Pep Guardiola, the Manchester City manager, spoke highly of Ivan Toney after the team’s close 1-0 victory over Brentford on Tuesday.
Despite Erling Haaland breaking the deadlock in the second half, Guardiola acknowledged the tough challenge posed by Brentford, especially with Toney leading the line.
“They have the ability with Ivan Toney – he’s a master player, a really good player. Other than that they’re really good at free-kicks, throw-ins and so on.”
With this win, Manchester City moved above Arsenal into second place in the league, just one point behind leaders Liverpool. However, while Guardiola appreciates Toney’s talent, it is unlikely that Manchester City will pursue him in the upcoming transfer window.
Toney will be available at a relatively low cost due to having less than a year left on his contract at Brentford, making him an attractive prospect for clubs such as Arsenal, Chelsea, and possibly Manchester United. Toney has scored four goals in six matches since returning from an eight-month ban.
Despite unlikely interest in Toney, Manchester City has already finalized a deal for the summer transfer window. Savio, a promising Brazilian player from Girona, will be joining the club.
This transfer was facilitated by the City Football Group’s ownership of both Girona and his parent club, Troyes. Additionally, the club has also confirmed the purchase of River Plate playmaker Claudio Echeverri, although the teenager will stay with his current team until the beginning of next year.
Overall, Guardiola’s praise for Ivan Toney after the match against Brentford underlines the striker’s value and potential as a sought-after player for other clubs in the Premier League.
Meanwhile, Manchester City’s transfer activities for the upcoming summer show early signs of strengthening the squad for the next season.
