Chelsea 'make move' to sign Brentford striker Ivan Toney
- Chelsea still searching for striker before summer deadline
- Ivan Toney available after entering final year of contract
- Al Ahli also keen on Brentford star and can offer him more
Chelsea are in the process of trying to sign Brentford striker Ivan Toney if a transfer fee and wages are "reasonable", a report has revealed.
Chelsea have only added 18-year-old Marc Guiu up front in support of Nicolas Jackson and manager Enzo Maresca recently confirmed the club would go for another striker if they could.
"I love Marc [Guiu]. But if we have a chance to bring in a number nine who can help us, we are going to try. Otherwise, we are okay," he said ahead of the weekend just gone.
Toney has been linked with the Blues for some time. He has resisted signing a new contract at Brentford and has now entered the final year of his deal there.
There is rival interest from Al Ahli in Saudi Arabia, with Sky Sports reporting that the offer from the Saudi Pro League side is "lucrative". Chelsea cannot match it, but joining them would present an opportunity for the 28-year-old to stay in the Premier League at this stage of his career.
Chelsea would need to agree a fee with Brentford, which is something Al Ahli have failed to do so far either.
Toney has been left out of Brentford squads at the start of 2024/25 while his future has been in the process of getting resolved. He missed the first half of last season due to a suspension over betting offences and finished the campaign with only four Premier League goals. But at his best the season before, Toney racked up 20 league goals as the Bees enjoyed a top-half finish.
Chelsea have held long-term interest in Napoli striker Victor Osimhen, whose transfer situation has been described as "blocked" and has proven complicated to resolve.