Chelsea are set to rival Arsenal this summer and make a major move to sign Ivan Toney from Brentford.
The Bees’ striker has made a stunning impact on his return to action following his eight-month ban for breaching betting regulations.
Toney has scored three goals in four appearances since his return to boost his chances of featuring in the squad Gareth Southgate will choose to represent England at this summer’s European Championships.
The 27-year-old appears destined to leave Brentford when the transfer open and the fight for his services looks likely to boil down to a straight fight between Arsenal and Chelsea.
Chelsea are firmly in the hunt to sign Napoli’s Victor Osimhen, who is understood to have already picked Stamford Bridge as his next destination.
According to The Sun, however, Pochettino is a huge admirer of Toney’s, who is valued at around £80m, and believes the prolific goalscorer is capable of taking his side to the next level.
Nicolas Jackson has made a decent fist of his first season in English football but still looks far from the finished product, while Christopher Nkunku has struggled with various fitness issues.
In order to fund a deal to sign Toney, Chelsea would need to find buyers for a number of squad players in order to comply with financial sustainability requirements.
But Pochettino, has told his club’s owners Toney is a player who he thinks is the missing piece in the jigsaw.
A source said: ‘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.’
Toney, meanwhile, voiced his concern last wee at Thomas Frank’s comments about his future at Brentford, with the striker also claiming ‘I can’t make clubs come get me.’
The Brentford boss recently said he was misquoted in a magazine in his native Denmark in which he supposedly alleged the 27-year-old is likely to be sold in the summer.
Toney said: ‘I’m a Brentford player at the moment, nobody can predict the future.
‘Whatever happens, happens but the main focus is do well for Brentford, keep them in the league and keep getting goals and three points.
‘I see that as he doesn’t want me. The manager has said what he’s said but I can’t make clubs come and get me.
‘I’ve just got to keep doing what I do and that’s score goals. What will be will be.’
Speaking on the mistranslation of his comments, Frank said: ‘You always need to be aware of translation,’
‘Google Translate is not always the best. It’s the same message as the whole time, I would love him to stay forever.
‘The reality is he’s got one more year left on his contract in the summer. I think he’s been pretty open about playing for a top club in the future.’
‘There’s a couple of scenarios; he leaves in the summer, he leaves in the winter, or he stays until the end.
‘If he’s leaving – whatever, summer, winter or the summer after – I think it will be fantastic seeing him playing for a top club.’