‘We are a selling club’: Manager makes candid admission after United revive interest in their talisman

In what fans will hope is not a sign of what’s to come for Manchester United, the club have already been dealt two substantial injury blows during pre-season.

Indeed, Rasmus Hojlund and Leny Yoro will be sidelined for six weeks and three months respectively, having sustained fitness issues during last weekend’s defeat to Arsenal in California.

Prior to the pair’s setbacks, it was already being widely reported that INEOS chiefs were on the hunt for another striker and centre-half to bolster Erik ten Hag’s options next term. Now, they’ve had to accelerate their efforts ahead of the side’s season-opener against Manchester City on August 10.

Joshua Zirkzee, a centre-forward, became the Reds’ first signing of the summer when he made the move from Bologna last month. However, it’s thought that the club harbours concerns over his lack of experience in the English top flight, and, as such, they have shortlisted Premier League-proven Ivan Toney.

The Brentford talisman is out of contract at the Gtech Community Stadium next summer, which could force the board’s hand into accepting a cut-price bid before deadline day in order to avoid him leaving for nothing a year from now.

Bees are resigned to losing Toney eventually

In line with that, manager Thomas Frank has conceded that the Bees are often resigned to losing their top talents, telling Sky Sports: “What I’m focusing on is that Ivan is a Brentford player, and I’m very happy that he’s here.

“If he’s here when we start the season, I would be over the moon. I’ve said before we’re a selling club, but what I know is that Ivan is a player for us.”