According to Football Insider, West Ham United are in pole position to snap up the services of Brentford striker Ivan Toney this summer.
The Hammers could end their rollercoaster Premier League season on a high if they can secure a top-six finish and win the Europa League, but there are still nine tough league fixtures ahead of them.
David Moyes has been subjected to a lot of negative attention due to the widely inconsistent form his squad has shown over the last few months, and his future at the club hangs in the balance beyond the end of this campaign.
Indeed, there have been several contributing factors, like injury problems and congested fixtures, hindering their ability to put together good form as a collective since the turn of the year, however, there is a lot of room for improvement and investment.
The summer transfer window could make or break for Moyes if he is given the chance to redeem himself over the pre-season period, and securing a prolific number nine to partner Jarrod Bowen will be essential, especially since Michail Antonio will be out of contract at the end of the season.
Football Insider has now revealed that West Ham are in pole position to sign Brentford and England striker Ivan Toney, who could certainly offer goal contributions with greater consistency.
Speaking on the publication’s podcast (Football Insider’s Inside Track), journalist Pete O’Rourke has claimed:
“There’s now a good chance that Ivan Toney could end up at West Ham.”
“We know they have been lacking a number nine for a couple of seasons now.”
“There’s a lot of talk about Arsenal being interested in Toney but my understanding is that that their interest has cooled and they’re looking at other targets.”
Will West Ham sign Ivan Toney?
There is no doubt that Toney would be a perfect replacement for Antonio in the summer and would offer a great attacking addition to an already highly rated forward line.
Both Lucas Paqueta and Mohammed Kudus have proven to be excellent acquisitions under the management of Moyes, and Toney would be a huge statement for the East London club as they continue to strengthen.
The Brentford goal machine has become a household name for many reasons, despite facing huge controversy due to a gambling ban, he has had no trouble getting people to talk about his football, with 72 goals scored in 134 appearances for the Bees.
In fact, the England international has often been the recipient of high praise from many including his Brentford manager Thomas Frank who has waxed lyrical about the striker:
“He is the best penalty taker in the world for a few reasons, his strategy, he practices it and he is very cool,”
“He is a special footballer, I think his character is unique in terms of leadership and driving his team.”
“His link-up play and the way he sees his team-mates around in terms of combinations and then his ability to score goals. He is an all-around football player.”
It was also claimed by Football Insider that Chelsea are also interested in snapping up the striker’s signature and it has been further reported that Brentford will command an eye watering £100m from interested suitors.
With that being said, it will be interesting to see whether Toney would be interested in a move to West Ham this summer and whether the club will be willing to compete with other clubs for his signature.
