A number of major clubs are reportedly interested in signing Ivan Toney as he gets ready to return after serving an eight-month betting ban for violating the EPL’s gambling policy. [Image: Shutterstock.com]

Highly anticipated return

Ivan Toney’s return to the English Premier League is on the horizon. The 27-year-old will soon be eligible once more to play for Brentford after serving an eight-month ban for 232 gambling-related violations.

Toney did line out over the weekend for Brentford’s U-23 team

The striker hasn’t played a big game since May, so fans will be watching closely to see what type of form he is in upon his return against Nottingham Forest on January 20. Toney did line out over the weekend for Brentford’s U-23 team, scoring a hat-trick during a 5-1 victory over Southampton.

In an interview with Sky Sports, Toney emphasized that he wants to repay his team for sticking by him during his troubles by helping secure survival in the top tier. Brentford currently sits in 16^th place in the Premier League.

Despite this commitment, many major English clubs are showing an interest in signing the England international. He has made it clear in the past that he wants to play for a side that is in contention to win trophies.

With another two weeks remaining in the January transfer window, Brentford reportedly would want about £100m ($127m) for the Northampton native. Here are the likeliest destinations for Toney according to sportsbooks:

Arsenal

Arsenal’s title challenge ran out of steam last year after topping the table for most of the season and it looks like the club is following a similar trend this time around. Recent performances highlight the need for another goalscoring threat, as the team only notched five goals in the past seven matches.

While Gabriel Jesus has been a good signing since joining the club from Manchester City, he has not been banging in the goals. The same goes for Kai Havertz who arrived in the summer for £65m ($83m) from Chelsea. The German forward’s woes are well documented, scoring only on four occasions in his 19 Premier League appearances this season.

he has also always liked Arsenal

Toney could be the solution to these problems as he was third in the Premier League goalscoring charts last year. He also said in an interview on the Diary of a CEO podcast that while he has supported Liverpool since he was a kid, he also always liked Arsenal. He admires the club’s playing style and passionate fan base.

Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta did pour cold water on the rumors that the team would be acquiring a striker in the January window, saying on Sunday night after his side’s FA Cup loss to Liverpool that “at the moment it does not look realistic.”

Chelsea

Another team in need of a prolific striker is Chelsea. While the club has made many significant signings in this department over the past few years, most of them have not been successful. Acquiring disruptive strikers like Roman Lukaku and Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang were especially disastrous moves.

The team has been relying on a spread of scorers so far this season and its return on expected goals is the second-worst in the league, reflecting these struggles.

a potentially great addition for Chelsea

Journalist Simon Phillips has reported that Brentford is interested in Chelsea striker Armando Broja. Including the Albanian international in a transfer bid for Toney could sweeten the deal and put it ahead of Arsenal in any type of bidding war. Toney’s ability to hold up the ball and be an outlet in the danger zone makes him a potentially great addition for Chelsea.

Manchester United

Like Chelsea, Manchester United is an iconic club that has been struggling in recent years. The frequent changing of managers and having a net spend of £609m ($775m) on new players over the past five seasons has not worked out too well.

Fans are constantly giving out about the side’s owners and the club’s overall fall from grace. Jim Ratcliffe bought a 25% stake in the club over the Christmas period, making supporters hopeful that more funds will soon become available to manager Erik ten Haag and his transfer advisors.

United doesn’t currently have a clear-cut goal scorer on its books. Marcus Rashford has been struggling so far this year, while Dutch youngster Rasmus Højlund has only scored one goal in 15 league games since joining in July for £72m ($92m).

Other clubs reportedly showing interest in Toney include Liverpool, Newcastle, and Tottenham Hotspur.

The team is reportedly on the lookout for a more experienced center forward, with Toney fitting the bill nicely. He is an established player with an ideal age profile. United has largely been signing either young prospective talents or grizzly veterans in recent years, with many of these players being unproven at the highest level.