Sources: Tottenham in Ivan Toney transfer mission as Conte plan revealed
Tottenham are keeping close tabs on Brentford striker Ivan Toney, sources have told Football Insider.
The Londoners are monitoring the 26-year-old as they assess potential centre-forward targets ahead of the new year.
It is understood that Tottenham are regularly watching Toney and dispatched a scout to assess him in Saturday’s 5-1 Premier League defeat to Newcastle United.
The former Newcastle star scored a penalty to make it 2-1 but it proved to be only a consolation goal for Thomas Frank’s convincingly beaten team.
It was nonetheless further proof of Toney’s spot-kick excellence as well as his sixth Premier League goal of the season.
That tally has come from nine matches, with the striker playing every minute of Brentford’s league campaign so far.
His scoring record this season in the Premier League is bettered only by Erling Haaland (15) and Harry Kane (8).
Tottenham are assessing the market for a powerful and mobile forward who is proven in the Premier League and capable of slotting into Antonio Conte’s system.
The Italian manager is renowned for favouring physical strikers who can occupy centre-backs as well as provide a consistent goal threat. Toney fits the mould perfectly.
Toney has transformed his career since being sold by Newcastle in 2018 for £350,000 to Peterborough.
He signed for Brentford for £5million in the summer of 2020 and has proved outstanding value for money.
The striker has scored 53 goals in 99 matches for the Bees as well as laid on 19 assists.
In other news, Tottenham in ‘super advanced’ talks to agree ‘world record’ deal.