Brentford striker Ivan Toney has admitted breaking English Football Association (FA) rules relating to betting prior to appearing before a disciplinary panel, sources have told ESPN.
Toney has been charged with a total of 262 breaches between February 2017 and January 2021 when he was a player at Scunthorpe United, Wigan Athletic, Peterborough United and Brentford.
The 26-year-old is understood to have accepted a significant number of the offences but is contesting others, although the exact numbers have not been disclosed.
The FA declined to comment when contacted by ESPN.
On Wednesday, Toney expressed his concern about the process and criticised the FA over what he perceives to be potential lapses of confidentiality as he prepares to argue his case.
"I was shocked and disappointed to see press speculation yesterday and today about The FA investigation process concerning me after I have been told by The FA that it is a confidential process until any decision has been made," Toney wrote on Instragam.
"It is especially disturbing for me to read that The FA is saying I shall be banned from football for 6 months before there has even been a hearing, and it does make me worried about the process."
Toney said his lawyers will be writing to the FA "to request that they conduct a leak inquiry."
"This is the second time stories have appeared in the newspapers -- the last time was just before the selection of the England World Cup squad," he wrote.
FA rule E8 states that players "shall not bet, either directly or indirectly, or instruct, permit, cause or enable any person to bet on the result, progress, conduct or any other aspect of, or occurrence in or in connection with, a football match or competition; or any other matter concerning or related to football anywhere in the world, including, for example and without limitation, the transfer of players, employment of managers, team selection or disciplinary matters."
Toney could face a substantial ban which could have a major impact on Brentford's season. The Englishman has scored 15 goals in all competitions this season, helping Brentford climb to ninth place in the Premier League.
In 2020, Kieran Trippier was banned for 10 weeks after passing on information relating to his transfer from Tottenham to Atletico Madrid the previous year.
Toney was called up to the England squad last September but did not play a single minute and was subsequently left out of Gareth Southgate's final 26-man group for the World Cup finals in November.
The first FA charges against Toney emerged shortly after Southgate named his squad for Qatar but FA chief executive Mark Bullingham later insisted the uncapped forward was left out purely on "footballing grounds."
Information from the Associated Press was used in this report.