The Lilywhites could finally be set to secure their perfect heir to an outgoing star.
Tottenham Hotspur might just have the answer to the conundrum that Harry Kane‘s uncertain future is bringing, with an unorthodox move that will take many by surprise
How long is Ivan Toney’s ban?
That’s according to FootballTransfers, who suggest that Ange Postecoglou is willing to put his faith in Ivan Toney to return strongly from his ban.
Having pleaded guilty to multiple betting charges back in February, the England international had the book truly launched at him, with an astonishing eight-month ban from all football-related activity. He will return to action for Brentford on January 16th 2024, and has since written on Twitter: “I now focus on returning to play the game I love next season.”
Aside from all this, Kane has continued to be linked with an exit from north London, as Bayern Munich seemingly increase the pressure with each passing week. With reports stating that a third bid in excess of €80m (£70m) is to be expected, the Spurs hierarchy have since suggested that Toney marks the perfect replacement.
Should the England captain leave this summer, a move for the Bees’ main man is to be considered. However, the preferred plan would be to keep ahold of their 29-year-old gem until January, to then sanction his exit whilst signing an unbanned Toney in his place.
The numerous parameters surrounding this story make it one that will likely continue to evolve throughout the window.
Last term, amongst all the chaos that Antonio Conte’s reign brought, he remained the one quality constant.
His tally of 30 league goals represented a sensational return, and under Postecoglou’s hopefully-stable new regime, this could even improve further.
That’s not to forget his quality on the ball as a creator either, willing to drop deep to dictate the play and forge chances for others. Few have mastered this role like him, with his 2020/21 season seeing the marksman pick up both the league’s Golden Boot and Playmaker awards.
However, last campaign was also a fine one for Toney, who maintained a 7.25 average rating that was largely upheld through his 20 league strikes.
The “remarkable” 27-year-old – in the words of his manager Thomas Frank – would pair this with 0.8 key passes per game too, as his heatmap saw him occupy the left wing arguably even more often than he would the penalty area, via Sofascore.
He too is clearly willing to drop in as Kane does with such success.
April 2022 even saw journalist Mark White fantasize about the potential of Arsenal securing his signature, suggesting his presence would have given the Gunners “world-class depth,” whilst Bees writer Billy Grant has previously lauded the English frontman as a “monster.”
However, it could now be their bitter rivals that instead swoop, putting aside his ban to secure the perfect heir to the irreplaceable Kane.
