Brentford’s Ivan Toney is allegedly still a target for Chelsea despite being suspended from football until early 2024; The Blues may make a move for him immediately during the January transfer window.
This summer, Chelsea added two forwards to their starting lineup. With fellow summer recruit Christopher Nkunku already sidelined due to injury, Nicolas Jackson took the starting position against Liverpool.
It is uncertain whether Nkunku will return before January, although Chelsea is planning a signing for that month. They may “push forward” during the winter transfer for Brentford striker Toney.
Toney was the aim of the club before Todd Boehly took charge. He claims that during “each of the past two transfer windows,” the Blues “considered a move” for Toney. Given that his betting violations had resulted in a January suspension, doing so within this timeframe would not have made much sense.
That could be a problem in terms of the prospective trade, but it might benefit Chelsea. Given that Toney will have been out of play for eight months, many teams will likely prefer to wait to see his performance upon returning to football.
Although he scored 20 Premier League goals last season, he will surely be a bit rusty in the beginning Although he won’t be able to participate in official games until September, Chelsea could want to take a chance on the fact that he’ll be back to almost his best by January, when many other teams might be cautious of pursuing him.
It would be interesting to watch if Chelsea makes a move for him and how Brentford will respond if a deal is made even though he hasn’t played all season.
