Brentford striker Ivan Toney has suggested that he is not looking to leave the club in the January transfer window amid links with Chelsea and Arsenal.
The England international is on the verge of returning from an eight-month betting suspension, but in spite of his lengthy hiatus, he remains one of the Premier League's most in-demand strikers.
Arsenal and Chelsea have been named as Toney's two potential suitors for a January move, and the former Newcastle United man only has 18 months left to run on his deal at the Gtech Community Stadium.
Last month, Brentford director Lee Dykes admitted that the Bees must be prepared for Toney's possible exit in 2024, although the club are reportedly still expected to hold out for at least £80m and potentially up to £100m to sell the striker in January.
Thomas Frank has repeatedly played down Toney's chances of leaving the club midway through the season too, and the 27-year-old recently commented on his short-term future during an extensive interview with Sky Sports News.
© Reuters
Toney's ban will be lifted in time for the England international to return for Brentford's next game - a home match against Nottingham Forest on January 20 - and he will be welcomed back with open arms by a Bees side sat 16th in the Premier League table.
Frank's team only have a four-point lead over Luton Town in 18th place, and Toney has insisted that he feels the need to "repay" Brentford for their support during his ban by propelling them away from the relegation zone in the coming months.
"The club was right behind me from the first bit. The fans were behind me, which was a massive part. Even when I wasn't at their games, they were singing my name. And I got loads of messages on social media. A friend of mine sent me a video of the fans singing my name, I got goosebumps to know that they're still behind me, even though I'm not there," Toney said.
"Everyone knows Brentford is a family club, they have been nothing but amazing for me. I can't thank them enough, especially the fans. They were behind me from the first minute as well. So it's kind of like I have a lot to repay.
"With Brentford, they're struggling at the moment but I'm sure when I'm back I will play a big part to get them out of the losing form they've been in. I can't wait to get back and be helping my team-mates."
© Reuters
Toney has not played a competitive first-team match since May 6, having been found guilty of 232 betting breaches before the end of the 2022-23 campaign, in which he struck an impressive 20 goals in 33 Premier League appearances.
However, the 27-year-old warmed up for his highly-anticipated return to action in perfect fashion over the weekend, scoring a hat-trick in a 5-1 behind-closed-doors friendly win for Brentford's B team over Southampton Under-23s.
Toney has 68 goals and 21 assists under his belt from 124 matches in a Brentford strip, although the Bees would be under pressure to sell him this summer if he decides against penning a contract extension.
Arsenal's chances of a January deal for Toney had been considered slim given Brentford's asking price, and Mikel Arteta recently conceded that his side are unlikely to bring in a new number nine over the next few weeks.
Chelsea may also be forced to wait until the summer to move for a marquee centre-forward, and there have been suggestions that the Blues could instead trigger the £103m release clause in the contract of Napoli's Victor Osimhen.
