Ivan Toney admits he ‘fell out of love with football’ as eight-month betting ban nears end and transfer rumours mount

IVAN TONEY has admitted he stopped watching football after falling out of love with the game.

The Brentford striker, 27, is primed to return from his eight-month betting ban against Nottingham Forest a week on Saturday.

He was not allowed to even train with his Bees team-mates for around three months after admitting to 232 breaches of FA rules in May.

Toney revealed: “I didn’t watch football for a while. In a way I punished myself.

“There was a stage I probably did fall out of love with football.

“It is what it is, the  situation is done.

“I was thinking about life after football, what my life would be if I didn’t have football.

“I know there’s a lot of people thinking, ‘Can he do this, can he do that? How will he be when he gets back?’

“I’ve got unfinished business.”

Premier League big guns — including Arsenal, Tottenham and Chelsea — are circling Toney.

But Peterborough’s Barry Fry, who played a key role in recruiting the star in 2018, is not convinced he will move on from Brentford just yet.

Posh’s director of  football told talkSPORT’s Sunday Edition: “He certainly won’t be going in January.

“They need Ivan to keep them in the league.

“Also, the interested clubs, who are four of the main clubs in the country, with Financial Fair Play they don’t have the money.”

When asked how much the League One side could receive if Toney was sold for £100million, Fry revealed: “That would be a lot of money. We would definitely get over £10m.

“I phone Brentford every day of the week. They’re fed up of me!

“It will be like winning the Lottery if they sell Ivan.”

Toney hit a hat-trick for Brentford B in a 5-1 win over Southampton Under-23s on Saturday.

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