Talent identification is an undeniable staple of the modern game; a lost art that is ever-practiced and rarely perfected. Yet if talent-spotting and player development is an art, Brentford may well be the Monet or Da Vinci of their field.
The Bees possess a spectacular list of former players whohave been sold for considerable profit or at the very least, found their way in regular spells at the top level of English football. Ollie Watkins, Said Benrahma, James Tarkowski, John Egan, Tyrick Mitchell, Neal Maupay… the list goes on.
It is for this reason that Everton’s reported interest in Brentford’s latest rising star Ivan Toney is great cause for excitement.
Plucked from League One outfit Peterborough for £10m, Toney appears to be the latest successor in a proud Brentford tradition of developing stellar talents from around the English footballing pyramid.
The 24-year-old ex-Newcastle man, signed on a five-year deal in the summer, was brought in as a direct replacement for Ollie Watkins, who himself was sold to Aston Villa for a fee rising to £33m.
With 13 goals this season already, Toney is the second-highest Championship scorer already. Truly, the ‘Brentford effect’ seems to be kicking in as the striker transitions seamlessly from the third tier to the apex of the Championship.
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Under the tutelage of Brentford’s development and coaching, Toney seems to have swiftly entered the realms of becoming the Bees’ latest talismanic figure. It is for this reason that reports linking Toney with a switch to Goodison Park represent an opportunity which cannot be missed.
Given the price that Watkins commanded with his form, Toney will likely come at a cost if he can sustain his eye for goal – although current Premier League top scorer Dominic Calvert-Lewin could benefit from serious competition.
Cenk Tosun, who is more of a peripheral figure at Everton, is simply not getting the minutes nor the goals to truly compete up front. With all cylinders firing, Toney could be the ideal home-grown talent to bolster Ancelotti’s attacking options.
