Ivan Toney suitors hoping to bring the striker back to the Premier League in January face the prospect of covering nearly £1million a week in wages.
When he left Brentford for £33.5million, the 29-year-old signed a four-year contract with Al Ahli in August 2024 that will net him around £400,000 a week after tax, rising to £500,000 a week with add-ons and performance bonuses.
For a similar take-home pay in the UK, given taxes, Premier League clubs would need to pay him around £900,000 a week.
Premier League clubs such as Tottenham, Everton and West Ham are among those looking for a striker in January who have made early soundings about Toney’s availability, but the likely financial commitment involved is an obvious stumbling block.
Toney, who turns 30 in March, would also face tax penalties if he returned in January as he would not have been out of the UK for a full tax year – which would have further implications for any salary package offered.
With that in mind, a move in January seems unlikely unless Toney is willing to take a substantial pay cut and a hit on the money he has already earned in Saudi.
Ivan Toney returning to the Premier League in January is unlikely given his high wages
Everton, Tottenham and West Ham have expressed early interest in the England striker
A move back at the end of the summer transfer window – after two years away – is more plausible.
The former Brentford striker is understood to be happy in Saudi Arabia, where he remains on the radar of England manager Thomas Tuchel.
Toney was called up last summer after scoring 30 goals in his first season with Jeddah-based Al Ahli and hopes, with 11 goals in 15 games so far this term, that Tuchel keeps him in mind as back-up for Harry Kane as the World Cup approaches.
With goals at a premium, those kinds of figures mean Toney continues to be discussed by Premier League clubs but the cost, particularly for January, seems too prohibitive.
Al Ahli would also want a fee on top for a striker who has over two years left on his contract.
The question then for Premier League suitors is: with such salary and tax issues to take into account, does the outlay outweigh the gamble of potentially missing out on Champions League qualification or staving off relegation?
With that in mind, several clubs are pondering whether shelving attempts to sign Toney until the summer would be more viable.
