United are prepared to splash £40m on player Guardiola considers ‘one of the best’ he’s ‘ever seen’

Manchester United remain interested in overseeing a deal for Ivan Toney, with the Brentford talisman tipped to finally complete his desired transfer away from the Gtech this summer.

His hopes of leaving Brentford fall in line with the Reds’ requirements to sign a striker, and you’d struggle to find any player available on the market who could be a more suitable fit.

Toney, 28, has enjoyed prolific form since the Bees’ promotion to the top flight in 2021, scoring 36 goals in his three seasons of leading the line in West London.

Of course, his eight-month ban for breaching betting regulations meant that he was unable to really get off the mark last term, and he was only able to find the back of the net four times since returning to the fold in January. Still, such stagnant form didn’t prevent Gareth Southgate from including Toney in his 26-man Euros squad.

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Why Toney would fit right in at Old Trafford

Anthony Martial’s departure last month means that Rasmus Hojlund, 21, is now United’s only recognised centre-forward in the first-team. Reports have suggested that INEOS are keen on signing young, emerging talents. However, acquiring an experienced and Premier League-proven bagsman like Toney would only benefit Hojlund’s development while easing the goalscoring burden on his shoulders.

That’s something that Sir Jim Ratcliffe and Co. have seemingly already considered, as GiveMeSport claims that United and Tottenham Hotspur are the two sides most interested in striking up a deal for the Englishman, who Pep Guardiola hailed as ‘one of the best [players] he’d ever seen’.

Despite his contract being set to expire in 2025, Brentford value Toney at £60 million. Yet the two sides mulling over a pursuit would only be willing to pay in the region of £40m to acquire his services.