Brentford manager Thomas Frank has issued an update on the long-term future of striker Ivan Toney, who is still serving an eight-month ban for breaking betting rules.
Frank claims he is unsure if the Englishman has played his last game for the club but admits he does not want to part ways with the striker, who is attracting interest from Chelsea and Arsenal.
Toney has made the headlines in recent weeks amid speculation that a move away from Brentford could be on the cards in the January transfer window.
Reports suggest the striker wants to remain at the capital even if he leaves the Gtech Community Stadium in the winter, putting London clubs, including Tottenham Hotspur, on high alert.
The 27-year-old, who bagged 20 Premier League goals last season, has been valued at £60 million.
While Brentford are braced for a January transfer tug-of-war, Frank maintains he wants the striker to remain at the club beyond the winter market.
“I don’t know,” Frank said (via Football Daily) when asked about his thoughts on what will happen in the January transfer window regarding Toney’s future.
“The only thing I’m focusing on is the game tomorrow. Of course, we are preparing transfer windows ahead.
“We are looking not only at striker options or full back – we are prepared for any position if something should happen.
“I think it’s also fair to say that if we wanted a striker in this summer, we could have gotten one – we got Neal [Maupay], you can say that, so let’s see.
When asked if Toney has played his last game for Brentford, Frank stopped short of providing a definitive response, although he admitted he doesn’t want the striker sold in the winter market.
“For me, as a coach, I don’t want to sell him,” Frank added. “Of course, I want my best players, so I say [to the directors] don’t sell him.
“Ivan is a world-class player, so why should we sell a world-class player? I rather want him to play here for the rest of his contract, but that’s not up to me to decide.”
Brentford will host Arsenal on Wednesday evening in their League Cup third-round encounter.
