Rivals fight to take an £80m punt on Toney

Arsenal and Chelsea both plot move that has risk and reward

- Dom Smith

SINCE Ivan Toney returned to Brentford training a month ago, he has been lining up for the 'opposition XI' during set-piece routines.

Perhaps there is a certain level of foreshadowing about that.

Toney looks set to be on the move next year and, after his betting ban ends, he could be the subject of a January transfer battle between Arsenal and Chelsea.

Brentford are willing to sell the striker and have set a price tag of £80million for a player who will be in the final 18 months of his contract when he is free to play again on January 17.

Toney has made it clear he wants to move to an elite club and has signed with super-agent Jonathan Barnett in a bid to fulfil that dream.

Despite already spending more than £1billion under owners Todd Boehly and Clearlake, Chelsea are prepared to enter the market again if their goalscoring problems persist.

Arsenal are weighing up whether to bolster their forward line to boost their title bid and the availability of a proven goalscorer could spark a bidding war between the London rivals.

Brentford hope foreign clubs could enter the race but, as things stand, Arsenal and Chelsea are the frontrunners to sign the 27-year-old.