By Nathan Edwards

Brentford manager Thomas Frank would love Ivan Toney to stay forever after his future was discussed before a crucial trip to the Molineux to face Wolves.

Toney remained a Brentford player at the end of the January transfer window but the topic of his future remains a hot one.

He has made an instant impact since his return from an eight-month ban for breaking gambling regulations, scoring two goals in three games, but has also gone on the record to state a desire to test himself elsewhere in future.

Frank said: “I would love him to stay forever, but the reality is he has one year left on his contract in the summer.

"I think he's been pretty open about maybe playing for a top club in the future, so I think there are a couple of scenarios; he leaves in the summer, leaves in the winter or he stays."

Despite the boost of Toney’s return, the Bees have had a testing start to 2024, winning one game in their last eight league fixtures, and are still without Africa Cup of Nations competitors Yoane Wissa and Frank Oneyeka.

The Dane said: “I like to win football matches and I’m very aware that the stats on paper are not great.

“But we look into our performances and especially the last three have been very positive. We got the win over Nottingham and then faced two of the best clubs in the world – away to Tottenham and at home to City, the best team in the world.”

The Bees fell to a 3-2 defeat against Saturday’s opponents in the FA Cup last month, and despite Wolves being fresh off the back of a resounding victory away at Chelsea, Gary O’Neil feels his side still developing.

The Wolves boss said: “They were an extremely talented group that had their own ways of finding solutions, which they still have.

“They still produce moments of brilliance and stand in positions I don’t want them to but sometimes it works because it’s a game of football and random stuff does happen.

“But to add to that quality and randomness, we have added a bit of structure and a little bit of understanding at the same time.

“I am not one for really talking about how well things are going because we are halfway through the journey and fair play to the players, they have managed to produce fantastic moments of quality.”