Ivan Toney has made a direct appeal to Liverpool as uncertainty grows about his future.
The England player was unexpectedly left out of Brentford’s squad for their opening Premier League match against Crystal Palace on Sunday. Toney has long been rumored to be leaving Brentford, but recent speculation had diminished after Arsenal appeared to lose interest.
Thomas Frank’s decision to omit Toney from the squad suggests a potential transfer is imminent. Liverpool has previously been associated with Toney, and the 28-year-old has openly expressed his admiration for the club.
Toney has previously indicated his interest in joining Liverpool. During a 2021 interview on the On The Judy podcast for Total Media, he confirmed his support for the club.
“Yeah, I support Liverpool, I’m a Liverpool fan,” Toney stated. “If they come knocking, who knows?”
When asked if he would prefer a move to Liverpool without a guarantee of playing time or to a team where he would definitely play, Toney responded: “I’d choose Liverpool, I’ll make myself the main man.”
Manchester United has also been linked with Toney, but given their significant recent spending on players like Leny Yoro, Joshua Zirkzee, Matthijs de Ligt, and Noussair Mazraoui, Erik ten Hag’s team might need to offload some players first. There have also been suggestions of a move to Saudi Pro League side Al-Ahli, where he would join former Liverpool player Roberto Firmino.
Brentford manager Frank explained the decision to leave Toney out by saying: “There are many factors involved with Ivan, particularly regarding transfer interest. Due to this, we decided not to include him in the squad.”
Frank added: “Ivan is a top player, and we all recognize his contributions. He’s been excellent for us for four years, but we showed last season that we can manage without him.”
When asked if Toney had played his last game for Brentford, Frank said: “Who knows? There is interest, but it’s not imminent.”
Liverpool.com remarks: While Toney’s talent is unquestionable, it’s uncertain whether he would be a good fit for Liverpool. At 28, he may have already passed his peak years, and the opportunity to move to Anfield might have passed. It will be intriguing to see where he ends up if he does make a transfer.
