Brentford chief admits Ivan Toney could leave 'very shortly' amid Arsenal & Chelsea interest - but sounds warning over potential transfer fee

Toney has been linked with a move away from Brentford for some time, with Chelsea and Arsenal both reportedly keen on the striker. Technical director Lee Dykes has now admitted the 27-year-old could well be on the move, but has also warned it will take a significant sum to prise the forward away from the Bees.

He told the club's media: "Yes, there will be lots of interest in Ivan in January. Naturally, there should be. He was the third-highest Premier League goalscorer last season - one of them [Harry Kane] has gone to Germany now, so he’s up there as one of the best strikers in the division. He is in the top five in the world, in my opinion.

“So there should be interest, and maybe the time comes very shortly that Ivan moves on to another club. But they will have to pay a decent transfer fee to acquire his services because he is some talent. There’s a real ambition from [Ivan] and I can see in his eyes that he’s going to be better than he’s ever been; I really believe that will be the case"

Toney may have already played his last game for Brentford. The striker is still serving an eight-month ban for breaking FA betting rules and will remain unavailable under January 17. Yet Brentford will not let their star striker go on the cheap and have reportedly slapped a £100m (€115m/$126m) price tag on Toney.

It remains to be seen if Chelsea or Arsenal will firm up their interest in Toney with an offer when the window reopens in January. Brentford boss Thomas Frank has already made it clear he does not want to lose his striker this winter but may have to wave goodbye to Toney if tempting offers arrive this winter.