'Already prepared' transfer admission could lead to FFP clause win for Newcastle

Thomas Frank has admitted that Brentford have 'already prepared' for the possibility of Ivan Toney leaving the club in a move that Newcastle United would stand to benefit from.

Newcastle, who were interested in re-signing Toney, before moving for Alexander Isak, previously profited from a 30% sell-on clause when the striker left Peterborough to join Brentford in 2020. Peterborough chairman Darragh MacAnthony has since confirmed that the Posh would 'have to give' Newcastle a further percentage of any subsequent fee the League One side are owed if Toney moves on.

Frank has claimed in the past that Toney is worth £100m and while that figure now feels fanciful for a player with just a year left on his contract, Peterborough would be due more than £10m if the England international went for that sum, which gives you an idea of the League One side's sell-on clause. Newcastle would then be entitled to their cut from Peterborough.

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Although that would be a relatively minimal figure in the grand scheme of things, such clauses are still useful for Newcastle as they generate pure profit, which is all the more important from a PSR perspective. So could a deal happen this summer?

Well, Toney said last week that it was 'nice to be linked with other clubs' before the England international warned he had 'disappointment in the past and nothing is done until it's done' after Spurs, Arsenal and Chelsea all previously showed an interest. Whatever happens, Frank has covered his back after Brentford completed a £30m move for Club Brugge striker Igor Thiago several months ago.

"Maybe we are selling a player, but we are prepared for that," the Bees boss told the BBC. "I don't think it's a secret that there's a lot of rumours about Ivan so if he's leaving us - I'd still like to keep him, he's a top player - then this time we've already prepared ahead and brought in Igor Thiago.

"Football is a strange thing sometimes, but one of our strengths are the planning and strategy and, most importantly, the alignment between Mathew Benham, Phil Giles, Lee Dykes and myself in what we are doing and we are planning ahead. I think that's a big weapon."