Chelsea abandon €130m striker pursuit as Pochettino signals wish to sign ‘best in Prem’ with club-record transfer on

Chelsea are ready to go all out to sign Ivan Toney with a massive summer bid now in the offing and with a report revealing exactly why they are ready to abandon their previous plans on signing Victor Osimhen.

The Blues have endured a somewhat bumpy first season under manager Mauricio Pochettino, who has failed to get a consistent tune from his expensively-assembled squad. They have shown flashes of what they are capable of by recently dismantling Aston Villa in the FA Cup and then following up with a win over Crystal Palace at Selhurst Park, giving Chelsea fans hope that better times are ahead.

And with Pochettino not thought to be any immediate danger of the sack, the Blues boss will be given more funds this summer to help transform the club’s fortunes and elevate them back among Premier League title contenders.

However, Pochettino seemingly feels that only minor adjustments are needed with his squad and reportedly want to blow the majority of any summer spending on just positions: a new centre-half to replace the ageing Thiago Silva and a new striker, with the Blues seemingly lacking both a focal point and a reliable No 9.

READ MORE: Agent confirms Osimhen is leaving Napoli as transfer options are discussed

They were expected to make a bold move to sign Napoli’s Victor Osimhen in what could potentially be a new club-record fee and with the Nigerian having a €130m clause in his contract.

However, as TEAMtalk revealed on Friday, PSG have also declared their intentions to bid for Osimhen as they prepare for life after Kylian Mbappe.

Chelsea to go all in for Ivan Toney signing

And now it has emerged that presents a major problem for Chelsea, with PSG seen as having a far stronger chance of landing the 25-year-old, thanks in no small part to the exit of Mbappe, who was costing the club the best part of £700,000 a week in wages alone.

With the Blues now preparing to step aside, The Sun reports and Pochettino and Co are now planning a major move for Brentford striker Toney instead.

Per the report, Pochettino is a huge admirer of the one-time capped England striker and feels he is now the ‘best in the Premier League’ and that the 27-year-old would be the ideal fit for the Blues.

And while the Bees are reportedly holding out for a club-record fee of £80m for the 163-goal striker, Chelsea feel his signing would represent good value for money and can help elevate their side to the next level.

A source told The Sun: “Chelsea want Ivan Toney. Everyone knows Chelsea need a striker and, right now, he’s the best available striker in the Premier League.

“Pochettino has made it clear that if he is available, and that the club can make the deal happen, then they should move heaven and earth to get him. He believes Toney can transform his team, and can help deliver the goals to make them genuine title contenders again.”

Arsenal are also expected to make a summer move for Toney as they look to give Mikel Arteta’s side more of a cutting edge and amid claims neither Gabriel Jesus or Eddie Nketiah are prolific enough at the very top level.

Toney makes feelings clear on summer transfer

The Gunners could even have made their move in January, but ultimately decided to wait after it came to light that Toney – who recently completed an eight-month suspension imposed for a breach of the FA’s gambling regulations – wanted to stay loyal to the Bees until the end of the season.

However, with the striker clear in his mind that he wants to help Brentford secure another season of Premier League football before departing, the report has given an insight into the player’s frame of mind over a summer exit.

A source close to Toney stated why a move now looks likely and why he was never going to abandon Thomas Frank’s side midway through the current campaign.

The source said: “A lot of people assume Ivan will be on his way after Christmas, but no deal has been done – and nothing has been decided.

“Ivan is torn over his future. Brentford have stood by him and the club have been brilliant. Part of him wants to help them by hitting the ground running straight away in January and scoring the goals which will ensure they stay in the Premier League.

“There are a lot of clubs interested in Ivan but his focus, for now, is getting back on the pitch at Brentford and doing the business for his manager Thomas Frank, to whom he feels he has a big debt to repay. The same goes for the fans.

“He’s determined to get back in the England squad and Ivan fully believes in himself to make the first squad once he’s back playing football.”

The source is also adamant that Brentford are under no pressure to sell their talismanic No 9.

“They don’t need the money,” the source said. “Toney is their player and they will only consider selling him if the offer is right for the club.”

That said, Toney’s current deal with Brentford expires in June 2025, meaning the summer window will represent their last chance to bring in a big fee for his services.

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