Arsenal And Chelsea Target Ivan Toney Hints At Move Away From Brentford After His Eight-Month Ban From Football Ends

Ivan Toney is finally available to play for Brentford again after serving his eight-month ban from football.

Toney was hit with the suspension - and also a £50,000 fine - in May last year after he was found to have breached the Football Association's rules on betting 232 times between February 2017 and January 2021.

But the 27-year-old could make his comeback in Saturday's Premier League home game against Nottingham Forest.

However, Toney hinted this week in an interview with Sky Sports that his long-term future may lie away from the Gtech Stadium.

According to Sky Sports, both Arsenal and Chelsea are interested in signing Toney, who is desperate to win a trophy.

Toney said: "You can never predict when is the right time to move elsewhere, but I think it's obvious I want to play for a top club.

"Everybody wants to play for a top club, that is fighting for titles. Whether it's this January that is the right time for a club to come in and pay the right money, who knows?

"But my main focus is to do what I do on the pitch, and let the background work take care of itself."

Brentford striker Ivan Toney is eligible to play in competitive matches again after serving an eight-month ban

IMAGO/Focus Images/Mark D Fuller

Toney is under contract with Brentford until June 2025.

Brentford have never won a major trophy, while Arsenal and Chelsea have each been Premier League champions on multiple occasions. Chelsea have also won the UEFA Champions League twice in the past 12 years.

Arsenal are currently fourth in this season's EPL table, with Chelsea ninth and Brentford 16th.

Toney was not even allowed to train with Brentford for the first four months of his ban.

However, he returned to training in September and was then allowed to play in friendly matches behind closed doors.

He scored a hat-trick for Brentford's reserve team in a 5-1 win over Southampton U23s earlier this month.