Newcastle United sources are staying cool on talk from Saudi Arabia that Ivan Toney is a Newcastle United target. Reports from Win Win in Saudi Arabia have linked Toney with the Magpies and suggest that Matthias Jaissle would love a reunion with the England international.
However, the reality is that Toney - who left Newcastle during the Mike Ashley era as a youngster - would have to take a dramatic wage drop given he is picking up £500,000 per week at Al-Ahli. Newcastle's top earners are currently averaging around £150,000 per week and such a move would break the wage ceiling at the club.
Contract and cost barriers
The 30-year-old is under contract until 2028 in the Saudi Pro League and even a January loan deal would be costly. Despite the fact that Al-Ahli are owned by PIF, the framework between Newcastle and PIF partner clubs is not believed to be smooth, indeed Newcastle had to pay almost £10m to get Jaissle out of his contract.
The Saudi publication reports today: "Matthias Jaissle definitely wants to sign him, and if that happens it will be a major crisis (for Al-Ahli) without a doubt."
Toney's journey since leaving Newcastle
Toney left Newcastle back in 2018 to join Peterborough United for just £390,000 after loan spells at Barnsley, Wigan, Shrewsbury and Scunthorpe United.
When asked by Sky Sports about returning to the Premier League one day, Toney said earlier this year: "Never say never. I have goals I want to achieve here first, the club have signed me for a long period of time. I want to repay them and bring trophies. In football and life, you never know what's around the corner. Who knows what the next step is?"
"I'm comfortable here and like being here. I'm doing well, my numbers speak for themselves and I'm settled. I'm enjoying my football and don't see why I'd leave to go back to where I was."
Goals and international form
Toney has grabbed 83 goals in Saudi Arabia since his £40m move from Brentford to Al-Ahli and still managed to get a call-up to the World Cup squad last summer under Thomas Tuchel as he added to his 10 caps for his country.
Opening up on being let go by Newcastle, Toney said to Sky Sports: "Obviously it's a hard decision to leave a big club like that. I believed that I was good enough to play there, but the management and people at the top didn't see that. It was tough but it is all part of the game and part of the experience."
"I wasn't involved with the first team [in the summer] so it was time for me to move on to somewhere I could get going. Now I have come here and managed to score a few goals. You need to be given the chance to prove yourself and I don't think I was given that opportunity. but I guess it is their loss in the end."
Sources close to Toney did not comment when asked about the prospect of a move back to Newcastle after reports from the Middle East today.
