Chelsea remains the leading candidate to secure the England striker in a potentially bargain deal following the rejection of a Saudi bid. Manchester United has had initial talks about a last-minute transfer for Ivan Toney, but the forward is prioritizing a move to Chelsea ahead of the Friday deadline.

Toney has clearly indicated his desire to depart from Brentford before the window closes. The Bees may have to accept an offer significantly below their original £50 million asking price, or risk losing the player on a free transfer next summer.

Chelsea is contemplating a bid as manager Enzo Maresca seeks to bolster his attacking options. Meanwhile, Al-Ahli from Saudi Arabia had an early offer turned down.

According to Standard Sport, Manchester United has also had preliminary discussions with Brentford about a potential deal, but these talks are still in the early stages, and no formal offer has been made. Brentford hopes that interest from United could trigger a bidding war with Chelsea, potentially leading to a £40 million transfer for Toney.

The 28-year-old has been left out of Thomas Frank’s squad for the season’s first two Premier League games, raising concerns about how reintegrating him might affect team dynamics.

Additionally, negotiations are underway between United and Chelsea regarding a possible swap involving Raheem Sterling and Jadon Sancho.