Chris Sutton reacts to 'incredible' Celtic error over 31-goal striker

Former Celtic striker Chris Sutton has claimed it is “incredible” that the Hoops did not wrap up a deal for Ivan Toney last summer.

Saman Ghoddos, Ivan Toney and Bryan Mbeumo of Brentford. (Photo by Justin Setterfield/Getty Images)

The Brentford hitman has been in staggering form since joining Thomas Frank’s side from Peterborough United in a deal worth around £5 million at the beginning of the campaign, scoring 31 goals in 45 Championship matches.

But things could have been very different for the forward.

The Scottish Sun recently reported that the 25-year-old had been on the verge of joining Celtic prior to completing his move to the Bees, and even made a visit to Glasgow.

Ultimately, any prospective deal fell through, and Sutton has been left in disbelief at his former side allowing such a talent to slip through their grasp.

Discussing the scale of Celtic’s upcoming summer rebuild in a column for the Daily Record, he said: “They certainly need a keeper, a right back, a left back, at least one centre half, Mo Elyounoussi will go back to Southampton so they need a left-sider, and a striker for when Odsonne Edouard leaves. That’s the minimum.

“It’s not going to be easy though. Even the best players in the Championship down south – the likes of Teemu Pukki, Emiliano Buendia, Ismaila Sarr – are likely to be too costly.

“Ironically Ivan Toney is the same now after a brilliant season with Brentford. He says he was up at the Celtic training ground last summer but they chose not to sign him.

“That’s incredible if it’s true as he’s now worth five or six times what he was a year ago and Celtic can’t afford to make those mistakes.”