Toney to bag £84M in Saudi
DARREN LEWIS
IVAN TONEY will pick up a staggering deal worth £84million to move to
Saudi Pro League’s Al-ahli.
The England striker (top), 28, has signed a four-year contract worth £403,000 a week including bonuses – the equivalent of £800,000 a week before tax in the UK – to complete his £40m switch from Brentford.
It means Toney will earn more than 13 times the £36,000-a-week wage he picked up at the Gtech Stadium where he scored 20 goals in 33 Premier League games for the Bees during the 2022-23 season.
Last season he scored four times in his first five matches following his return from an eight-month ban for breaking FA gambling rules.
In total he netted 72 goals in 141 games since joining Brentford in 2020.
He moved to Saudi Arabia after Brentford refused to lower their
£50m price tag, their tough stance scaring off the Premier League’s top clubs who were unwilling to overpay for a player out of contract in a year.
At Al-ahli, Toney will join a squad containing serial Premier League title winner Riyad Mahrez, formerly of Manchester City, ex-chelsea Champions League-winning keeper Edouard Mendy, and striker Roberto Firmino who lifted two Champions Leagues with Liverpool.
Toney was part of the England squad at Euro 2024, with his three appearances – including the defeat by Spain in the final – all as a late substitute.
He scored a penalty in the shootout victory over Switzerland, when he found the net without looking at the ball as he stared down the keeper.
Toney has six caps and one goal for the Three
Lions – and although he was left out of interim England manager Lee Carsley’s squad for this month’s Nations League games, Toney has not given up on playing for England again.