Toney exit 'not close' despite absence - Frank

Ivan Toney has won six caps for England

Ivan Toney's departure from Brentford is "not close", manager Thomas Frank has said, despite his decision to leave the striker out of the squad for their Premier League opener because of transfer speculation.

The 28-year-old has been linked with moves to several English clubs this summer as well as a switch to the Saudi Pro League.

BBC Sport understands Brentford turned down a £35m bid for him to join Saudi side Al-Ahli last week.

Asked after his side's win over Crystal Palace on Sunday if Toney was set to leave the club, Frank said: "It is not close."

But when asked by BBC Radio 5 live if it was a matter of when Toney leaves and not if, Frank added: "Yes, I guess that is fair."

Toney has been at Brentford for the past four years, and scored 20 goals in 33 Premier League games for the Bees in the 2022-23 season.

"I think Ivan is a top player," said Frank. "He has been a top player and one of our best players if not the best player over a long spell.

"All the top players in the Premier League, one day they will leave the club and someone will have to step up and do well."

On Friday, Frank had said Toney was available for the Palace game and was hopeful he would stay at the club.

"The fresh news is he [Toney] trained with a fresh smile, looked sharp, good attitude, he's available for Sunday," he said.

"As long as I have Ivan I am very happy and that's hopefully for another year because he's a fantastic player.

"We know there's speculation and back and forths, but let's just enjoy the moment and let's look one day ahead and see what happens."

Toney has scored 67 league goals in 128 games since joining Brentford from Peterborough United in 2020.

He returned to action in January after he was was banned for eight months for breaking Football Association (FA) betting rules - including betting against his own team.

'He would be a huge miss' - What they said

Former Liverpool defender Stephen Warnock said Brentford "won't be surprised" by the transfer speculation.

"Do they think they can survive without Ivan Toney? The decision today suggests that yes, they think they can," he told BBC Radio 5 Live.

"They are at the stage where they are thinking, go on, make us an offer then."

Ex-England striker Ellen White added on 5 Live: "Not to be brutal but if Brentford get the money for Ivan Toney and go on to stay up this season then they are laughing, aren't they?

"He would be a huge miss, but he is in the last year of his contract so he would essentially go on a free next summer."