Nottingham Forest: Reds missed out on a £70 million “monster” for just $5 million.
This striker, who is currently valued at £70 million, was in high demand by Forest.
Despite Evangelos Marinakis spending a staggering £145 million on 21 new players, Nottingham Forest struggled in the Premier League for the whole of the season and ultimately avoided relegation by four points.
Their chances are looking better this time around after struggling to adjust to the demands of the top flight last time. They have two wins out of their first four games, including a 1-0 success over Chelsea at Stamford Bridge.
While Forest’s strong summer transfer window, which included signing players like Divock Origi, Ibrahim Sangare, Callum Hudson-Odoi, and Anthony Elanga, should be credited for their strong start to the season, the Reds have lost their fair share of talent over the years who have gone on to succeed elsewhere.
Striker Ivan Toney is currently the biggest of those.
Was Toney almost acquired by Nottingham Forest?
The Reds were engaged in a bidding war for the player, who was then valued at barely £5 million, in the summer of 2020 with Derby County, another club, and a number of other teams. On the strength of a 26-goal season with Peterborough United in League One, his status had in fact greatly increased.
According to the Nottingham Post and The Mirror, Forest’s then-manager Sabri Lamouchi was prepared to make a bid for the 24-year-old.
The Reds had expressed interest in acquiring Toney, who was described as “one hell of a player” by Peterborough chairman Darragh MacAnthony while he was the Posh, but they never submitted a bid. They would later come to rue this decision, as Brentford eventually swooped in to get Toney.
The Bees turned down a plethora of clubs to sign Toney on the deadline day for an initial sum of £5 million that would increase to £10 million with add-ons, and the rest, as they say, is history.
What is the current market value of Ivan Toney?
While Toney’s immediate career has been temporarily put on hold as a result of the Football Association betting rules violation in May, the 27-year-old is destined to practise his craft at the pinnacle of world football. Toney was banned from all football-related activities for eight months.
Several major clubs have expressed interest in the striker before his suspension ends in January, including Chelsea, Tottenham, and Manchester United, who have all been informed that offers of £70 million or more might secure a move for him, according to Football Insider.
Thomas Frank’s description of him as a “monster” makes it understandable why the major clubs will fight tooth and nail to sign him in the upcoming winter transfer window. Toney has generated incredible goal-scoring figures in the top division since their promotion to it, hitting 32 goals in 66 games, which is a staggering number.
While Toney scores goals frequently, which is amazing, he is more than simply a talented finisher; his all-around play has drawn attention. The England international excels at holding up the ball with his upper body strength, establishing outstanding play connections, and creating issues for the opponent with his running power in the backfield.
The £20,000 per week sniper has a “heart of a lion” according to his boss, and he has used this quality to become one of the league’s finest scorers. The numbers support his prolific nature, ability to link plays, and aerial skill. Forest might have received a promotion later on, but even if that hadn’t happened, they would have received a substantial bonus.
Toney’s 2022–23 season ended early, but according to FBref, he still had an all-around rating of 11% among Premier League attackers for goals per 90, top 18% for passes into the final third, and top 9% for aerials won.
If Brentford sells, they will likely receive a large quantity of money for Toney in January. Looking back at the 2020 summer transfer window, where Forest could have signed him, the Reds will be furious that a deal didn’t materialise.
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