NEWS. . . BUT NOT AS YOU KNOW IT
The signing of England striker Ivan Toney from Brentford would make Manchester United a contender for the Premier League title, according to Darragh MacAnthony.
United have not won the English title since the departure of Sir Alex Ferguson more than a decade ago and currently sit sixth in the Premier League, 11 points adrift of the top four and 20 behind current leaders Arsenal.
But Peterborough United chairman MacAnthony believes United are one major signing away from once again competing with Manchester City, Liverpool and Arsenal for national honours.
Posh chairman MacAnthony signed Toney from Newcastle United in 2018 and then English leaders Brentford in 2020.
Toney has been a sensational signing for the Bees – he scored 72 goals in 135 appearances – and his form has earned him caps for England and, in all likelihood, a place in the Three Lions squad for this summer’s European Championship.
The 28-year-old is said to have even more goals and England are deciding his call-up had he not won an eight-month ban from the FA for breaching the rules.
The long hiatus appears to have taken a toll on Toney’s talent and he is once again connected with a summer move to Manchester United and Arsenal.
His former chairman, MacAnthony, is convinced Toney would thrive at one of the Premier League’s biggest clubs and says he would make United a name contender.
“Put him in an Arsenal team, a Liverpool team or Man United, he scores 30 goals in the Premier League in a season,” MacAnthony told Sky Sports. “I think anyone who doesn’t agree with that hasn’t looked at the last two-and-a-half years.
“I think there are five clubs in the world that will probably end up buying him and he will do it with any of those clubs. That makes Manchester United a challenger for the Premier League.
“Having scouted players not only for their technical ability but also for their personality and expansion for 18 years, I think he’s not even at his best, even though he’s 28.
“Whoever buys it, £100 million will be well spent because it’s peaking. He’ll be five or six years old at his best.
“He scored a goal every two Premier League games for Brentford. Put Ivan in an Aston Villa team with Emery and see how many goals he scores in the Premier League. I’d probably be there to win the Golden Boot.
Brentford boss Thomas Frank expects Toney to stay in west London for at least a season, but admits the “reality” would possibly be different.
“I would love for him to stay forever, but the truth is that they gave him one more year on his contract,” Frank said. “He’s been open to the concept of betting on a big club in the future, so there are several scenarios.
“You leave in the summer, you leave in the winter or you stay until the end. If he ever leaves, it would be to see him at a big club.
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