Ivan Toney has been in the Championship for a few months, but he already looks born for the Premier League

13 games, 11 goals. Ivan Toney has been one the Championship’s hottest prospects so far this season after his £10m move to Brentford from Peterborough in the summer.

Last season’s League One top-scorer was brought to West-London to fill the colossal-sized void left by Ollie Watkins, who departed for Aston Villa in the summer. The 24-year-old scored 26 goals for the Bees last term, a significant contribution as they finished third in the second division.

However, Watkins’ replacement is already looking to be a shrewd acquisition from the Brentford hierarchy in a bid to reach the promised land of the Premier League.

Toney netted his 11th of the season on Tuesday night against former-side Barnsley. The 24-year-old rose highest to Mathias Jensen’s corner just after the hour mark and produced an excellent glancing header that found its way past ‘keeper Jack Walton and into the back of the net.

The goal rounded off an impressive evening for the striker, who showed talent in abundance across the pitch.

His hold-up play was excellent, constantly teeing up the likes of Bryan Mbeumo and Tarique Fosu as well as his link-up play, with a forward pass always the intention.

Still just 24, Toney has plenty of football left in him, but he’s already looking like he’ll be one of the next names from the second tier to be linked with a move to the top-flight.

The Englishman has had a spell at a Premier League club before, joining Newcastle in August 2015 from Northampton, but only managed one appearance in the top-flight, coming on against Chelsea in a 2-2 draw in the 85th minute.

Two loan spells from St. James’ Park with Tuesday’s opponents Barnsley proved unsuccessful, netting one goal in a combined 15 appearances. A further four loan spells at Shrewsbury, Scunthorpe twice and Wigan respectively saw the young striker’s career progress, until a permanent move to Peterborough in 2018.

Toney was extremely prolific at the Weston Homes Stadium last term before League One’s suspension, scoring 24 goals in 32 league games which saw him win the golden boot. It also saw him attract significant interest from a host of clubs.

The Posh weren’t promoted last season, finishing just outside the play-offs in seventh, meaning that Toney was free to go if the right offer came in. There were reports of Premier League interest, notably at Brighton & Hove Albion, but in the end the 24-year-old stepped up one tier and joined Brentford.

In hindsight, that was probably a sensible move. Toney had already seen a Premier League move fail, albeit five years earlier. Playing in a strong, competitive Championship side was exactly what he needed before making the step up to the big time.

It’s a been an electric start to life in the second tier for the striker, who is second in the race for the Championship golden boot. However, if he is to end the campaign with a tally of 25 goals or higher, a Premier League move next summer could certainly be on the cards.

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