Yahoo Sports US striker Brandon Vazquez on Brentford new year shopping list
Brentford are in the market for a striker in the January window even if Ivan Toney stays at the club when his gambling ban is over, with United States international Brandon Vazquez among the forwards on their radar.
Toney is back next month from his eight-month suspension for breaching Football Association betting rules and is expected to attract interest from other clubs by the summer window, when he will have one year left on his contract.
At the Gtech Community Stadium, they are looking at strikers to cover all future eventualities regardless of Toney’s future and would look at bolstering that position if he stays.
Vazquez, 25 has been playing for FC Cincinnati in the MLS since 2020 after a spell at Atalanta as a youngster. In the past two seasons he has scored 36 goals and he was on the scoresheet against Columbus last week in the Conference Finals, but ended up losing 3-2.
He has broken into the US squad since the World Cup after missing out on a place in Qatar, with his goal record for his country so far four goals in eight appearances. Clubs from Bundesliga have been tracking his progress, while Real Betis in Spain are also interested, with competition expected to increase for him in January.
Thomas Frank has been coping with a series of injuries to his squad this season, as well as Toney’s suspension, and is set to look at January signings. Wing-backs and a wide forward are other positions they could look at.
Telegraph Sport recently reported that there is little appetite at Brentford to selling Toney in January, with Bryan Mbeumo and Yoane Wissa heading to the Africa Cup of Nations leaving Frank short on attacking options if he left. They are in a run of losing four out of their last five matches and face high-flying Aston Villa next.
