An update has emerged on Newcastle United and their interest in Ivan Toney in the summer transfer window... 

What's the talk?

According to The Irish Sun, the Magpies are one of the teams plotting a £30m swoop for the striker as Eddie Howe looks to improve his squad ahead of the 2022/23 campaign.

The report claims that fellow Premier League side Leeds United are also keen on the Englishman and will rival the club to his signature.

It is stated that an offer of £30m or more could tempt Brentford into selling the attacker, who left St. James' Park in 2018 after struggling to break into the first-team.

Howe can axe Wood

Newcastle moved to bolster their attack by snapping up Chris Wood from Burnley in the January transfer window and the striker failed to find his feet on Tyneside.

The New Zealand international scored one goal from open play, and two in total, and did not provide a single assist in 17 Premier League outings for Howe's side, leading former Scotland international Frank McAvennie to claim that he was "struggling".

In Toney, the Magpies can find a huge upgrade on the former Claret who will be able to axe him from the team - as he caught the eye in the top-flight last term.

Bees boss Thomas Frank previously lauded the goal machine, saying: "Ivan is very intelligent, because he’s reflecting, and he deserves a lot of praise himself for also coming into a well-run club and listening to all the small bits and adding extra layers to his development and performance.

"If you want to be a top player you need to work hard, constantly reflect and want to learn and then of course you need to have that confidence that he’s got so naturally. He’s coming across so fantastically: he’s humble, calm, but with a mindset of a lion."

His statistics in the Premier League show that he is deserving of high praise. He scored 12 goals and provided five assists in 33 games for Brentford, after managing 31 goals and 10 assists in 45 Championship outings in 2020/21.

The gem has proven that he can make a big impact at the top end of the pitch in the English top-flight and the stats suggest that he would offer far more than Wood - both in terms of scoring and creating.

Therefore, Toney, 26, can come in and axe the 30-year-old from the team next season, by providing Howe with a sublime number nine to lead his attack.

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