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Ivan Toney has been linked with a return to the Premier League with Tottenham among the clubs said to be monitoring the striker
Al-Ahli have insisted that star forward Ivan Toney is not available for a move in January. The striker has been linked with several Premier League clubs including Tottenham and Everton.
Despite interest in the England international, the Saudi club's hierarchy seem resolute in their stance against selling Toney. The 29-year-old made the move from Brentford to Al-Ahli 18 months ago and has since been in scintillating form for the Jeddah-based side.
His tally of 23 goals last season saw him finish second only to Cristiano Ronaldo in the league's scoring charts. Despite this only leading to a fifth-place finish domestically, Toney played a crucial role in helping Al-Ahli secure the Asian Champions League title and the Saudi Super Cup. He has already netted five times in the first seven matches of the current campaign.
Whether Toney would be open to a return to England at this point in his career remains to be seen. A move back could potentially boost his chances of international selection ahead of next summer's World Cup.
However, his prolific goal-scoring record has made him an invaluable asset to Al-Ahli as they continue their quest for more silverware.
Over the weekend, Rui Pedro Braz, a representative from Al-Ahli, sought to quash rumours linking Toney with a move away from the club. These rumours have included interest from Spurs, managed by Toney's former boss Thomas Frank, and Leeds United among others.
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Sporting director Braz said: "Ivan Toney is a top player, a top striker. The rumours around his possible exit in January are not based on reality. It's just not true. We're counting on him, it makes zero sense to address this subject in November."
Toney found the back of the net 36 times across 83 top-flight outings for Brentford before securing his £40million switch to Al-Ahli in 2024. His finest Premier League season arrived in 2022/23 when he bagged 20 goals in 33 appearances, with only Manchester City's Erling Haaland (36) and Tottenham's Harry Kane (30) surpassing his tally.
He flourished under the management of Frank at Brentford, with the Dane now the current boss at Tottenham. Reflecting on his choice to leave Brentford for the Saudi Pro League, Toney revealed in December 2024: "I came here and the training ground was good, the stadium was nice and the quality in the team was good also. People look at this league differently, but I stepped into it knowing it's still a high standard.
"I wanted something a bit different. It's a different culture, but I can blend in anywhere. I've been at Peterborough, Brentford, now out of the UK. I'm excited to be on this journey. I believe it's the right move at this stage of my career."
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