Burnley may still hold Ivan Toney transfer regret: View | OneFootball

Burnley were one of a number of clubs chasing Ivan Toney in 2019, but the Peterborough striker went elsewhere, leaving the Clarets with regret.

While Burnley's Championship squad has been significantly shuffled, with incomings and outgoings aplenty towards the end of the summer transfer window, one possible target from yesteryear that continues to haunt them is England international Ivan Toney, who was wanted by the Clarets back in 2019.

Five years ago, Toney was plying his trade with League One Peterborough United, where the physical front man was a prolific goalscorer, finding the net 49 times in 94 games for the Posh.

Initially, Toney had burst onto the scene as a youngster with local club Northampton Town, his attributes and potential soon catching the eye of scouts from Premier League Newcastle United in 2015.

The 19-year-old joined the North East footballing giants for an undisclosed fee that summer, but the attacking player failed to make an impact at St James' Park, or in two subsequent loan spells in South Yorkshire with League One Barnsley.

Further temporary spells with fellow third-tier sides Shrewsbury Town, Scunthorpe United and Wigan Athletic did prove fruitful, however, with the striker beginning to show some of his early promise and developing into a real handful for defenders in the EFL.

28 goals in 89 combined appearances for the aforementioned trio between 2016 and 2018 was a notable return for a striker who possessed a unique skill-set, and led Darragh MacAnthony, Barry Fry and Steve Evans to believe the undisclosed fee they paid the Magpies would turn out to be a sound investment.

Peterborough have a strong track record of picking up underrated talent, be that non-league stars or youngsters dropping down the leagues to get a foothold in the game.

It's a policy that has worked well for many years now, and rewarded the Posh with significant transfer fees in the process, with the likes of Britt Assombalonga, Dwight Gayle and many more making the club a swift and sizeable profit over the years.

Toney's brilliant two years at the Weston Homes Stadium saw the forward become a man in high demand, with the likes of Bournemouth, Derby County, Bristol City, Brentford, Middlesbrough, and, of course, Burnley touted to be chasing his signature throughout the 2019/20 campaign.

At the time, The Sun reported that Burnley were one of the leading contenders to pay the £13m asking price Peterborough had put on the striker.

Toney's physical attributes, aerial prowess and ability to lead the line would have suited Sean Dyche's Turf Moor outfit perfectly in their quest to stay competitive at the top level.

It was the Bees from West London who won the race, however, paying a fee believed to be between £5m and £10m to secure Toney's services at the beginning of the following season, much to the later frustration of the Clarets, who missed out on a fantastic deal.

Toney and Brentford grew together, while Burnley found alternative options to succeed

Toney's decision to join Brentford, a club on the up, with a strong recent history of player development - similar to Peterborough, but at a higher level - worked out brilliantly for all concerned.

In his first season with the club, Toney set a Championship record for most goals scored in a single campaign (31 in the regular season), before netting once more in the 2-0 Championship play-off final victory over Swansea City at Wembley.

Brentford and Toney continued to grow together, with the West London outfit competing well at the top level in the three seasons since. Thomas Frank's side have earned a reputation as a set-piece specialist side, with a direct approach that has suited the forward perfectly.

Toney has great strength, is a real threat in the air, and is a very capable reference point for his teammates to play off. The forward has scored 36 goals in 83 Premier Leage appearances thus far, while his competence at both defensive and attacking set-plays cannot be understated.

Burnley will certainly wish Toney had opted for a move to the North West rather than the capital four years ago. It's almost certain he'd have succeeded at Turf Moor in the same manner he has at the Gtech Community Stadium.

The Clarets, however, have found alternative options in the meantime; and while they've bounced between the top two divisions a little of late, it's been a largely successful period for the Clarets.

The likes of Chris Wood, Ashley Barnes and Jay Rodriguez, despite lacking the technical class of Toney, have pitched in over recent seasons to give Burnley that physical spearhead for others to look to. While the regret of a missed bargain still lingers, others have softened the blow a little for the Lancashire club.

Toney heading to Saudi Arabia

The striker's consistent form with Brentford has led to constant speculation over a possible move to either a Premier League rival or an overseas club.

Toney has forced his way into the England setup, and was part of Gareth Southgate's Euro 2024 squad that finished runners-up to Spain. This has raised the forward's profile further, and added to a feeling that, perhaps, the Northampton-born striker's time with the Bees was coming to an end.

This turned out to be the case, as Saudi Arabian Pro League club Al-Ahli announced on their X account that they had purchased the 28-year-old Englishman on the final evening of the summer transfer window.

ESPN reported that the fee agreed between the two clubs is around 33.6m, and that will see further envy on Burnley's part that it's not them on the receiving end of a hefty profit.