Manchester United would prefer to sign 30-year-old English international Ivan Toney on loan in January instead of chasing a permanent deal.
According to a report by Pete O’Rourke on Football Insider, Ivan Toney is the subject of interest from Manchester United. The Red Devils are eager to bolster their offensive unit by signing a striker in a mid-season move, and they have their sights on the 30-year-old Al-Ahli centre-forward.
Per Pete O’Rourke, the reason behind Manchester United’s push for a January loan move is the “very lucrative” contract that Toney has with Al-Ahli. The report also adds that the Saudi Pro League giants are “under no financial pressure to sell their star man” and that it has compelled United to decide against “committing to take on the entirety of the frontman’s wages” in January.
How has Ivan Toney fared in the Saudi Pro League so far?
Ivan Toney has been one of the best players in the Saudi Pro League since joining Al-Ahli from Brentford in a surprise deal in August 2024. The 30-year-old was among the finest strikers in the Premier League for several years, thus leading to the shock around his decision. However, he hit the ground running at the club and has been one of the best players in the Saudi Pro League.
Toney was excellent in the 2025/26 season, amassing 42 goals and 11 assists in 41 outings across all competitions. He has continued in that same vein of form this term, having scored 14 goals and provided two assists in 15 appearances thus far, thus being at the top of the Golden Boot charts. Meanwhile, the English striker’s exploits have provoked interest from several well-known clubs.
Premier League return on the horizon?
Ivan Toney has been on Manchester United’s wishlist for several years. The continued interest is logical, as Benjamin Sesko is essentially the only specialist striker in Michael Carrick’s squad due to the head coach’s reluctance to hand starts to Joshua Zirkzee. With the Dutch attacker facing an uncertain future at Old Trafford heading into the winter transfer window, Manchester United must sign a prolific striker in January.
Zirkzee’s situation has come to a head this season, as even in Sesko’s absence, Carrick has preferred to hand starts to Matheus Cunha and Bryan Mbeumo in the central striker spot. Toney has thus emerged as a target for Manchester United, and he is a credible option due to his extensive Premier League experience, intelligent movement, and proven goalscoring output, compared to Zirkzee’s wastefulness.
While Toney’s wages may pose a problem for Manchester United, they remain undeterred in the battle for the 30-year-old Englishman’s signature, albeit for a loan deal. Additionally, recent reports have claimed that the former Brentford striker ready to return to the Premier League, meaning a move is contingent on Al-Ahli’s willingness to bear part of his wages and sanction a temporary exit.