Ivan Toney will be looking to make it two for two when he returns to St James' Park once again. The former Newcastle United striker scored last season on his first return to Tyneside, and has begun the new season on a 'mission'.
Toney netted 12 times in his debut season in the Premier League, and already has five goals from just eight appearances this term. It is a sensational start which was rewarded with a maiden international call-up last month, although the striker is still waiting to earn his first England cap.
Questions were inevitably raised over Toney's brief stint in black-and-white, much of which was spent on loan elsewhere. The now 26-year-old insists he holds 'no hard feelings' over his exit in 2018, but revealed the transfer to Peterborough United gave him the motivation to prove his former employers wrong.
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Toney made just two senior appearances for Newcastle, before firing his way back into the Premier League with the Bees via a two-year spell at London Road. However, the powerful forward is almost unrecognisable to the prospect who arrived at Newcastle in 2015, and has already made huge strides in his game since returning to the top-flight.
Billy Grant, a writer for fan site Beesotted, said: "He’s had a great start to the season. His workmate on and off the ball is phenomenal. I actually think that he does too much - doing the work of two or three players at times.
"He has improved in every area. His strength, decision-making, finishing, in defence, dropping deep, out wide, feeding attackers, and terrorising defenders. The guy is a monster."
Freelance football writer and Brentford fan Uzzi Majid added: "It has been quite the start for the main man! Five goals and two assists to his name so far already this campaign, and I'm sure he'll have more to his name in the next few weeks.
"Toney keeping fit is key to Brentford having another good campaign, his goals and all-round play is something to behold. Any manager would be lucky to have him and Thomas Frank can say he has the honour of getting to work with a brilliant team player."
Toney netted a superb hat-trick in Brentford's four-goal demolition of Leeds United last month. However, it was perhaps the striker's performance in another home thrashing which caught the eye of Gareth Southgate.
Grant said: "Although his hat trick against Leeds was the match that sealed the deal for Southgate, I believe it was the Man United 4-0 win that really caught the world’s eyes because Brentford - as a team - were brilliant that day. And I know Toney didn’t score but he had a great game.
"However, we felt that he suffered from the fact that we lost to Italy. Then from the fact that we went 2-0 down against Germany. Then for the fact that we started to make a comeback against Germany.
"Gareth needed to go to the World Cup on a high and the results and goals flying in didn’t do Toney any favours. The positive is they know all about him now. But barring an injury or him scoring like 10 goals between now and the World Cup break, I can’t see him going to Qatar."
An impressive first season in the Premier League inevitably led Toney to being linked with a high-profile transfer elsewhere. Newcastle were among those linked, although Eddie Howe ultimately landed his top target with a club-record deal for Alexander Isak.
Toney has three years left to run on his contract at The Brentford Community Stadium, and the speculation came to nothing this summer. But if another successful season led to more substantial interest, how much could the Bees realistically be set to bank?
Grant said: "This is like DisneyWorld to Brentford fans. We have never been in this situation before. So how long is a piece of string?
"The reality is a player is only worth as much as someone wants to pay for them. You can put a silly price on a player’s head but if no one is ever going to pay that price, is that player really worth that much?
"Richarlison went to Spurs for £60m. Ben White went to Arsenal a year ago for £50m. Toney is a striker and will only get better. Naturally I don’t want him to go but with his profile rising, Brentford obviously know that it could be on the cards at any time so no doubt they will have someone lined up at a fraction of the price him if he has to go.
"I don’t set the prices but with his England call-up and looking at past transfer fees, I can’t see him costing less than £70m at this moment in time. Personally, I think it’s silly money flying around at the moment, but it is what it is."
The lofty valuation is one that is shared by Majid. He added: "Not many fans were hugely concerned about him leaving, there was no concrete interest from any party.
"If Brighton can get £55m-plus for Marc Cucurella after only one season, then Brentford will be demanding around the same, if not even more given Toney has had a far bigger impact. Anything from £60m upwards could tempt them."
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