Brentford head coach Thomas Frank has conceded that in-demand striker Ivan Toney will "most likely" leave the club during the summer transfer window.
The England international recently made his long-awaited return to Premier League action after an eight-month betting suspension, having admitted to 232 breaches of FA rules.
During the final few weeks of his lengthy ban, speculation surrounding Toney's future began to ramp up as he closed in on a comeback, and he has hit the ground running since donning the Bees jersey again.
Toney netted in back-to-back fixtures against Nottingham Forest and Tottenham Hotspur in January, before playing a major part in Neal Maupay's opener against Manchester City on Monday, blocking Nathan Ake from reaching Mark Flekken's goal kick.
Brentford managed to retain Toney's services in January despite reported interest from both Arsenal and Chelsea, having apparently slapped a £100m price tag on his head, but the 27-year-old's contract at the Gtech Community Stadium only runs until the summer of 2025.
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Back in December, Brentford sporting director Lee Dykes said that the Bees must brace themselves for Toney's possible exit, and Frank has now echoed his colleague's admission in an interview with Tipsbladet.
"It's quite obvious that Ivan Toney will most likely be sold in the summer," said Frank, who also hailed Toney as one of the best players in the world in his position.
"It can be expensive to sell your best player, but on the other hand, I also know that by summer, he'll only have a year left on his contract with us. We also know what he's worth. I don't think there are many strikers in the world who are better than him right now.
"He's a really good striker who is in his prime footballing age. Personally, as a coach, I would prefer to keep Toney, but one day it could be fun to see him at a top team. This winter, we actually had no bids for him, but it would surprise me if there aren't a lot of clubs interested in him."
Following Frank's admission, both Arsenal and Chelsea will be expected to reignite their interest in Toney over the summer, when Brentford will likely have to relent on their nine-figure demands lest they risk him leaving for nothing in 2025.
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The Gunners opted against re-integrating Folarin Balogun into the squad last summer following his successful loan spell at Reims, but Gabriel Jesus and Eddie Nketiah have just nine Premier League goals between them this season.
Meanwhile, Chelsea new boy Nicolas Jackson has already notched seven Premier League strikes in his debut season, but he has been guilty of profligacy and recently missed six matches due to the Africa Cup of Nations.
The Blues also allowed Armando Broja to leave on loan for London rivals Fulham despite failing to bring in a replacement, and they are entrenched in mid-table in 11th place despite their lucrative spending under the Todd Boehly regime.
As well as Toney, the two London rivals could battle for the services of Napoli striker Victor Osimhen, who is confirmed to be leaving the Italian champions this summer by club president Aurelio de Laurentiis.
However, the 25-year-old recently signed a new contract with Napoli, and his renewal supposedly contains a release clause worth approximately £112m.
Ben Knapton
