Journalist Simon Phillips claims that Aston Villa is “looking” to sign Brentford striker Ivan Toney in an attempt to replace Jhon Duran this summer.
He implies that Toney’s future at Brentford is still up in the air because the England international is hoping his performance at Euro 2024 will open up a transfer to a Premier League team.
While Brentford is reportedly demanding £60 million for the 28-year-old this summer, it is anticipated that he will be available for around £40 million. Villa has recently shown interest in the player.
Only 18 months after Duran’s arrival from Chicago Fire, Unai Emery’s team is expected to part ways with the Colombian international and may look to replace him with a new player.
In his first full season in Birmingham, the 20-year-old struggled to compete with Ollie Watkins for playing time and failed to make an impression at Villa Park.
Fabrizio Romano reports that Duran has given the go-ahead for the deal to proceed and is now willing to leave Villa for West Ham United this summer.
Toney on Aston Villa’s Radar
As Toney’s manager Thomas Frank has put it, “world-class,”Chelsea, unlike Aston Villa could entice him with a chance to play Champions League football. Last season, the Birmingham team finished fourth in the league, earning qualification to the elite tournament for the first time ever.
While Toney, 28, is currently focused on making an impression in Gareth Southgate’s squad and waiting for the final against Spain, Phillips predicts that the transfer saga will intensify following the Euros.
Villa’s position on Toney may hinge on Ollie Watkins’s status at the team; according to Phillips, England’s semi-final hero has drawn interest from a number of teams this summer, including Chelsea.
Villa is likely to demand a high price for their star striker Watkins ahead of a historic season for the club, so Watkins is expected to be an expensive option for the Blues.
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