Journalist Simon Phillips has claimed to GiveMeSport that Chelsea’s new recruitment team want Graham Potter to sign Ivan Toney this summer.
The Blues are likely not to be done in terms of heavy spending when the transfer window reopens at the end of the season.
Christopher Nkunku is already confirmed to be making the switch to Stamford Bridge, bringing more substance to their attack going forwards.
However, he is undoubtedly not an outright striker, and that is a position that has been lacking for some time.
The addition of Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang has turned out to be one great failure for Chelsea.
He was brought in with the knowledge that he has experience playing under Thomas Tuchel at Borussia Dortmund. However, that relationship ended after just one game.
Potter encouraged to sign Toney
Phillips has claimed that the club have placed Toney on their list of potential strikers, despite his potential to be banned.
He said: “Ivan Toney is a player that Chelsea really like, and that’s from the new regime and the new recruitment team. He’s a name that they put forward.
“But obviously the situation with his gambling issues and what’s going to happen there, what kind of ban he’s going to get, Chelsea have to wait and see what happens. But Toney is a strong candidate for a striker in the summer.”
Graham Potter has already waxed lyrical about the Englishman, whilst his current manager Thomas Frank has described him as ‘unbelievable’.
Toney’s stats this season speak for themselves, and he undoubtedly has the quality to make his mark at a far bigger team than the Bees.
However, the potential for him to be banned for a considerable amount of time will continue to hang over him until a verdict is reached, and means he may not even be able to feature for quite a while if he did move.
Receive a digest of our best Chelsea content each week direct to your mailbox
