The start of the Premier League season brought a surprise for Brentford fans as their star striker, Ivan Toney, was left out of the squad for their opening match against Crystal Palace. The absence raised eyebrows, with manager Thomas Frank dropping a significant hint about a potential transfer.
Frank, speaking to Sky Sports, confirmed that “a lot of things going on with Ivan, especially on transfers.” Toney missed a significant portion of last season due to an eight-month ban for breaching betting rules but has since been linked with numerous top Premier League clubs during the offseason.
“There’s some transfer interest. Because of all that, we’ve decided not to involve him in the squad,” Frank explained. “I can’t give too much away the day before. Of course, Ivan is a top player, we all know that. He’s been fantastic for us over the four years, but we’ve also shown, especially last year, that we can deal without him.”
While Toney’s future remains uncertain, another England international, defender Marc Guehi, was included in Crystal Palace’s starting lineup despite Newcastle reportedly pursuing a deal for him. The transfer window is still open, leaving plenty of room for potential movement for both players before the deadline.
