Brentford’s plan to cash in on Ivan Toney this summer may be put on hold after their new striker, Igor Thiago, suffered an injury in a pre-season friendly.
- Igor Thiago damaged his meniscus in Saturday’s friendly win over Wimbledon
- The striker joined Brentford from Club Brugge in a deal worth £30m this month
- His arrival signaled that the Bees could be ready to cash in on Ivan Toney
By Spencer Morgan
Published: 06:59 EDT, 26 July 2024 | Updated: 10:21 EDT, 26 July 2024
Brentford’s summer transfer plans have been thrown into disarray after new striker Igor Thiago suffered a potentially serious injury in a pre-season friendly.
Thiago joined the Bees from Club Brugge earlier this month in a deal worth £30m, leading many to believe that Brentford are ready to cash in on Ivan Toney, who has attracted interest from several big clubs.
However, Thiago’s start to life at the club could not have got off to a worse start after he damaged his meniscus in Saturday’s 5-2 win over Wimbledon.
The 23-year-old, who scored twice in the game, is set to undergo further scans next week to determine the severity of the problem.
Brentford might fight harder to keep hold of Ivan Toney this summer after Saturday’s friendly
Meniscus injuries can be a serious concern, with even minor ones leaving a player on the sidelines for several weeks or months.
A tear can mean four to six months on the sidelines, and Brentford would be left without a recognised No 9 for most of the season if Toney departs.
Tottenham and West Ham are targeting Toney, while Chelsea and Arsenal have cooled their interest.
Toney has previously been linked as a potential replacement for Harry Kane, who left Tottenham for Bayern Munich last summer.
Brentford had been looking for a fee in the region of £100m earlier this year, but it is believed they are now open to a significantly lower offer.
Igor Thiago suffered an injury during the Wimbledon clash and will undergo further scans
Thiago notched 18 goals in 34 Jupiler Pro League outings last term, firing Brugge to the title.
He netted 15 in 32 for Bulgarian outfit Ludogorets in his first season in Europe.