Last month, it emerged that Erik ten Hag and Manchester United are keeping an eye on Brentford striker Ivan Toney, who’s just returned from an eight-month ban for breaking gambling rules.

Brentford want £100m to sell Toney, and aren’t prepared to drop much lower in negotiations, so it remains to be seen whether United are priced out of a deal or whether they launch a blockbuster move at the start of the Jim Ratcliffe era. The Red Devils also have alternatives in mind, including, as it turns out, the player Brentford view as their ideal replacement for Toney.

United in touch over Jonathan David

According to Football Transfers, Manchester United have made contact over a deal for Jonathan David, registering their interest in the Canadian striker. Alongside Brentford, fellow Premier League sides Aston Villa, Chelsea and Newcastle are all keen too.

The Bees are firm admirers of David, with Thomas Frank impressed by what he saw when Lille visited Brentford for a pre-season friendly last summer. The German apparently believes that he has what it takes to be Toney’s successor at the Gtech Community Stadium.

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Lille have set out an asking price of around €50m (which is equivalent to about £43m) for David’s suitors, and while they’re “reluctant” to let him go, he’s thought to be “desperate” to play in the Premier League.

David, who has scored 13 goals and provided six assists in his 30 appearances this season, has made no secret of his aforementioned desire to move to the English top-flight.

Speaking during Canada’s World Cup campaign in 2022, he said: “The Premier League is the best league in the world and I think every player would want to play there some day.”

He actually gave that answer when asked directly about supposed interest from United, and while he wouldn’t comment on the club directly, he has already ticked one important box for the Old Trafford faithful. During his time with previous club Gent in Belgium, he singled out Liverpool, who are of course United’s arch-rivals, as the one Premier League side he doesn’t particularly like.

He said: “I love all teams in the Premier League: Arsenal, Chelsea, Manchester City, but also Southampton, Crystal Palace, Everton … I like nice teams. I’m just not a big fan of Liverpool.”

United and Brentford are entangled in something of a transfer web at the moment as they plan to make striker signings in the summer. There could be a scenario where the London club reject an offer from Ten Hag’s side for Toney, and then find themselves battling with the 20-time champions for the signature of David.