Brentford striker Ivan Toney says he is “assisting the Football Association with their enquiries” after national newspaper reports alleged he was being investigated for gambling on football.
The FA prohibits players from betting on the sport and it is claimed the 26-year-old is being investigated for historical bets made before he joined the Premier League club.
The FA declined to comment and his club said: “We note the story concerning Ivan Toney and the FA investigation. The club will not be commenting.”
Toney was named in England manager Gareth Southgate’s last squad for September’s Nations League games but did not get on the pitch.
However he has been tipped to make the squad for the upcoming World Cup in Qatar when it is announced on Thursday, after scoring eight goals in 13 games this season.
The former Northampton, Newcastle, and Peterborough player, who joined Brentford for £5m in 2020, released a statement on Twitter which read: “I’m aware of a story about me in a national newspaper today.
“I have been assisting the Football Association with their enquiries and will not be making any comment until such investigation has reached its conclusion.
“I am a proud Englishman and it has always been my childhood dream to play for my country at a World Cup finals.”