Brentford striker Ivan Toney has revealed that he has been ‘assisting’ the FA amid a report that he had been embroiled in a betting scandal over the past seven months.
A report in the Daily Mail claimed that “the investigation is understood to relate to alleged gambling activity during his time as a player in the lower leagues and before he moved to Brentford”, though they add that “there is no suggestion that the Brentford striker ever gambled on his own team to lose.”
And the Bees released a statement, to confirm that there would be no statement, on Saturday evening.
“We note the story concerning Ivan Toney and the FA investigation. The club will not be commenting”, they wrote on their official site.
Toney himself took to Twitter to announce his assistance with the case, telling his followers:
“I’m aware of a story about me in a national newspaper today.”
“I am a proud Englishman and it has always been my childhood dream to play for my country at a World Cup finals.”
Toney is yet to make his debut for Gareth Southgate’s side, but was called up to the last Three Lions squad and, on current form, is expected to be in the squad named next week to head to Qatar for the World Cup.
He has registered 8 goals and 2 assists in his 13 appearances to date this season, and is well on course to beat his Premier League goal record set last season, when he notched up 12 strikes over the course of the campaign.
Toney is not the only Englishman to have been embroiled in a betting scandal, with Kieran Trippier banned for 10 weeks and fined £70,000 after telling a friend to ‘lump on me’ ahead of his move from Tottenham to Atletico Madrid.
Meanwhile, Daniel Sturridge was banned for four months after giving inside information to his brother about a potential move to Sevilla.
