Thomas Frank bullish on ‘world class’ Toney amid links to Arsenal and Chelsea | OneFootball

Brentford manager Thomas Frank has insisted that he does not want to sell Ivan Toney in January. The star striker is serving an eight month ban for breaching FA betting rules, and has been linked to a big money move with Arsenal and Chelsea interested.

Toney has scored 63 goals in 111 appearances for the Bees and it could be very difficult to replace that sort of goals return, if Toney was to depart.

Despite his ban, Frank was adamant that Toney was going nowhere in January.

“For me as a coach I do not want to sell him. Of course I want my best players. Of course I say to Phil (Giles) and Matt (Benham) do not sell him.

“Ivan is a world class player, so why should we sell a world class player? I would rather want him to play here for the rest of his contract. That is not up to me to decide.”

Brentford reportedly value Toney at £80M, and plan on keeping his services beyond January. He has already re-joined his teammates and is back in training ahead of his return to the pitch in January.

“I think the one of the most difficult things in football is to score goals. For a team, or for a player.

“There is not many players that go past 20 goals in the Premier League. Last year it was two, Harry Kane and Erling Haaland.

“He is a top player that is why there is interest, but I would like to keep him.”