Brakes slammed on Ivan Toney to Tottenham despite Thomas Frank’s plans
Thomas Frank is facing major disappointment with a move to reunite with Ivan Toney at Tottenham looking unlikely.
The Spurs boss enjoyed great success with the striker when the pair were both at Brentford and is being increasingly linked with a move to bring Toney back to the Premier League with Tottenham in January.
But Al Alhi aren’t expected to make it easy for Tottenham to sign Toney just a season and a half after he moved to the Saudi Pro League, having scored 41 goals in that time.
Richarlison has been criticised for his Spurs form and Dominic Solanke has had his season ruined by injury so a striker addition mid-campaign could be on the cards.
But Toney is likely to have to force a move to Tottenham and it doesn’t sound like he is likely to do so.
Ivan Toney’s Premier League return unlikely
Top flight clubs are thought to be “queuing up” to bring the 29-year-old back to England but talkSPORT’s Alex Crook has poured cold water on the likelihood of it actually happening.
He believes Spurs are definitely in the frame, saying: “Thomas Frank I know would love to take Ivan Toney to Tottenham.”
However, there are two major stumbling blocks believed to be in the way from Crook’s point of view, with the potential benefit to Toney of getting himself back into the England squad for the World Cup unlikely to be realised.
And financially it would be very costly for the ex-Bees star to leave Saudi Arabia so soon, so it appears to be a non-starter.
Crook said: “It’s difficult for two reasons. One, I think Ivan Toney’s aware actually, even if he’s playing in the Premier League the prospect of him being part of that England squad at the World Cup is slim. I think Thomas Tuchel, in many ways, has already made his mind up when it comes to Ivan Toney.
“And two, same as when Steven Gerrard was speaking to Rangers, if Ivan Toney was to leave early he would have to write off a lot of money in terms of tax over there in Saudi Arabia. He only moved in the summer of 2024.
“Financially, is he really going to walk away from a £400,000-a-week contract? I’m not convinced boys, to be honest.”
Tottenham could break the bank for Toney
It would obviously be disappointing for Toney if the ship has already sailed on his England prospects under Tuchel, but that hardly makes a Premier League move a complete waste of time.
As so often the financials are bound to be more of a pressing concern, so if Tottenham made the forward an offer he couldn’t refuse there’s reason to believe he might be willing to take a certain hit to work with Frank again.
Clearly, if he’s on £400k-a-week in the Middle East it begs the question as to what sort of offer would constitute something Toney couldn’t refuse and whether it would then be worth it to Spurs.
But even a massive pay cut would still leave him on major money so if the Premier League, Tottenham or Frank hold a particular sway for him in themselves it maybe can’t be entirely ruled out.
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