Peterborough United chairman Darragh MacAnthony has revealed that the club are set to make a seven-figure sum upon former striker Ivan Toney’s next transfer.
Posh signed the Northampton-born attacker for around £250,000 from Newcastle United in 2018 and went on to sell him to Brentford for a package worth around £10 million in 2020. The striker has made 141 appearances for the Bees, scoring 72 times and making his England debut in his time at the club.
While last season was less fruitful for Toney, with four goals in 17 appearances following a betting ban, Toney has still attracted heavy interest as he enters the last year of his deal at the Gtech Community Stadium. A move would see Peterborough pocket a fee due to a sell-on clause inserted in his deal to move away from the club.
Speaking to talkSPORT, MacAnthony said the club stand to receive between £3 million and £5 million when Toney next moves. The 28-year-old is entering the last year of his contract and has been heavily linked with a transfer away from West London, with a deal expected to command a fee of around £50 million.
Reports suggest the likes of Manchester United and Arsenal are interested in the striker, which could have a significant knock-on effect in League One.
MacAnthony said, “If I was a betting man I would say, knowing what (owner) David Sullivan is like at West Ham he’ll try and basically get him at a dropped-down bargain price from Brentford. And I know the Brentford people would say ‘no chance’. But I know Sullivan will try, and if he had any common sense he would as it would be the best signing West Ham have made in 12 years. It’s better than signing a foreign striker for £70m who couldn’t hit a barn door.
“We wouldn’t be getting £10 million either. It would more likely be £3 million to £5 million.”
Writer’s View
This is a classic example of Peterborough’s brilliant negotiating and transfer policy. Toney has gone from strength to strength after leaving Posh, who now look to benefit from their recruitment success, and will no doubt employ the same strategy with the money raised.
While this season looks to be a difficult one for the club, they are putting themselves in a good position for the future and making sure they benefit where their former players do in order to sustain themselves at a good level. They’ll no doubt do the same with this summer’s departures of Ronnie Edwards and Josh Knight, highlighting their credentials as one of the best run clubs in the EFL.
