Celtic will be ‘kicking themselves’ after Ivan Toney was in the building reportedly – Whelan | OneFootball

Celtic will be “kicking themselves” after missing out on the signing of Brentford star Ivan Toney last summer.

That is the view of former Aberdeen striker Noel Whelan who, speaking exclusively to Football Insider, suggested the hitman could have formed a “mouthwatering” partnership with Odsonne Edouard.

Speaking on Graham Spiers’ Press Box podcast, Stephen McGowan, the Scottish Daily Mail’s chief football writer, claimed Toney was “in the building” in Glasgow to discuss a move to Parkhead from Peterborough.

It is said the 24-year-old was available and open to a move to Parkhead.

He eventually ended up joining Brentford for an initial £5million rising to £10m with add-ons and has netted 24 goals for the Bees this season.

Whelan, a self-confessed Hoops fan, admitted Celtic had made a big blunder not snapping him up.

Whelan told Football Insider assistant editor Russell Edge: “When you’re looking at how he’s playing now, they’ll be kicking themselves.

“He’s a fantastic player, a natural goalscorer. Brentford never go in for players that are not going to enhance their squad. That’s one good thing they’ve got going at Brentford, that transfer policy has always been spot on.

“They’ve always funded the club by producing good players, spotting good players and selling them on.

“If they get to the Premier League, they’ve got a class striker which they don’t need to sell anymore to get to the height of Premier League.

“That’s when they can start building and not become a selling team for the first time in their history probably.

“When you look back at the season now, Edouard and Toney up front, it’s a pretty exciting partnership, isn’t it? Mouth-watering.

“Unfortunately they missed that one and they probably are kicking themselves.”