Brentford boss Thomas Frank says striker Ivan Toney would deserve to be named in Thursday’s England squad on footballing merit.
Manager Gareth Southgate watched Toney in Saturday’s 1-0 defeat at Everton but is unlikely to include him in the party to face Italy and Ukraine because the 26-year-old has accepted multiple charges of breaching the Football Association’s betting rules and faces a future ban.
Frank acknowledges the complexities but says based on matters on the pitch alone, he should be included. Toney has scored 15 Premier League goals this season, a figure bettered only by Erling Haaland and Harry Kane.