Liverpool

Liverpool

Premier League • England

Liverpool ordered to sign ‘Bergkamp-like’ England international who dominated Reds at Anfield

Ivan Toney and Sergio Canos

Ivan Toney and Sergio Canos celebrate Brentford goal in Championship, May 2021

Liverpool have been urged to sign Brentford centre-forward Ivan Toney after the England international put in an impressive performance at Anfield.

The 27-year-old has been in tremendous scoring form this term for the London side, attracting the interest of multiple Premier League clubs.

Interestingly, Toney has admitted that he is a ‘lifelong Liverpool supporter’ in the past, so would probably be open to a switch to Anfield.

As mentioned, he put in an admirable performance against the Reds on Saturday. Toney impressively assisted Bryan Mbuema for what would be a disallowed goal.

The striker fell short of adding to his 20-goal Premier League tally but was arguably the best player on the pitch – despite Liverpool beating Brentford 1-0.

In fact, Toney is only behind Erling Haaland and Harry Kane in the scoring charts, netting more league goals than both Mohamed Salah and Darwin Nunez.

As a result, he has attracted interest from Arsenal, Aston Villa, Manchester United and Chelsea. 

However, Brentford won’t let their star man go easily. Toney is under contract until June 2025, with a valuation of approximately £50m.

READ MORE: Declan Rice: Likely transfer winner from Man Utd, Arsenal, Liverpool and Chelsea named, as West Ham admit defeat

Liverpool told to sign Ivan Toney

Now, former Republic of Ireland centre-forward Tony Cascarino has urged Liverpool to sign Toney, after being impressed by his performance against the Reds.

“I cannot believe Ivan Toney’s improvement technically over the past 18 months. He was one of the best players at Anfield.” Cascarino wrote for the Times.

“The Brentford striker has added all sorts of deft touches to his game, such as the clever pass that assisted Bryan Mbeumo’s disallowed goal.

“He has a finesse which, dare I say it, echoes that of Dennis Bergkamp. Toney’s subtlety complements his stature and finishing.

“Liverpool, Chelsea, Arsenal and Manchester United should all consider a move.”

Indeed, given Toney’s performances recently, it’s no surprise to see heavy interest in his signature. But, it’s worth noting that any potential move for the striker could be a risky one, given the controversy surrounding him.

In November, the 27-year-old was charged with 232 alleged betting breaches between 2017 and 2021. He was then charged with another 30 a month later.

Toney admitted to many of the charges but contested others, and could be banned for a minimum of six months.

Given the Englishman could be unavailable for a large chunk of next season, it could be a risky move for any team to spend heavily on him.

As a result, Liverpool – and all other interested parties – will probably wait until they know the full ramifications of Toney’s alleged breaches before making a move.

READ MORE: Chelsea open talks with Liverpool icon, as three sources confirm deal that’ll break Klopp’s heart is coming