Brentford technical director Lee Dykes has refused to rule out Arsenal target Ivan Toney leaving the club during the January transfer window.

There has been a lot of speculation about the England international’s future in recent months, and Dykes has confirmed that the Bees will be “open” to selling the player as long as clubs are prepared to match his asking price:

“There will be lots of interest in Ivan in January. Naturally, there should be. He was the third-highest Premier League goalscorer last season – one of them [ Harry Kane ] has gone to Germany now, so he’s up there as one of the best strikers in the division.”

“He is in the top five in the world, in my opinion. So there should be interest, and maybe the time comes very shortly that Ivan moves on to another club. But they will have to pay a decent transfer fee to acquire his services because he is some talent.”

“We won’t sell a player unless we are ready to sell. We sit in front of every player and say that, if your career goals are above and beyond us, at the right time and if your valuation is met, then we will be open to listening to the numbers. But it’s got to be right for all parties.”

Arsenal won’t be alone in pursuing Toney

The Gunners are just one of a number of Premier League teams interested in signing the 27-year-old, with Chelsea, Tottenham and Manchester United having also been linked with the player.

However, Mikel Arteta’s side are said to have one key advantage over the competition. Reliable sources have confirmed that Toney is keen on a move to the Emirates.

Can the club afford to sign Toney?

The main stumbling block that could prevent the Gunners from securing the striker’s services is Brentford’s valuation. It is believed that they could demand upwards of £80m.

It means that a bid for Toney may only be tabled if funds can be raised through player sales in January.