Ivan Toney's Uncertain Future Amid Transfer Speculation

This Sunday at Anfield, Liverpool fans might see a sight of former Reds Sepp van den Berg and Fabio Carvalho potentially lining up against their old team in Brentford colors. It will be not only a reunion but also a strategic battle in the Premier League.

Sepp van den Berg secured his move to Brentford this summer after requesting more playing time, which Liverpool were willing to give in a deal that could reportedly total up to $33 million. The manager of the Bees, Thomas Frank, indicated that the player might get some minutes, as he said in a recent interview, “How close he will be to starting I will keep to myself, but I wouldn’t rule out Sepp being on the bench for it being in the match day squad.” Fabio Carvalho, a sweet bit of business Liverpool made in January, also holds a possibility to start against the Reds. “He is able to go past people and he is fast. I think he’s better when he plays as an eight, where he can dribble which was his excellency on the ball,” Frank shared his thoughts on the player.

Moreover, outside the field, Ivan Toney might also make for an interesting storyline due to the fact that there is speculation on his future linked with a move to the Saudi Pro League and some English clubs. The player did not participate in Brentford’s first game of the season, although there was no apparent need, as Mbeumo and Wissa filled the gap on the scoresheet, both finding the net. The official statements regarding his status were vague: “Ivan trained the whole week with a good attitude in every aspect. He could be involved, he could not be involved,” Frank said. However, it was clear that Liverpool with their coach Klopp will have to adapt their tactics accordingly to who is playing or not. The presence of former Liverpool talent with knowledge of the system the Reds play will add another level of complexity to the game. Ryan Gravenberch is expected to anchor the midfield and neutralize the physical play of Brentford to ensure domination in the middle. The implications of this match will exceed the scope of three-points with an early indicator of some playing patterns and the future of the players. For Liverpool, it will be a question of how well can they cope with someone who knows their inner workings. For Brentford, potentially keeping a player of the caliber of Toney and adding talents of Van den Berg will mean that they will be competitive.