Brentford are set to open contract talks with Ivan Toney at the end of the season despite the 27-year-old being handed an eight-month ban from football for betting offences. football.london understand that the Blues are in the market for a new centre-forward who can rejuvenate their fortunes in the final third next term.
Toney, who sees his current deal with the Bees expire in 2025, emerged as a target for Chelsea, along with Victor Osimhen and Lautaro Martinez. The Brentford star was handed a £50,000 fine for his conduct after admitting to 232 breaches with 30 withdrawn by the FA, and will be on the sidelines until January - along with only being able to return to team training in September - if there is no appeal against the ban.
The FA are set to ask FIFA to make the Toney's ban worldwide, meaning that he won't be able to go out on loan abroad to play. A statement from the FA on Wednesday read: "His sanctions were subsequently imposed by an independent Regulatory Commission following a personal hearing.
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"He is permitted to return to training only with his club for the final four months of his suspension starting from 17 September 2023. The independent Regulatory Commission’s written reasons for these sanctions will be published in due course, and The FA will wait to review them before commenting further."
Following confirmation of his ban, the England international posted a statement on his Instagram story, which read: "Today I have received notification of my eight-month ban from football following a hearing before an FA Regulatory Commission that took place yesterday. I am naturally disappointed that I will be unable to play for the next eight months.
"The written reasons for the Commission's decision have not yet been published, so I make no further comment at this point other than to thank my family and friends, Brentford FC and our fans for their continued support, through what has been a very difficult time. I now focus on returning to play the game I love next season."
Toney's impressive return of 20 goals in 33 Premier League games this term has seen him be linked with a shock move to Stamford Bridge this summer. A report from the Evening Standard has suggested that the Blues will no longer pursue a move for Toney following the FA's decision to hand the Brentford striker an eight-month ban.
Chelsea's potential pursuit of the 27-year-old could further be hampered as the Bees prepare to offer Toney a new contract that would extend his stay with Thomas Frank's side. A report from The Daily Mail states that Brentford owner Matthew Benham had been planning to listen to offers for Toney this summer, but given the England striker will be out of action until January at the earliest there is an acknowledgement at the club that other Premier League sides are unlikely to match a valuation in excess of £50million.
The Bees attempted to tie Toney down to a new deal earlier in the season without success before the emergence of the betting charges. The club want to show their support for a player who has been instrumental to their extraordinary achievement of securing a top-10 Premier League finish, and are now prepared to offer him a significant wage rise to keep him at the club and deter interest from rival clubs.
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