Soccer Football - Premier League - Arsenal v Brentford - Emirates Stadium, London, Britain - February 11, 2023 Brentford manager Thomas Frank and Ivan Toney celebrate after the match REUTERS/David Klein/File Photo
(Reuters) - Brentford manager Thomas Frank cannot wait to have striker Ivan Toney back from his eight-month ban and the Danish coach said on Friday he does not want to sell the Premier League club's best goal scorer in January.
Toney scored 20 league goals for Brentford last season - behind only Erling Haaland and Harry Kane - but was banned in May after admitting to 232 breaches of the English Football Association's betting rules.
The 27-year-old cannot play for club or country until Jan. 16, 2024 but he was allowed to resume training in September.
Despite his absence the whole season, British media have linked him with a big-money move away from Brentford when the transfer window opens next month.
"Is he raring to go? Oh yeah, definitely. To get Ivan back will be like signing an unbelievably good Premier League striker that has proven (himself) in the Premier League. We are looking forward to that," Frank told reporters.
"I really, really would like to keep him. As a coach I'd love to have my best players with me all the time. From my perspective, I don't want to sell him because I think he's fantastic."
Brentford have struggled without their talisman, dropping to 14th in the standings amid an injury crisis.
They also lost this season's top scorer Bryan Mbeumo to an ankle injury that required surgery and Frank said Toney was also looking forward to helping the club.
"Last year there were three players scoring more than 20 goals in the Premier League, he was one of them," Frank said.
"I'm enjoying him every day and looking forward to finally using him. Ivan is a Brentford player. No bids, I want to keep him."
(Reporting by Rohith Nair in Bengaluru)
