Ivan Toney's England Dilemma
Striker Ivan Toney faces a critical career crossroads as his prolific goal-scoring in Saudi Arabia fails to impress England manager Thomas Tuchel. The 29-year-old, who has earned just seven international caps, finds his prospects of featuring in the World Cup 2026 looking increasingly remote unless he secures a dramatic Premier League return this January.
A Frustrating International Record
Toney's relationship with the England setup has been consistently frustrating. During Euro 2024, he was largely overlooked by then-manager Gareth Southgate, famously wearing his slippers around the camp knowing he'd see little action. Despite making a late impact with an assist against Slovakia and converting a penalty in the quarter-final shootout against Switzerland, Toney has played less than three hours of international football in total.
Current manager Thomas Tuchel appears equally unconvinced. After calling Toney into a squad last June, Tuchel gave him just two minutes in a friendly against Senegal following a bench appearance versus Andorra. This is despite Toney's impressive record of 41 goals in 59 games for Saudi club Al-Ahli.
Why Everton Makes Perfect Sense
For Toney to revive his England ambitions, a January transfer appears essential, and Everton emerges as the ideal destination. Manager David Moyes has previously spoken highly of the striker and is building a team desperately requiring a proven attacking focal point.
While current options Beto and Thierno Barry show promise, neither possesses Toney's established Premier League pedigree. The striker would thrive on service from creative talents like Jack Grealish, Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall, and Iliman Ndiaye. With ambitious new owners and a club looking upward, Everton provides the perfect platform for Toney to demonstrate his quality to Tuchel.
Although Tottenham, under former Brentford manager Thomas Frank, represents another potential option given their successful past collaboration, Everton's clear need for a striker of Toney's calibre makes them the strongest contenders. The move would represent something of a gamble given Toney turns 30 in March and would likely demand a long-term contract, but his guaranteed goal return could make it a risk worth taking for both club and country.
