Loan ranger to Premier League hot-shot – Ivan Toney in focus

Brentford striker Ivan Toney has received his first England call-up following his fine start to the season.

The 26-year-old will be hoping to make his debut in the upcoming Nations League fixtures against Italy and Germany with an eye on landing a place in Gareth Southgate’s World Cup squad.

Here, the PA news agency looks at things you may not know about England’s latest striker.

Record breaker

Toney hit 31 goals in Brentford’s promotion campaign of 2020-21, a record for the Championship under that branding until bettered by Aleksandar Mitrovic the following year.

Not to be daunted in the Premier League, he then notched 12 goals in 33 top-flight appearances for the Bees last season.

He already has five in six at the start of the current campaign, including a hat-trick in the 5-2 win over Leeds last time out.

Wolves at the door

Toney’s career could have taken an altogether different path had a move to Wolves materialised in 2014.

Still plying his trade as a teenager at Northampton, Kenny Jackett’s second-tier side made an approach to land Toney for a reported £500,000.

Everything was agreed before Toney failed his medical due to an unspecified reason, leading him back to Northampton.

Toney would recall the situation after scoring and assisting in Brentford’s 2-0 Premier League win at Molineux last term. “I was going to sign for Wolves back in the day so that gave me a little bit of motivation,” he said.

The loan ranger

Toney eventually got a move to Newcastle but, with just two Premier League appearances for the club, loans gave him the chance to further cut his teeth.

He had two separate spells at Barnsley and Scunthorpe as well as time at Shrewsbury and Wigan, all while playing in League One.

He hit eight goals in 16 appearances for Scunthorpe in 2017-18, prompting Peterborough to sign him permanently for a reported £650,000.

It was with Posh where Toney found his feet, scoring 49 goals in 94 appearances across all competitions and ultimately earning a move to the Championship with Brentford.

Bees’ 83-year wait

No Brentford player has been selected for England since before the second World War, with Leslie Smith the last to make an appearance in 1939.

Smith played once at outside left against Romania while Billy Scott also won a solitary cap at inside right three years earlier against Wales.

The pair’s FA legacy numbers, listing every England player in order, are 628 for Scott and 654 for Smith – Toney will become number 1,272 on the list should he feature in this month’s games.

International options

Despite being born in Northampton, Toney also qualifies to represent Jamaica through his mother.

Just last year the forward was undecided on where his footballing allegiances would lie, telling the On the Judy podcast: “I think it’s crazy for my name to be out there like that, let alone considering who I’m going to choose.

“When the time’s right, and whatever the future holds, it’ll just fall into place. I’d have to have a long chat with my family first, see what goes on and how things pan out. I’m sure the right international side will come forward and I’ll choose them.”

While he has been called up by England, if he does not feature against Italy or Germany Toney would still be eligible to be capped by Jamaica should he so choose.