Brentford identify Celtic’s Kyogo Furuhashi as Ivan Toney replacement?.

Replacement of Ivan Toney, Celtic are now identified as…

he England international has entered the final stages of an eighth-month betting ban that has kept him out of action since May.

With Toney’s ban set to expire in the middle of January, his future is set to become a major talking point in the winter transfer window.

The likes of Arsenal, Chelsea and Manchester United have all been linked with the Brentford striker, whose contract runs until June 2025.

While the Bees are reluctant to part ways with Toney in the January window, they are still assessing potential targets in case the 28-year-old does leave in the new year.

Brentford’s Ivan Toney celebrates scoring their first goal on February 11, 2023
© Reuters

According to TEAMTalk, Brentford are considering Celtic’s Furuhashi as one of three possible forward options for the January window.

The Japan international has made 23 competitive appearances for Brendan Rodgers’s side this season, scoring eight goals and providing three assists.

In total, Furuhashi has scored 62 times and contributed 13 assists in 106 matches since joining Celtic from Vissel Kobe in 2021.

While Brentford have identified Furuhashi as a person of interest, Celtic’s financial demands could prove to be a stumbling block.

The Scottish champions are likely to set a significant asking price, with the forward under contract until the summer of 2027.

Brentford manager Thomas Frank celebrates after the match on October 21, 2023
© Reuters

In addition to Furuhashi, Thomas Frank’s side are also keeping tabs on Velez Sarsfield’s 19-year-old striker, Santiago Castro.

Castro is not viewed as a direct replacement for Toney due to his young age, but the Bees believe he could provide better value for money than Furuhashi due to his potential.

Meanwhile, Brentford are also showing an interest in Roma’s Andrea Belotti, who could be on the lookout for more playing time.

With Rome boss Jose Mourinho favouring Romelu Lukaku as his first-choice forward, Belotti has had to settle for just four Serie A starts this season.

There is a belief that Belotti could be available for as little as £10m with less than two years remaining on his Roma deal.