Ivan Toney has signed a deal to join renowned sports management firm CAA Stellar in a clear indication of his intention to leave Brentford.
The England international has teamed up with the company’s high profile roster ahead of what is looking increasingly to be his Brentford departure.
Toney is currently serving an eight month FA ban for breaching betting regulations, which has seen his chances of moving to a top club during the current window reduced significantly - although Mail Sport understands there has been some interest from clubs in signing the 27-year-old before next week’s deadline regardless of the fact he can’t play competitively until January.
But a number of top Premier League sides have a concrete interest in acquiring Toney, with Manchester United, Chelsea and Tottenham among the sides keen on the centre forward as early as January.
Recent reports indicate Brentford’s valuation of Toney is around £80million.
And CAA Stellar - who have negotiated some of world football’s most high profile transfers - will now be at the forefront of Toney’s pending move.
Toney said: 'It is very timely for me to be joining CAA Stellar. It feels like a fresh beginning.
‘Never underestimate the power you have to take your life in a new direction.’
CAA Stellar executive chairman Jonathan Barnett - who guided the career of Gareth Bale and famously engineered his record breaking move to Real Madrid, added: ‘I am very excited that we have signed Ivan. He is a great talent and I am sure this is the beginning of a fantastic future for him.’
Toney joins fellow England internationals Jack Grealish, Ben Chilwell, Kalvin Phillips, Luke Shaw, Jordan Pickford, Nick Pope and James Ward-Prowse at CAA Stellar.
So bad press before he puts on the shirt? No thanks.
After his comments about his ban, in which he plays the victim and doesn’t think he did anything wrong, I’d be very nervous of him joining.