Ivan Toney could cost Brentford close to £1m when he makes his England debut, thanks to a clause inserted when he joined the club from Peterborough United.
The striker joined the Bees from Peterborough in 2020 after Ollie Watkins left West London to join Aston Villa. He finished his first season as top scorer in the Championship to help Brentford win promotion, and has hit double-figures in both of his first two Premier League seasons with the London club.
Toney's form this term brought a first senior England call-up in September ahead of a UEFA Nations League double-header. He didn't play in either of those games, but a long-awaited debut could be on the cards this month after Gareth Southgate named him in the squad for a pair of Euro 2024 qualifiers against Italy and Ukraine.
According to The Mail, Peterborough and Brentford agreed on a number of performance-related bonuses when negotiating the sale. The initial £6m fee has already risen north of £8m after Brentford's promotion and Premier League survival, while an England cap would reportedly bring the total to around £9m.
Toney has scored 16 Premier League goals in 25 appearances this season, with only Erling Haaland and Harry Kane scoring more. His efforts have ensured Brentford sit eighth in the table going into the international break, level on points with sixth-place Liverpool.
With an eighth-place finish worth a huge £134m last season, Brentford might not be too bothered about the extra million. It may well mean more to Peterborough, though, as might the sell-on clause which has the potential to bring the League One club an extra windfall.
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AFP via Getty Images)Toney's call-up comes amid a number of charges hanging over the striker's head in relation to alleged betting offences. The 27-year-old was charged by the Football Association in November in relation to 232 alleged breaches, followed by a separate charge in December, but has been allowed to continue playing as he waits to learn the extent of any punishment he might face.
"When Ivan runs out with the name of our sponsor on his shirt, it sends mixed signals to everyone that football allows betting companies," Brentford manager Thomas Frank told The Mail. "There should be some rules from the Government to prevent that. There is better gambling awareness now and safe gambling but there is much to be done.
"Then look at the other side: Ivan scores and he goes on Instagram and the abuse he gets is utterly horrific. He is on the receiving end of more malicious intent than he has given out and yet he will be the guy who takes the hit. That is unbelievably hard.
"I would like to think this debate will save other players for the future. The rules are right but have players got the right education? Are we all clear about what is permitted and what is not permitted?"
