Thomas Frank – CaughtOffside

Exclusive: Surprising developments in Ivan Toney saga with Arsenal and Chelsea on alert

Jason Pettigrove — Sat, 18 Nov 2023 08:35:30 +0000

The transfer of Ivan Toney away from Brentford appears to be a foregone conclusion, despite the fact that the Bees have supported the 27-year-old throughout his ban from football for betting irregularities.

By the time that Toney is able to return to competitive action on January 17 next year, he will have been out of the game for eight months.

It’s believed he has been training with the west Londoners and playing games behind closed doors to keep his fitness up, however, it’s likely to take a few weeks of Premier League games before he’s fully match fit once again.

Any clubs that are interested in taking the England international will need to factor that in to any potential negotiations.

Both Arsenal and Chelsea are credited with an interest in the player, though there have been some surprising developments as far as a January move is concerned.

Fabrizio Romano, speaking to CaughtOffside for his exclusive Daily Briefing column, noted that:

“Brentford will try any way to keep Ivan Toney in January and then sell him in the summer. It’s still not clear if this will be possible but they will try.

“I’m not aware of any precise info on release clauses and a new deal with Brentford as of today.

“As of now, there is only interest from Arsenal and Chelsea, still no concrete negotiations.”

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There’s a sense of inevitability that the move will happen at some point soon, though a summer move would now appear to be the most likely scenario.

Whether that will hinder his chances of representing England at Euro 2024 won’t be clear until later in the season when Gareth Southgate assesses his options.

That surely has to be the aim for the player, as well as enjoying a great second half of the 2023/24 campaign.

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“One of the best offensive players in the world” – Thomas Frank believes Liverpool star does not get the praise he deserves

Mehdi Gokal — Sun, 12 Nov 2023 22:22:44 +0000

Brentford boss Thomas Frank could not help but heap praise on Liverpool superstar Mohamed Salah after yet another brilliant performance from him.

He scored a brace and was a constant threat as Liverpool beat Brentford 3-0 at Anfield.

Salah’s remarkable display included a brace, contributing significantly to Liverpool’s dominance. The Egyptian forward opened the scoring with a great finish in the 39th minute, set up by a pass from Darwin Nunez.

His second goal arrived in the 62nd minute, a straightforward header from a Tsimikas cross.

And Diogo Jota scored a spectacular goal from the edge of the box in the 74th minute to seal the win.

After the game, the Brentford manager was full of praise for the Liverpool talisman claiming that in his opinion he is potentially the best player in the Premier League and one of the top three best offensive players in the world.

He said: “Mo Salah… I don’t know if he gets enough praise. I think he is potentially the best player in the Premier League. In terms of goals and assists, what a level! Must be one of the best offensive players in the world, like not top 10, like top 3.”

"Mo Salah… I don't know if he gets enough praise… potentially the best player in the Premier League. What a level"

Thomas Frank on Mo Salah is absolutely superb ?? pic.twitter.com/L3m5PllGTE

— This Is Anfield (@thisisanfield) November 12, 2023

Arsenal had to beat off competition from London duo to land Raya

Jason Pettigrove — Fri, 10 Nov 2023 10:19:05 +0000

It would appear that Arsenal’s pursuit of goalkeeper, David Raya, was anything less than straightforward, with a number of other clubs apparently interested, including two from London.

Clearly, an approach from teams within the capital will have appealed to the custodian as it would’ve meant no need to uproot his family, though that wouldn’t necessarily have ruled out approaches from elsewhere.

Raya’s agent, Jaume Munell, explained in an exclusive interview with AFTV, that the Gunners had a long-standing interest in his client and that was the reason that, in the end, he signed for the north London outfit.

“Arsenal showed interest for the first time three years ago in 2021. They tried to buy him but Brentford didn’t want to sell him at any price. After they bought Ramsdale that was an easier option but David has always been the priority,” Munell noted.

“This summer, he had just one year left on his contract with Brentford and Arsenal was the club that showed the most concrete interest and have always been our priority.

“Tottenham also was interested and made an official bid but it was refused because was lower than the 40 million euros that Brentford wanted to sell him, also Bayern Munich was interested and had an amazing offer but with no buy option included and for this reason, we’ve not accepted it.

“Bayern Munich didn’t understand our refusal because they thought that Raya would have been the backup keeper at Arsenal but as you can see it’s not like this. Also Manchester United and Chelsea made an inquiry but nothing concrete.”

Financial Fair Play issues were also the reason behind why the move was a loan rather than permanent transfer this season according to Metro.

Though it was initially believed that Raya was leaving Brentford to challenge Aaron Ramsdale for the Arsenal No.1 shirt, it’s clear now that Arteta’s plan was to install the Spaniard as his preferred choice between the sticks.

It’s entirely possible that if the current status quo doesn’t change, that the England custodian will be on his way out of the club, perhaps even to Chelsea.

Much will depend on whether Arteta continues to prefer Raya over him, which appears likely given that Ramsdale hasn’t had a look in since he lost his place.

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Premier League manager to give players extended Christmas break thanks to lucky fixture change

Mark Brus — Wed, 08 Nov 2023 14:35:45 +0000

Brentford manager Thomas Frank is reportedly set to give his players an extended break over the Christmas period due to twist of luck in the fixture calendar.

The Bees have been in fine form recently despite initially getting off to a tricky start this season, and it now looks like the club’s players can enjoy a well-earned rest over the holidays due to the fact that Manchester City will be participating in the Club World Cup.

Brentford had been due to play Man City on December 23rd, but that fixture will now have to be rearranged, giving Frank’s side the chance to get an extra bit of rest.

£100m fee could see Arsenal and Chelsea put off pursuit of England international

Jason Pettigrove — Thu, 02 Nov 2023 07:12:47 +0000

Transfer fees continue to rise in the Premier League with the £100m ceiling now being broken with incredible regularity, and that could put off both Arsenal and Chelsea in their potential pursuit of an English international.

Whilst it’s understandable that any selling clubs want to get the best price or even protect their investment to the extent where they’re able to keep hold of them, there needs to be a point where a line is drawn in the sand.

If we are at the stage now where players that are costing in the region of £25m are being seen as a bargain, then clearly there’s an ongoing issue in the game.

Brentford’s Ivan Toney has been out of action for months, and won’t return to top-flight football until his ban for betting issues ends on January 17 next year.

Whilst he was prolific for the Bees prior to his suspension, no one can know just how badly his time out of the game will have affected him mentally and physically.

And yet the west Londoners have slapped a £100m fee upon his head according to Sky Sports.

At 27 years of age he should be in his prime years as a player and, injuries permitting, has a good few years left at the top yet.

However, trying to eek out every last penny from interested parties could come back and bite Brentford if they’re not careful.

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England international to spark £80m bidding war between Arsenal and Chelsea

Jason Pettigrove — Wed, 01 Nov 2023 07:20:49 +0000

The fortunes of both Arsenal and Chelsea in the second half of the Premier League season could be dictated by their dealings in the upcoming transfer window.

At present it’s fair to say that the Gunners are in a healthier position than the Blues, however, the 2023/24 season is still only 10 games old.

With 28 games left to play, that’s a whopping 84 points to play for. Once Mauricio Pochettino gets his side to click, there’s every chance that they’ll climb back into the upper echelons of the Premier League table.

That could be easier to achieve with Brentford’s Ivan Toney in situ.

The England international forward will be champing at the bit to play after eight months out and for £80m, according to the Evening Standard, any other club stands a chance of seeing the hit-man line up for them in the second half of the campaign.

If there’s one thing that Toney guarantees it’s goals.

Chelsea are still suffering in that regard so their need for a proven scorer is obvious, whilst his goals could help push Arsenal forward to their first title in 20 years.

It isn’t clear at this point with one, either or neither will place a bid for Toney’s services, but it’s not often that a player of his calibre comes onto the market at what is a relative bargain in terms of fees by today’s standards.

At 27 years of age, he remains in his prime as a player, albeit with a little rust after so long out of the game.

Let battle commence…

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Chelsea have ace up their sleeve in expected battle with Premier League rivals for Serie A hit-man

Jason Pettigrove — Sat, 28 Oct 2023 09:03:15 +0000

There doesn’t seem to be a transfer window that goes by now without Chelsea being heavily involved in one way or another.

The Blues have been the busiest club in the marketplace by a distance since Todd Boehly took over, and there’s nothing to suggest that things won’t be much the same in January and next summer.

One player that could be of interest to them is their former striker, Tammy Abraham.

Currently out injured, the forward could be open to a move back to the Premier League according to TeamTalk, and Chelsea have an ace up their sleeve should they decide to bring the player back to Stamford Bridge.

The report also states that Aston Villa and Brentford could be interested – the former incase Ollie Watkins decides to move on – which appears unlikely given that he’s just signed a contract extension until 2028 – and the latter because Ivan Toney is expected to leave.

Where Chelsea are one step ahead is that their player, Romelu Lukaku, is currently ripping it up in Serie A, and there’s a possibility of a swap deal with the Belgian.

Though the truth behind Lukaku’s fall-out at the Blues hasn’t become public, it does appear that he has no future in west London, so a swap with Tammy Abraham could be a move to suit all parties.

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Chelsea team news vs Brentford

Connor Holden — Fri, 27 Oct 2023 16:32:12 +0000

Chelsea (10th in the Premier League) take on Brentford (14th in the Premier League) on Saturday, 28th of October, at Stamford Bridge, at 12:30 PM (BST).

The last time these sides faced, Brentford beat Chelsea 2-0 at Stamford Bridge. Goals from Bryan Mbuemo and an own goal from Cesar Azpilicueta securing the victory for Brentford.

Chelsea drew their previous Premier League game, drawing 2-2 with Arsenal at Stamford Bridge. Goals from Cole Palmer and Mykhailo Mudryk for Chelsea, and goals from Declan Rice and Leandro Trossard for the Gunners.

Brentford won their last Premier League game, beating Burnley 3-0. Goals from Yoane Wissa, Bryan Mbuemo and Saman Ghoddos to secure victory and three points for the Bees.

How to watch Chelsea vs Brentford

Date: Saturday, October 28th, 2023
Kickoff: 12:30 PM (BST)
TV Network: TNT Sports
Venue: Stamford Bridge

Team News:

Chelsea will remain without their long injury list, with the likes of Wesley Fofana, Ben Chilwell, Romeo Lavia, Christopher Nkunku, Trevoh Chalobah and Carney Chukwuemeka all out through injury, with Armando Broja also nursing a slight knee injury since returning to the team in recent weeks.

Predicted XI:

Chelsea: Sanchez, Cucurella, Colwill, Silva, James, Caicedo, Fernandez, Gallagher, Mudryk, Sterling, Palmer.

Brentford: Flekken, Janelt, Mee, Pinnock, Collins, Ajer, Jensen, Norgaard, Onyeka, Wissa, Mbuemo.

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Nottingham Forest vs Brentford team news

Connor Holden — Sat, 30 Sep 2023 05:42:57 +0000

Nottingham Forest (12th in the Premier League) take on Brentford (13th in the Premier League) on Sunday 1st of October, at the City Ground, at 14:00 PM (BST).

The last time these two sides faced, Brentford beat Nottingham Forest 2-1. Goals from Ivan Toney and Josh Dasilva for Brentford, and a goal from Danilo for Forest.

Nottingham Forest lost in their last Premier League outing, losing 2-0 to Manchester City. Goals from Phil Foden and Erling Haaland secured the three points for City on the day.

Brentford also lost their last Premier League game, losing 3-1 to Everton. Goals from Abdoulaye Doucoure, James Tarkowski and Dominic Calvert-Lewin for Everton, and a goal from Mathias Jensen for Brentford.

How to watch Nottingham Forest vs Brentford

Date: Sunday, October 1st, 2023
Kickoff: 14:00 PM (BST)
TV Network: Sky Sports
Venue: City Ground

Team News:

Nottingham Forest will be without Danilo and Nuno Tavares for this fixture, however the rest of the squad looks to be fit and available for selection this weekend.

Brentford will remain without the likes of Rico Henry, Ben Mee, Josh Dasilva, Shandon Baptiste, Mikkel Damsgaard and Kevin Schade through injury, whilst Ivan Toney remains suspended until January.

Predicted XI:

Nottingham Forest: Turner, Aina, McKenna, Worrall, Aurier, Mangala, Sangare, Hudson-Odoi, Gibbs-White, Elanga, Awoniyi.

Brentford: Flekken, Hickey, Pinnock, Collins, Roerslev, Janelt, Norgaard, Jensen, Lewis-Potter, Wissa, Mbeumo.

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Brentford vs Arsenal team news

Connor Holden — Tue, 26 Sep 2023 08:11:22 +0000

Brentford take on Arsenal in the Carabao cup on Wednesday 27th of September, at the Gtech Community Stadium, at 19:45 PM (BST).

The last time these two sides faced, the teams drew 1-1 at the Emirates. Goals from Leandro Trossard for Arsenal and Ivan Toney for Brentford.

Brentford lost their last outing, losing 3-1 to Everton in the Premier League. Goals from Abdoulaye Doucoure, James Tarkowski, Dominic Calvert-Lewin for Everton, and a goal from Mathias Jensen for Brentford.

Arsenal drew their last game, 2-2 with Tottenham. Goals from Heung-min Son (x2) for Tottenham, and a Bukayo Saka penalty, along with a Cristian Romero own goal for Arsenal.

How to watch Brentford vs Arsenal

Date: Wednesday, September 27th, 2023
Kickoff: 19:45 PM (BST)
TV Network: Not broadcast in UK
Venue: Gtech Community Stadium

Team News:

Brentford remain without Rico Henry, Mikkel Damsgaard, Ben Mee, Shandon Baptiste, Kevin Schade and Josh Dasilva through injury, whilst Ivan Toney is unavailable due to his 8 month ban.

Arsenal will now be without Declan Rice who came off at halftime against Tottenham at the weekend with a back injury. They will also be without Thomas Partey, Jurrien Timber, Leandro Trossard and Gabriel Martinelli through injury.

Predicted XI:

Brentford: Strakosha, Hickey, Pinnock, Collins, Roerslev, Janelt, Onyeka, Jensen, Lewis-Potter, Wissa, Mbeumo.

Arsenal: Ramsdale, Zinchenko, Gabriel, Saliba, Tomiyasu, Jorginho, Havertz, Smith Rowe, Nketiah, Jesus, Nelson.

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