Former Barnsley man would make Manchester United title challengers, says an EFL chairman

Since gaining experience on loan at Oakwell from Newcastle United, Toney has blossomed into one of the Premier League’s most lethal marksmen. However, he had to do it the hard way and did not immediately find success after leaving South Yorkshire.

Toney was allowed to leave Newcastle for Peterborough United and his explosive seasons with Posh put him back on the map. His former chairman at Peterborough, Darragh MacAnthony, is among Toney’s biggest admirers.

In an interview with Sky Sports, he has tipped Toney to score 30 league goals for Arsenal, Liverpool or Manchester United if any came calling.

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He said: "Put him in an Arsenal team, put him in a Liverpool or a Man United team, he scores 30 Premier League goals in a season. I think anyone who disagrees with that hasn't been watching the last two-and-a-half years.

"I think there's five clubs in the world who could probably end up buying him and he will improve any of those clubs by a mile. He turns Manchester United into challengers for the Premier League."

Speculation regarding Toney’s future has been rife, with Chelsea, Tottenham Hotspur and West Ham United among those to have been linked with a summer swoop. He will be hoping to be part of England’s Euro 2024 squad, having recently scored his first Three Lions goal against Belgium.

MacAnthony added: "Having scouted players not just for their technical ability but their personality and their growth for 18 years, I think he's not even in his prime even though he's turning 28.

"Whoever buys him, £100m will be well spent because he's coming into his prime. You're going to get five or six years of his best. He's scored a goal every other game in the Premier League for Brentford. Put Ivan in an Aston Villa team under [Unai] Emery and see how many goals he scores in the Premier League. He'd probably be up there for the Golden Boot."