Tottenham Hotspur is reportedly considering a potential move for Brentford’s sharpshooter, Ivan Toney, in the event that their star striker Harry Kane departs the club this summer. With Kane’s contract set to expire in 2024, his future has become a hot topic of speculation, especially after an exceptional season for both his club and the national team.
While several elite clubs, including Manchester United, Paris Saint-Germain, and Bayern Munich, have been linked to the 29-year-old, it appears that only Bayern remains in contention for his signature. Despite Bayern’s two unsuccessful bids for Kane, Spurs chairman Daniel Levy remains adamant that the Englishman is not up for sale during this transfer window, even though his contract situation remains uncertain.
Should Kane indicate that he won’t commit his future to Tottenham, Levy may still demand a substantial fee in the nine-figure range to release him this time around. Otherwise, Kane could leave on a free transfer in less than a year.
Bayern’s board member, Uli Hoeness, has expressed confidence in securing a deal for the England captain, who seems open to joining the German champions following positive talks with their coach, Thomas Tuchel.
While Bayern’s stance on Levy’s £100m valuation of Kane remains uncertain, Spurs are already scouting potential successors to their talismanic striker. Among the names mentioned, in addition to Jonathan David from Lille and Dusan Vlahovic from Juventus, Ivan Toney has emerged as a prime target.
Toney has swiftly adapted to the Premier League since Brentford’s promotion in 2021, scoring an impressive 12 goals in his debut season and further excelling with 20 goals in the 2022-23 campaign. Nevertheless, his successful run was marred by multiple breaches of FA betting regulations, leading to an eight-month suspension that will keep him sidelined until January.
Despite this setback, reports indicate that Tottenham is willing to wait for Toney’s ban to be lifted before making their move for the England international over the winter. The 27-year-old has been on Spurs’ radar for some time, with former head coach David Pleat endorsing him as an ideal backup and eventual successor to Kane. However, Tottenham’s pursuit of Toney was initially thwarted when they signed Carlos Vinicius on loan from Benfica.
Although Toney will be unable to participate in football-related activities for the next six months, Levy has not dismissed the possibility of a summer transfer should Kane bid farewell in the coming weeks.
Toney rose to prominence during his time with Peterborough United in League One before securing a £4.9m move to Brentford in 2020. Since then, he has amassed an impressive record of 68 goals and 21 assists in 124 appearances under the guidance of manager Thomas Frank.
Frank himself has expressed confidence in Toney’s abilities, valuing him as a “£100m plus” player, and with two years left on his contract at Brentford’s Gtech Community Stadium, Toney’s potential move to Tottenham could prove to be a pivotal moment in both clubs’ transfer strategies.