Chelsea are looking into a “pre-deal” to sign Brentford striker Ivan Toney ahead of the January transfer window, according to journalist Simon Phillips.
Speaking on his podcast via his Substack, Phillips said that the Blues are already actively looking to bring in a new forward, with Toney top of the list, but there will be competition from other teams:
“Chelsea want to bring a striker in. They want to bring a striker in January. They’re working on that straightaway now. As I reported on here, the priority is Ivan Toney. Chelsea would like to try and do a pre-deal to get him in January. The trouble is a lot of other clubs are trying to do the same thing and also want him as well.”
The Daily Mail revealed last month that Manchester United and Tottenham are likely to join Chelsea in the race to sign Toney, who could cost as much as £80m.
Why didn’t Chelsea sign another forward in the summer?
The Blues put a lot of trust in Nicolas Jackson to lead the line, and the Senegalese international hasn’t let them down in terms of his performances. However, his goal return of 1 in 5 appearances suggests that he may need some help.
In hindsight, the club probably should have focused more heavily on signing an additional striker to support Jackson but, if Phillips’s reporting is accurate, that mistake will be rectified in January.
Are Chelsea looking at alternatives to Toney?
The England international is just one of a number of options that Mauricio Pochettino’s side are looking at to strengthen their attack.
It is believed that Lille’s Jonathan David is on the club’s radar, while a move for Benjamin Sesko (who only joined RB Leipzig this summer) could also be considered.
Toney appears to be the No.1 priority and it will be interesting to see if a deal can be done before the New Year. He won’t play before January 17th, though, as that is when his eight-month ban ends for betting infringements.
