Fulham v Manchester United - Premier League 2026/27
Michael Carrick has been urged to sign Ivan Toney (Image: Getty)
Manchester United made their midfield a priority during the summer window, but calls are growing for attacking reinforcements. The forward trio of Bryan Mbeumo, Benjamin Sesko and Matheus Cunha have managed just four goals collectively across the opening five matches of the campaign.
Sesko, it must be said, has played for only 76 minutes following a late-season injury setback - and the additional fixtures resulting from Champions League participation suggest further squad depth may be required. One striker previously touted for a move to Old Trafford before Sesko's signing is Ivan Toney. The England international was reportedly being considered for a move to Manchester during his time at Brentford, but ultimately opted for a switch to the Saudi Pro League instead.
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Toney's goalscoring form for Al Ahli secured his return to the England squad for the World Cup, and now Gary Pallister, a decorated former United title winner, has encouraged Michael Carrick to consider bringing him back from the Middle East.
The 30-year-old netted 42 goals last season - surpassing the tallies of figures such as Cristiano Ronaldo and Karim Benzema - and has already netted 10 in 10 appearances this season.
He also delivered respectable Premier League scoring statistics for Brentford following their promotion to the top flight. He finished with 36 goals in 83 top-tier league matches and ranked as the division's third-highest scorer in 2022/23, trailing only Erling Haaland and Harry Kane.
"I think we need a more experienced player. Sesko is still young enough to be a big part of this squad, but he is not the finished article yet," Pallister told Betarades.gr.
"We need someone who has the experience and knows the Premier League, but there aren't a lot of those experienced English strikers at the moment. I don't think we can pay enough money for Ivan Toney to come to Man Utd, considering the deal he has at the moment.
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Al Ahli v Al Abha: Saudi Pro League
Ivan Toney scored 42 goals for Al-Ahli last season (Image: Getty)
"But he scores goals and he has always scored goals in the Premier League. I am sure Ivan Toney would score goals and we need someone who knows the Premier League."
It's not the first occasion Toney has been linked with a switch to United. Back in April 2024, several months prior to the forward's transfer to Al-Ahli, Peterborough United chairman Darragh MacAnthony championed a player he previously worked alongside at London Road.
"Put him in an Arsenal team, put him in a Liverpool or a Man United team, he scores 30 Premier League goals in a season," MacAnthony told Sky Sports. "I think anyone who disagrees with that hasn't been watching the last two-and-a-half years.
"I think there's five clubs in the world who could probably end up buying him and he will improve any of those clubs by a mile. He turns Manchester United into challengers for the Premier League."