Peterborough United manager Darren Ferguson believes that Ivan Toney will leave the club this summer.
Toney has been linked with both Celtic and Brentford in recent weeks, with Peterborough’s Director of Football Barry Fry previously stating that the Hoops were “running out of time” to sign him (Daily Mail).
However, fast forward almost three weeks later and still Toney is a Peterborough player. The striker himself has previously admitted that he wants to play in the Premier League too (Peterborough Today).
And it appears that a departure is still almost certain despite the lack of movement. Speaking to Peterborough Today, Posh boss Ferguson hardly issued a hands-off warning.
“There’s so much interest in him now I expect he will leave. If he doesn’t then fine because he’s a huge talent, but we told him in January that we would let him go in the summer if we didn’t go up and Ivan is ready to leave.
“I was lucky we kept him last season and it’s still the case that the owners don’t have to sell him and they won’t if they don’t get what they want for him.
“But Ivan is in the last year of his contract now so it makes sense to sell him and I expect he will go purely because so many clubs are after him.”
Toney’s stats remain difficult to ignore
The Englishman’s stats remain exciting for supporters to look at. He’s just come off his most productive season yet after banging in 26 goals in 39 games (Transfermarkt).
His form led to him finishing last season as the League One top goalscorer – nine goals clear of second-placed Paddy Madden of Fleetwood Town. Toney averaged a goal every 118 minutes, and racked up 24 league goals in just 32 appearances (BBC).
Yet Toney is an out-and-out centre-forward. Despite his clearly impressive and promising goal figures, we have enough strikers at the club already.
The Posh man also isn’t used to playing across the attacking midfield positions, with very little experience as a left-winger, right-winger, or number 10. Therefore, it’s not as if Toney’s versatility would come in useful either – you either play him as a striker or don’t play him at all.
After the £5million signing of Albian Ajeti (Sky Sports), it’s difficult to see an in for Toney at Parkhead.
However, with Celtic going for 10-in-a-row, it wouldn’t be out of the question for the club to indulge in further firepower.
In other news, Celtic striker Odsonne Edouard is reportedly unlikely to accept any move to Aston Villa.
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