The 27-year-old will return from his eight-month suspension for Brentford’s home clash against Nottingham Forest in the Premier League on Saturday.
You suspect, the likes of Arsenal and Chelsea fans, who would love their respective clubs to sign Ivan Toney this month, will have their eyes firmly on the player and that match.
Some suggest that the highly-valued striker should stay at Brentford because he ‘owes’ the club, but Ian Wright simply wasn’t having any of that nonsense, as he told Premier League Productions (15/01/24 at 2:50 pm).
The Arsenal legend expressed annoyance and stated that Ivan Toney has done ‘more than enough’ for the club and if he wants to leave, then he should go.
Of course, without the presence of the England International, it has been a season of struggle for Thomas Frank and his players.
They have lost five Premier League games on the bounce and are hovering above the relegation zone fearing the worst.
You would suspect that if Ivan Toney didn’t get the ban, then Brentford would be in a much better situation, and even if that’s the case, Ian Wright thinks he owes them nothing now.
Ivan Toney’s return
“People say ‘you owe them’,” said Wright. “Of course, there is a certain loyalty you have to have towards a club.
“But you earn everything you get. A football club just doesn’t give you money if you aren’t good enough. You have to get yourself in a position where you are good enough to be there and play there, then you become an asset. All of a sudden, of course, they are going to want you to stick by them.
“Brentford are where they are because of Ivan Toney. It’s because of him. Yes, they have hung in there. But him coming back will probably give them the boost to make them definitely stay at the club.
“He has done more than enough for Brentford. If he wants to go, that’s paying Brentford back. I am not saying it because I want him to go anywhere, in particular, of course, I don’t because he is linked with Arsenal and he is linked with Chelsea. The fact is I get a little tired when people say ‘he owes (Brentford)’.
On Toney saying it himself that he ‘owes Brentford’: “Obviously, that’s the club he is at and he feels that way. But if you look at it and you look at yourself inside. What does he really owe them, in respect of performances? He gives them everything in every single game. He doesn’t need to do anymore, in respect of showing loyalty towards them because him wanting to stay until the end of the season is more than enough.”
Brentford FC v Nottingham Forest - Premier League
Photo by Chloe Knott – Danehouse/Getty Images
Ivan Toney should stay at Brentford
From the perspective of the player, he hasn’t played in months and months. The last thing he wants is to be dropped into the deep end of a title race when he isn’t even ready.
If the top-level teams rate Toney and think he can do a job for them, then that opinion won’t change when the summer comes along.
Plus, from Brentford’s perspective, his value won’t drop either because the summer window will allow them to open the floor and force teams to fight over his signature.
That would just increase his price and allow Brentford to get serious dough for a player who has served them so well.
If you are Arsenal or even Chelsea, you don’t want to hear that, especially Mikel Arteta’s side, because they are pushing for the title.
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