Aston Villa stance on Ivan Toney transfer emerges amid new Brentford exit update
Aston Villa are unlikely to enter the race to sign Ivan Toney this summer despite new transfer developments at Brentford, according to Alan Hutton.
The England international appears set to leave Thomas Frank’s side this summer and is reportedly willing to run down his contract at the G-Tech Community Stadium if he doesn’t get his big-money move [Nizaar Kinsella, 23 July].
Unai Emery’s side could be in the market for a new number nine to replace Jhon Duran in the coming weeks, as the Colombian international continues to be linked with a £40million move to West Ham United [Fabrizio Romano, 25 July].
Although Hutton rates Toney highly, he isn’t convinced he would be able to play alongside Ollie Watkins at Villa Park and doesn’t believe the Brentford would be willing to play second-fiddle like Duran did last term.
“It would be an interesting dynamic that,” Hutton exclusively told Villa News.
“I’m not sure how that would work because although they’re not exactly similar, they’re both number nines.
“Watkins likes to run in behind and stretch defences and Toney’s not really that guy, but they are both number nines so I’m not sure if they could play together.
“I could be wrong, but I feel that the way that Villa were last season with Watkins and Duran, he was the youngster.
“He knew that he wasn’t going to come in and play every single week, but he had to go and improve and show the manager he was willing to learn and listen.
“Whereas Toney is the finished article now. Wherever he goes, he wants to play and I just don’t know if he and Watkins could do it together.
Will Ivan Toney exit Brentford amid Aston Villa transfer update?
If Duran does leave Villa Park for West Ham, Emery and his recruitment team will have to move quickly to try and find a new number nine as they cannot head into the new campaign with Watkins as their only recognised option.
The England international has been in excellent form and will undoubtedly be the Villa boss’ first-choice centre-forward, but he cannot be expected to play upwards of 45 games a season again as he did last term.
However, it will be hard to convince a Champions League-ready forward to make the move to the Midlands to be little more than a rotation option utilised if Watkins picks up an injury.
With Toney seemingly ruled out of the running, it will be interesting to see who the Villans turn their attention to if and when Duran finally makes the move to East London.
In other Aston Villa news, Dejan Kulusevski has been backed to “easily” fit in under Emery after a new Villa transfer update emerged
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