Tottenham target Ivan Toney likely to run down Brentford contract, here’s why

Tottenham target Ivan Toney is likely to stay at Brentford for another season now that it has been confirmed that the Bees’ new signing Igor Thiago has been side-lined until the start of 2025 with a knee injury.

Brentford had announced the signing of the 23-year-old Brazilian in February earlier this year in a £30m deal, seemingly as a replacement for the outgoing Toney.

Thiago sustained a meniscus injury during a recent friendly game against AFC Wimbledon.

Toney, with his £20k-a-week contract at Brentford expiring next summer, has been linked with a flurry of clubs all summer, with the likes of Man United, Arsenal, Chelsea, Spurs, and West Ham all associated with him.

Brentford were earlier willing to listen to reduced-fee offers for the England international, though they may now have to risk losing him for free next summer as the need arises to put him back on the pitch later this month as the new season begins.

Good for Toney, not so good for Spurs

Staying at Brentford for one more year makes sense for Toney.

It’s the last 12 months of his contract, and despite him being vocal about wanting a move away and being rated highly by the Premier League giants, the reality is that his numbers last season after he returned from the ban weren’t exactly ground-breaking.

Brentford understandably would prefer to get some money this summer instead of no money the next, but Toney would be in a position to earn himself a much more beefy contract if he were to move for free.

Toney will be 29 next summer, and if he manages to have a 20-goal season at Brentford in the coming campaign, he will have big clubs not only in the Premier League but also in Europe vying for his signature, ready to offer him a mid-term contract.

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Spurs are unlikely to break the bank on Toney, though a move this summer cannot be ruled out. It won’t be the worst thing in the world, however, if he were to stay at Brentford for one last year.