Chelsea remains the leading contender to sign the England striker in a potentially discounted deal after a bid from Saudi Arabia was turned down. Manchester United has initiated preliminary discussions about a last-minute move for Ivan Toney, but the forward is focused on securing a transfer to Chelsea before the Friday deadline.

Toney has expressed his desire to leave Brentford before the transfer window closes, and the Bees might have to settle for a deal significantly below their initial £50 million asking price, or risk losing him for free next summer.

Chelsea is considering an offer as manager Enzo Maresca aims to add a new striker to his summer signings. Meanwhile, Al-Ahli from Saudi Arabia has had an initial bid rejected.

Standard Sport reports that while Manchester United has had early talks with Brentford about a potential transfer, negotiations are still in the preliminary stages and United has yet to make a formal offer. Brentford hopes that any interest from United could spark a bidding war with Chelsea, potentially leading to a £40 million deal for Toney.

The 28-year-old has been excluded from Thomas Frank’s squad for the first two Premier League matches, raising concerns about the impact of reintegrating him into the team.

In other transfer news, discussions are ongoing between United and Chelsea regarding a possible swap deal involving Raheem Sterling and Jadon Sancho.