‘He’s worked his way up’ – Exclusive: McAvennie raves about Ivan Toney
We’re delighted to welcome former West Ham United striker Frank McAvennie as our exclusive columnist. Each week he’ll be giving his views on the biggest talking points at the London Stadium…
Frank McAvennie believes Brentford centre-forward Ivan Toney would be a good addition for West Ham this month as David Moyes eyes a new striker.
Since Sebastien Haller left to join Ajax earlier this month, the Irons have been linked with a raft of centre-forwards but the London club is yet to sign anyone as the Ivorian’s replacement.
Toney, 24, only joined Brentford in the summer in a deal worth an initial £5million from Peterborough but the ex-Newcastle man has not waited long to make himself comfortable in the Championship.
No player has scored more times than him in the Championship this season with Toney netting 16 goals in 23 second-tier appearances.
McAvennie’s former club Celtic were strongly linked with Toney in the summer [Daily Record] ahead of his move to Brentford before the Scottish champions ended up signing Albian Ajeti from West Ham instead.
Ex-Hammers and Celtic striker McAvennie is clearly unimpressed by that decision but would be happy for Moyes to take a look at signing Toney instead.
“I’m annoyed about Toney because Celtic had the chance to sign him and then they took Ajeti – my god,” McAvennie told West Ham Zone.
“Toney’s doing well. He’s deserved everything that’s gone his way. He’s worked his way up.
“I don’t know why he wouldn’t think he’d do well at West Ham. I don’t know why anyone would think that because he’s done well to get to this position.
“If West Ham are looking at him, there’ll be other teams looking at him.”
Toney has been linked with a move to the London Stadium this month [Express] but with Brentford in the hunt for their first-ever promotion to the Premier League, it seems unlikely the West London club will want to sell such a vital player.
He could have been affordable for the Hammers in the last transfer window based on how cheaply the Bees signed him for but as he was untested in the Championship before, it would have been a bit of a gamble.
But for West Ham, signing one of the Championship’s best goalscorers could work out.
Ollie Watkins, Callum Wilson, Danny Ings, Patrick Bamford, Neal Maupay and Jamie Vardy are all among the Premier League’s top strikers this season and all of them made names for themselves in the lower reaches of English football before lighting up the top-flight.
Maybe the Irons need to take more risks in the future in regards to prolific Championship or League One strikers.
In other West Ham news, the Irons have made an approach to sign Jesse Lingard on loan.