West Ham in four-way battle to sign Brentford striker Ivan Toney
West Ham are interested in signing Brentford striker Ivan Toney this summer but face competition in the race for his signature, according to the Sunday Express.
The newspaper reported via their print edition on July 17 (page 67) that Newcastle United, Leeds United and Manchester United are also interested in signing the 26-year-old with Brentford “braced for at least one bid for the powerful frontman before the window closes”.
Toney, who joined the Bees in the summer of 2020 from Peterborough, has a contract with the club till the summer of 2025.
In the 2021-22 season with Brentford, Toney was one of the standout players for the Bees as in 33 Premier League appearances, he scored 12 goals and provided five assists. He averaged 2.4 shots per goal and enjoyed a rating of 7.28, according to Whoscored.
Those numbers are even more impressive if it is put into perspective that Brentford were playing in their first Premier League season.
Before the last season, he had even more success in the Championship when he netted 33 goals and provided 10 assists in 48 appearances [Transfermarkt].
One of the key areas where West Ham struggled in the last season was their attacking department where fitness concerns regarding Michail Antonio left manager David Moyes with not many options.
Above mentioned numbers show why Toney is attracting interest from a number of clubs in the Premier League and West Ham should try to conclude the deal as soon as possible.