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Saudi Pro League club Al Ahli are currently the only club willing to meet Brentford's £60m valuation of Ivan Toney, in a transfer saga that may well go to the final days of the window.
The forward was left out of the club's opening game of the season, a 2-1 win at home to Crystal Palace, with the uncertainty over his future cited as the reason.
This did surprise some figures in the market and involved in such talks, as no transfer is seen as imminent. Toney himself is still weighing up where next. Chelsea and Manchester United retain interest, but not at £60m for a player with a year left in his contract. The two clubs have internally spoken about deals but, as reported by the Independent last week, that would likely have to involve a loan with an obligation to buy or an arrangement other than just paying £60m up front.
Arsenal are currently said to not be interested, after Mikel Arteta decided to end any pursuit of the forward before Euro 2024.
Brentford have meanwhile been unmoving on their valuation, although that is a stance that loses leverage the closer it gets to the end of this window.
Al Ahli have signalled they are willing to move for Toney, in what has been a more restrained window for the Saudi Pro League due to the fact there are very few open spaces for foreign players.
“There are various things going on with Ivan with transfer rumours and activity and because of all that we decided not to include him in the squad,” said Thomas Frank after leaving Toney out on Saturday.
“That (decision) was the club and me. It was made on Thursday. We thought it was the best thing. Ivan always wants to play.”
Brentford signed Fabio Carvalho from Liverpool earlier this summer and Igor Thiago, a spend of around £57m to bolster the Bees’ attack.
