is sold this summer.
Toney led the line for the Bees last season after returning from his eight-month betting ban on January 17. In the 2022/23 season, he scored 20 Premier League goals — finishing behind only Erling Haaland and Harry Kane in the scoring charts.
Brentford are braced for bids this summer for the 28-year-old, who has previously attracted interest from Arsenal, Tottenham and Chelsea and is currently away on England duty at Euro 2024.
In February, the Bees signed Club Brugge striker Igor Thiago for £30million. The Brazilian striker will join Brentford this summer after finishing the season with Belgian side Brugge
“We are on track with a lot of things in terms of the transfers”, Frank told the BBC’s Football Daily Podcast.
“Of course, we plan and then other things can happen. Maybe we are selling a player but we are prepared for that. It’s no secret that there’s lots of rumours about Ivan. If he is leaving us — and I’d still like to keep him, he’s a top player — this time we are prepared and brought in Igor Thiago.”
Expressing his delight that Toney had been selected for England’s Euro 2024 squad, Frank said: “Very pleased. It has been a tough year for him and he moved past that.
“Going into a tournament it’s important to have different weapons, and Ivan is a different weapon that England will need if they’re going to go all the way.
“If he played in the quarter-final he would be ready for it and would embrace it and love it and I think he’s the best penalty taker in the world.”
Frank was asked whether he would ever consider managing a national team, and replied: “I think, yes, one day, I could consider it. In life and in football you can never say no, but obviously managing a national team could be interesting. [Managing] my own country [Denmark] would be an honour.”
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