Stan Collymore shares theory over what Liverpool will now be thinking about signing Ivan Toney

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Stan Collymore has given his take on whether Liverpool should sign Brentford striker Ivan Toney.

Toney is currently looking for a way out of the Bees. With his betting-related ban now over, the 27-year-old will soon be back out on the pitch. Perhaps even later today. So far there’s been no suggestion that Liverpool are one of the sides seriously looking at Toney. But according to Collymore for CaughtOffside, they should be.

“For me, if Liverpool decided to come calling, that would be perfect,” said the former Reds striker. “I know they already have an embarrassment of riches in forward areas but if any of them were offloaded in the coming months, the Brentford star could be a great addition. I rate Toney so highly that I could see him in between Salah and Diaz.”

However, although he’d like to see it, Collymore also admitted that he doesn’t think Liverpool will be so keen.

“Liverpool will likely look at him and say ‘Not for us’,” adds the pundit. “But If I was the Reds, I would genuinely be inclined to let [Cody] Gakpo go, who I don’t think will go on to become a prolific Liverpool striker, and replace him with Toney. If they offered Brentford cash and Gakpo, I wonder if the Bees would go for that?

“Toney would add something significant to Liverpool as he can play as a traditional nine, he can drop off and he has proven with [Bryan] Mbeumo that he can forge partnerships. For me, I would be giving Brentford a call.”

Liverpool unlikely to take Collymore advice

If there’s one other person who’ll be hoping to see Toney end up at Liverpool, then it’s likely the player himself.

Ivan has previously publicly claimed that he’s a boyhood Reds supporter. Given the choice to join any team, it seems likely that the England international would plump for Liverpool.

Should the Reds have been in need of another forward right now, maybe his wish would come true. Toney would indeed be a decent option for Jurgen Klopp and offer something completely different to his other attackers.

But as detailed earlier this week, Liverpool are not currently in the market for another offensive player. They seemingly feel they have enough. And they probably do.

Moreover, Toney looks set to cost whoever takes him out of Brentford an absolute fortune. As much as £80m has been mooted. As he’d surely be no more than a back-up at Anfield, that money can be put to far better use by Klopp and Jorg Schmadtke.

It isn’t the first time Liverpool have been urged to spend big on Toney, mind you. Back in September 2022, Peterborough United chairman and Reds fan Darragh MacAnthony claimed that the Brentford man would have been a better signing than Darwin Nunez.

Although we do rate Toney, we simply don’t think that that’s the case. Nor do we think he’s better than anything Liverpool currently have. If the timing were better, maybe. But Collymore’s surely right that if the Reds have taken a look at all, they’ll have decided to pass for now.