Ivan Toney's Tottenham move blocked as Al-Ahli director makes feelings clear on January sale of England striker

Toney had an excellent start to life in Saudi Arabia and proved that he hadn’t crossed continents to wind down at the peak of his powers. In 30 matches, he scored 23 goals in the league; a tally just two short of Al-Nassr star Cristiano Ronaldo. Flanked by Riyad Mahrez and, until this summer, Roberto Firmino, Toney spearheaded an Al-Ahli side that not only went toe-to-toe with domestic rivals but stormed to the AFC Champions League crown. This season began in the same vein as Al-Ahli have already hoisted the Saudi Super Cup, and Toney's blistering form, 11 goals in 15 outings across all competitions, has given him enormous clout inside the dressing room. It has also made any suggestion of a January exit an unthinkable proposition within the club’s hierarchy.

Al-Ahli’s director, Rui Pedro Braz, wasted no time stamping out the speculation.

He 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."

With Dominic Solanke still battling a nagging ankle issue and Randal Kolo Muani now out with a damaged jaw, Tottenham's attacking depth has thinned alarmingly. January was shaping into a scramble for reinforcements, and Toney, who is familiar with Thomas Frank’s methods, was seen as a ready-made solution. The Danish manager holds the England international in the highest regard, but after Braz's statement, it seems that Frank must look at other options in the market. 

Manchester United, who circled Toney before his Saudi switch, have also been re-linked in recent weeks. An injury to Benjamin Sesko has fuelled the urgency, but according to talkSPORT’s Ben Jacobs, the Old Trafford door isn’t exactly swinging open for him either.

He said: "As far as Premier League interest, I think we've heard links with Tottenham due to the Thomas Frank connection. I'm not aware of any Spurs approach at this stage, some have even said Manchester United, and again, I think Manchester United are banking on Benjamin Sesko and they've also got Matheus Cunha, who can play at No 9. But if Joshua Zirkzee left, you never know, another striker could come in at Old Trafford."

Before his Saudi adventure, Toney amassed 36 Premier League goals in 83 appearances for Brentford. His best performance came in the 2022/23 campaign when he scored 20 goals in 33 matches. 

Reflecting on his choice to leave Brentford, Toney explained 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."

But with the 2026 World Cup looming large on the horizon, Toney reportedly believes a return to English shores will help him make a case in front of Thomas Tuchel, who has frozen him out of the Three Lions squad. His England journey began in 2023. He netted his first international goal against Belgium in 2024 and featured at the Euro 2024. He assisted Harry Kane’s extra-time winner against Slovakia and scored a penalty against Switzerland.  However, in 2025, he hasn’t been called up for the last three England camps, and his only minutes arrived in a 3-1 defeat to Senegal. Currently, for Toney, the path back to the Premier League is blocked and unless something dramatic changes, he’ll be scoring goals in green and black long after January 2026.