Ivan Toney Hopes Saudi Transfer Won't End His England Career

Despite his recent move to Al-Ahli in Saudi Arabia, Ivan Toney remains hopeful about his England future.

Toney made the switch from Brentford to the Saudi club on the final day of the Premier League transfer window, with reports indicating he could earn the equivalent of £1 million a week in the UK when bonuses are included.

The significant financial gain hasn’t lessened Toney’s ambition to continue representing England. Although he’s not in interim manager Lee Carsley’s squad for the upcoming Nations League fixtures against the Republic of Ireland and Finland, Toney is determined to make his mark once again.

The 28-year-old was part of England's squad for the European Championship final and notably scored a no-look penalty in the shoot-out against Switzerland. However, he’s currently not playing or training regularly due to his recent move and lack of club football this season.

• Georgina Rodriguez Shines on Forbes Cover as Cristiano Ronaldo's Partner Continues Her Remarkable Rise
• Ivan Toney Finalizes Transfer Decision and Will Seal £100 Million Move

Toney is expected to be fully match-fit and ready for England’s October Nations League matches against Greece and Finland, which Carsley will also oversee. His debut for Al-Ahli will come against Cristiano Ronaldo’s Al-Nassr after the international break. At Al-Ahli, he will be joining former Premier League players like Roberto Firmino and Édouard Mendy.

With England facing a shortage of strikers, interim manager Lee Carsley is expected to keep a close watch on Ivan Toney for upcoming fixtures. The lack of striking options has been underscored by the withdrawal of Ollie Watkins from the squad for the matches against the Republic of Ireland and Finland.

Dominic Solanke, Tottenham Hotspur's new signing, is also sidelined with injury. Despite this, Carsley has opted not to call up another striker, even though Everton’s Dominic Calvert-Lewin, who recently scored his first goal of the season, is available.

This situation might offer Toney hope that his move to Saudi Arabia won’t necessarily end his England career, even though similar moves have affected other players. For instance, Jordan Henderson, who joined Al-Ettifaq, missed out on the Euro 2024 squad after moving from Liverpool to Ajax in January, despite Gareth Southgate's willingness to select him earlier.

In a related development, Netherlands manager Ronald Koeman recently closed the door on Steven Bergwijn’s international future after the winger’s move from Ajax to Al-Ittihad. Koeman criticized Bergwijn’s decision, emphasizing that financial incentives should not outweigh sporting ambitions.