Former Manchester United defender Gary Pallister has urged the club to explore a move for Ivan Toney, telling Betarades.gr that United’s attack needs more Premier League know-how than it currently has. The Ivan Toney Manchester United transfer question has resurfaced after Pallister’s comments, with the striker currently at Saudi Pro League side Al Ahli. Pallister made his case while discussing the club’s current front line and Benjamin Sesko’s development under Michael Carrick.
Gary Pallister Urges Manchester United to Consider Ivan Toney Deal
Pallister, who won four league titles at Old Trafford, told Betarades.gr that United should look at bringing Toney back from Saudi Arabia. He pointed to a shortage of experienced strikers in English football and named Toney as a proven goalscorer who already knows the demands of the Premier League.
The former centre back was clear that his preference is not a reflection on the club’s younger forwards, but a recognition that United currently lack a player with Toney’s track record in front of goal.
Betarades Interview Details Premier League Experience Requirement
Speaking to Betarades.gr, Pallister explained why he feels United need a more seasoned option up top. “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,” he said.
He went further on the lack of ready-made alternatives. “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,” Pallister said.
Pallister also addressed the practical hurdles of any deal, acknowledging Toney’s Saudi contract while still backing his goalscoring pedigree. “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. 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,” he said.
Carrick’s Attacking Output and Sesko’s Return to Fitness Context
Pallister’s comments land at a difficult moment for Carrick’s front line. Mbeumo, Sesko and Cunha have scored four goals between them across the opening five games of the season, a return well short of what a title-chasing squad needs from its attack.
Sesko’s own campaign has been disrupted by injury. The Slovenian striker suffered a setback late last season and has managed only 76 minutes of action since returning to full training, which helps explain Pallister’s caution about relying on him as the club’s main outlet just yet. Our talking points on Sesko and Carrick covers how Carrick is managing that workload, and the squad picture around it is set out in our piece on the players remaining at Carrington during the international break.
Saudi Pro League Contract Situation and Upcoming Transfer Window Focus
Toney’s numbers in Saudi Arabia back up Pallister’s confidence. He scored 32 league goals for Al Ahli last season and already has 10 in seven outings this term, a rate few strikers anywhere in the world can match.
His Premier League record with Brentford is just as strong. Toney scored 36 goals in 83 top flight appearances for the Bees and was the division’s third highest scorer in 2022/23, form that first put United on alert.
Peterborough United chairman Darragh MacAnthony made a similar case on Sky Sports back in April 2024. “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,” he said, adding, “I think anyone who disagrees with that hasn’t been watching the last two-and-a-half years.”
MacAnthony went as far as suggesting Toney could transform United’s fortunes outright. “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,” he said, according to the Manchester Evening News report. Any move would still depend on United’s willingness to match Al Ahli’s terms, and there is no indication yet that formal talks have taken place.
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