Newcastle United sold striker Alexander Isak to Liverpool just over a year ago, and the void left in their attack remains gaping.
Replacement signings simply haven’t delivered. Forward Nick Woltemade is currently out on loan at Juventus, Yoane Wissa has failed to lock down the role, and approximately £51m summer signing winger Matias Fernández-Pardo has yet to find the net in five appearances across all competitions.
Newcastle need firepower, enter Ivan Toney
Newcastle manager Matthias Jaissle is reportedly pushing for the club to seal a transfer for the Al-Ahli striker this January. The German coach previously worked with Ivan Toney at Al-Ahli before taking the helm at St James’ Park this summer.
Saudi Arabian journalist Khalid Al-Shenaif said:
“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 history with Newcastle is a story of unfinished business.
Back in 2018, during the Mike Ashley era, a young Toney left Newcastle to join Peterborough United for £390,000 following loan spells at Barnsley, Wigan, Shrewsbury, and Scunthorpe United. He made only a handful of senior appearances during his first spell on Tyneside before forging his reputation elsewhere.
The 30-year-old went on to become a star player for Brentford before the big money of the Saudi Pro League came calling. Since his £40m move from Brentford in 2024 to join Al-Ahli in Jeddah, Toney has established himself as a prolific goalscorer, grabbing an eye-watering 83 goals in Saudi Arabia.
So far this season, the forward has been in blistering form, scoring 12 goals in just eight Saudi Pro League matches.
Opening up on being let go by Newcastle as a youngster, Toney told 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, 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.”
When asked earlier this year about a potential return to the Premier League, Toney left the door open:
“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,” said Toney.
The reality on the ground presents massive financial obstacles. Toney would have to take a dramatic wage drop given he picks up £500,000 per week at Al-Ahli. Newcastle’s top earners currently average around £150,000 per week, and bringing Toney in on his current deal would completely break the club’s wage ceiling.
Under contract until 2028, even a January loan deal would prove costly.
Despite both Al-Ahli and Newcastle being owned by PIF, the framework between Newcastle and PIF partner clubs is not believed to be smooth, underlined by Newcastle having to pay almost £10m to release Jaissle from his contract at Al-Ahli earlier this summer.
The possibility of Toney moving to Newcastle continues to circulate without an official agreement confirming a deal between the two clubs so far.
As of Wednesday, this remains a developing transfer rumour on Tyneside rather than a confirmed pursuit.
