Brentford striker Ivan Toney has outlined his long-term ambitions of playing “at the top” – and has admitted that a move to either Liverpool – the club he has supported as a boy – or Arsenal would be his dream destinations.
The once-capped England striker is currently in the middle of an eight-month ban imposed for breaches of betting rules. That suspension, however, not just leaves Brentford with a massive void in their attack but also left the player himself with a very bitter taste. To that end, the 27-year-old has not held back in his condemnation of the “spiteful” FA.
While kicking his heels on the sidelines, Toney is doing his best to keep up to speed fitness-wise and keeping himself ticking over. To that end, his slated return to action in January can not come soon enough for a player, who will hope to have enough time to force his way into Gareth Southgate’s Euro 2024 squad.
With a return to action in the new year on the cards, Toney has since been linked with a big-money move to Tottenham. Ange Postecoglou’s side are in the market for a successor to Harry Kane and the 160-goal striker would seemingly fit the bill.
Toney, though, has other ideas and suggests he could leave Liverpool for Arsenal if the opportunity ever arose.
Joining British entrepreneur Steven Bartlett on the Diary Of A CEO podcast, Toney admits he wants to play “at the top” and says he would be “silly” not to move to a club capable of challenging for trophies if they can came calling.
Furthermore, the 27-year-old is adamant that Brentford boss Thomas Frank is well aware of that ambition.
Toney dreaming of Liverpool or Arsenal transfer
“Whenever that time comes, so be it,” Toney said. “My time at Brentford has been good; one of the best times of my career.”
Discussing who his next club could be, Toney at first responded with a cagey “the right one” response.
But when probed further, Bartlett asked: “When you say the right club, you’re not talking about Liverpool, are you? I heard you’re a Liverpool fan…”
Toney then did not hold back in his wish to sign for the Merseysiders, though also made clear his admiration for Arsenal too.
“I have been a Liverpool fan my whole life, but I have liked Arsenal… I like watching Arsenal and how they play and kind of how passionate the fans are.
“But, yeah, Liverpool fan, Liverpool boy at heart,” he admitted.
Turning the focus back towards his suspension, Toney recalls being turned away by restaurants and by car insurance firms when the news of the investigation first broke.
“I remember at the time when there was allegations, I wanted to go to a restaurant and they were like, ‘No you can’t – we’re not taking you,’” he said.
“I was like, ‘what do you mean?’ and then it was the allegations, we’re not allowing you in or something like this. I was actually so confused.
“I was thinking, ‘For starters, it’s allegations and second of all you are a restaurant how can you not let someone in because of bad press?’
“I was just baffled, and my car insurance, they wouldn’t insure me due to the whole scandal. And I was like. ‘Car insurance? They won’t have me on their books?’. It was baffling!”
Toney has scored 68 goals in 124 games for the Bees and is contracted to the club until summer 2025. He is valued in the £50m bracket by Frank’s side