Manchester United opted against making a move for Ivan Toney before the striker signed for Saudi Pro League club Al-Ahli.
The decision has left Premier League legend Alan Shearer taken aback, as he believes Toney, valued at £40million, could have provided a significant boost to United’s attacking options.
Erik ten Hag has been busy bolstering his squad this transfer window, securing the services of Matthijs de Ligt, Noussair Mazraoui, and the currently sidelined Leny Yoro in defence, while also adding Joshua Zirkzee to the attack with a £36.5m acquisition. United also clinched the £42.5m signing of Manuel Ugarte on Deadline Day.
Yet, with United only managing two goals in their first two league games, Shearer is puzzled why they didn’t pursue Toney, especially given his reduced price tag. “I like Ivan Toney – he’s an excellent player,” Shearer commented while speaking to Betfair. “Obviously, he knows the Premier League, he knows what it’s about and he’s proven at that level. He’s an England international too.
“He only has one year left on his contract, and I understand why some players would want to go to Saudi Arabia, but for someone like him who’s in the prime of his career, he’s got another four or five years ahead of him. I think he has a lot to offer.”
After being linked with a host of top Premier League clubs, including Arsenal, Tottenham, and Chelsea, striker Toney stunned the football world by opting to sign for Al-Ahli, with reports suggesting a £16m-a-year salary now awaits him.
The 28-year-old will line up alongside former Premier League luminaries such as Roberto Firmino and Riyad Mahrez, not to mention ex-Chelsea stopper Edouard Mendy.
Commenting on the situation, Shearer expressed his astonishment, particularly at Manchester United’s lack of interest: “I am slightly surprised – I think he’d do pretty well at Old Trafford,” adding that United’s attack looked lacklustre against Brighton and lamented their absence of Hojlund.
Shearer also noted United’s recent attacking woes: “I know they’ve signed Zirkzee, but they’re playing Bruno Fernandes and Mason Mount as two ‘false’ nines, and I’m not sure that’s worked for them. They got the goal from Zirkzee against Fulham and then just the one last week, so it hasn’t quite clicked for them yet in forward positions.”
Toney’s rise to prominence was swift following his Premier League debut in 2021, where he netted 12 goals. His second season saw an even more impressive tally of 20 goals, marking him as one of the league’s premier strikers.
However, Toney’s career hit a snag in 2023 when he received an eight-month suspension for violating the FA’s betting regulations, a setback that may have deterred clubs from pursuing an expensive deal despite his proven track record.
Toney had expressed his desire to play for a top English club in January and even with Brentford slashing their asking price from the initial £80m reported at the start of the window, the striker has now instead left the Premier League in a cut-price deal.