Ivan Toney set to start on official Brentford return; Toney's last competitive match was a 1-0 defeat at Liverpool in May; the forward will captain the Bees in Christian Norgaard's absence; watch Brentford vs Nottingham Forest live on Sky Sports Football; kick-off 5.30pm
Saturday 20 January 2024 16:57, UK
Thomas Frank has confirmed striker Ivan Toney will start for Brentford on his official return to competitive action this weekend, live on Saturday Night Football.
Toney's last Premier League appearance, 259 days ago, was a 1-0 defeat at Liverpool on May 6, but he has been allowed to train with team-mates since September.
Frank said that Toney - who was fined £50,000 and warned about his future conduct for 232 breaches of the FA's betting rules - is "very committed" to the Brentford cause, and praised his "special character".
"He's buzzing like an Under-8," the Bees boss said when questioned about Toney's prospective return. "I'm looking into the eyes of a player that's very committed.
"He will start tomorrow [against Nottingham Forest] and will captain the side. I'm pretty sure he's ready.
"He's a special character, a fantastic person to be around. The energy he brings, the smile, the positivity, is a massive thing.
"He drags people - he wants to win. It's a massive boost. It's like a new signing. There's an argument for him being the second-best striker in the league, in my opinion."
Earlier this week, Toney reiterated his desire to play for a "top club competing for trophies" in an exclusive sit down with Sky Sports.
The 27-year-old made his England debut during a European Championship qualifying win against Ukraine last March and has scored 32 goals in 64 Premier League appearances for Brentford.
Speaking about links with other clubs, amid interest from Arsenal and Chelsea in Toney, Frank said: "It's 99-point-something he will stay here. He's very committed to be here and help the team.
"I spoke with him yesterday and that's the only thing on his mind. We only have that zero-point-something chance of craziness in football - you can never rule everything out. We've had no offers for him. None."
Frank added: "It's classic Ivan - perfect timing. He will thrive in that environment [at the Gtech Community Stadium on Saturday].
"I asked him if he wanted to start and he said yes. It's quite obvious in this moment in time we need him, with the injuries we have it's clear. He is the vice-captain so it's natural for him to step up."
Sky Sports News reporter Patrick Davison:
"I can't think of many times where a player of his profile has come into Sky Studios before so I was impressed that he made the effort. What I'm often struck by - and I had this with Trent Alexander-Arnold as well - is how confident and the belief players of that level have. His determination to be a really top player really shone through.
"I was probably a little bit surprised. It was interesting to hear how forthright he was on what he might do next. He was very open and honest about wanting to play for a big club one day.
"That answer was the thing that struck home when we were together to speak about quite a serious subject. There was an opportunity to say something along the lines of 'I'm staying' so it did feel he was leaving the door open to maybe something happening quickly, which was a surprise.
"You can really tell how much he's missed football. This is a guy who is openly talking about being England's No 9 - and he knows how good Harry Kane is. It's just obvious, if he's as good as he wants to be, he is going to end up somewhere else at some point.
"As a Brentford fan, you hope it's later rather than sooner. The club were very keen to put him up and to do something. The player has been smart and gone out of his way. He's been smart to now draw a line under it. When he scores a couple of goals, this will now become a chapter of his past. It was just important we got the tone right. That was the challenge.
"He said that doing interviews and opening up on certain subjects doesn't come naturally to him, so his story can be a lesson to all of us. Even if you're not comfortable expressing yourself, you can get there."
