Former Newcastle United striker Ivan Toney has been linked with a return to the Premier League in January.
The 29-year-old moved to Saudi Arabia in the summer of 2024, leaving Brentford to join Al-Ahli for £40million.
Toney has performed brilliantly with 41 goals for the PIF-owned club, but his time in the Middle East has seen him fall out of favour at international level. The former Newcastle United forward has won just one England cap in 2025, with an appearance at the 2026 World Cup seemingly not in his future.
That could potentially change if Toney returns to the Premier League, but that does not appear to be on the cards.
Ivan Toney playing for Newcastle United.
Photo by Serena Taylor/Newcastle United via Getty Images
Ivan Toney set to remain in Saudi Arabia despite Premier League return rumour
With the January transfer window looming and multiple Premier League clubs struggling for goals, Toney has started to attract a lot of attention.
TalkSPORT have reported that Tottenham Hotspur and Everton are interested in signing Toney, but that does not mean that a return to England is imminent.
The report adds that Toney returning to the Premier League is ‘unlikely’ due to tax laws in Saudi Arabia.
Away from the financial issue, TalkSPORT add that Toney would be unlikely to get into Thomas Tuchel’s England World Cup squad even if he did return to the top flight of English football.
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Newcastle United may target a striker in January, but it won’t be Ivan Toney
Given Newcastle United’s current striker issues, a return to St James’ Park for Toney would be more than welcome. However, that is not going to happen.
But that is not to say another forward won’t join Eddie Howe’s squad in January. Sky Sports’ Keith Downie has predicted that Newcastle will look to sign a striker, having struggled for goals so far this season.
Whether or not someone else arrives will largely depend on Yoane Wissa’s fitness. He is yet to make his Toon debut, having suffered a serious knee injury almost immediately after joining the club from Brentford for £55million.
Eddie Howe on Yoane Wissa:
"He's working well. He's on the grass and he's building his fitness. The knee is feeling good and there's no problems with that. It's more a case of looking at his fitness, sharpness, all the things he's going to need to put together.
He's in a good… pic.twitter.com/rQAwp8WKH5
— Newcastle United (@NUFC) November 7, 2025
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While Newcastle expect Wissa to shine in black and white, that will only be possible once he shakes off this knee problem. Until then, Howe will rely on Nick Woltemade. The 23-year-old has scored six goals so far, but needs more help from his teammates.
If Wissa cannot provide that help then Newcastle may have to utilise the January window. But if it does come to that, Toney will not be the striker arriving at St James’ Park.