Tottenham and Manchester United may have been handed a major boost in the race to sign Ivan Toney in the summer transfer market.
Spurs have been heavily linked with a switch for a striker in the coming weeks, with Ange Postecoglou aiming to improve upon his squad options.
The Lilywhites recorded a fifth-placed finish in the Tottenham manager’s first season in charge, qualifying for Europa League football.
That won’t be enough to satisfy the long-term vision though, with aims to deliver consistent Champions League qualification and silverware.
The next phase of the project begins this summer with signings that will take Tottenham to the next level.
With a striker being one of the positions of focus, Toney is a name that continues to be touted concerning Hotspur Way.
Ivan Toney to Tottenham and Man United transfer
Both Tottenham and Manchester United have been linked with a move for Toney in the summer, with the England striker entering the final 12 months of his contract at Brentford.
There has been plenty of discussion surrounding his future, which Bees boss Thomas Frank has added to recently.
Speaking on the BBC Football Daily Podcast, he said: “Of course we plan, it’s dependant from season to season, it could be one, two, three positions you want to strengthen and that’s what we are going for first.
“Then other things can happen, maybe we are selling a player but then we are prepared for that.
“Of course, I don’t think it’s no secret that Ivan [Toney] there’s a lot of rumours about him so if he is leaving us – I’d still like to keep him, he’s a top player – then this time we already prepared ahead and brought in Igor Thiago.”
It suggests a certain openness to letting Toney leave this summer, which could offer a chance for Spurs to land the striker in the weeks ahead.
That may depend on the price set though, with Brentford likely to push for maximum value out of the forward, who has been so crucial to their Premier League cause so far.
Ivan Toney fixes Harry Kane problem for Tottenham
While Tottenham have improved over the last season, there has naturally been a large part of the team missing with the exit of Harry Kane.
The striker was an integral player for Spurs over his career, continually finding the back of the net while adding a hold-up play and playmaker ability that took him to world-class heights.
Any team would miss a player such as Kane, but since then Spurs have largely managed to cope with some aspects.
Heung-Min Son and Richarlison have shared the centre-forward role and have bagged plenty of goals from it.
However, it’s clear that Tottenham are missing a player who can hold the ball up and bring others into play.
With Toney, not only would he offer goals but he has shown that he can keep hold of possession at the key moments.
While he may not be at the level that Kane is – which is a standard that is hard to reach – Toney is more than capable of filling the gap he has left.