By G. Mudalige, Jadetimes News
Following a £35 million bid for the 28-year-old striker by Al-Ahli Saudi Pro League last week, former Premier League forward Chris Sutton urged Brentford striker Ivan Toney to stay in the Premier League instead of opting for a move to Saudi Arabia at this peak age.
He sat out Brentford's 2-1 win at Crystal Palace because of "transfer interest." On Monday Night Club on 5 Live, Sutton said Toney's career should remain in England.
"At this stage of his career, Saudi Arabia is not the right move," Sutton said. "He has proved himself in the Premier League where he has shown very good link-up play and he's strong and good at set-pieces and adept technically. As far as the money is concerned, this is Ivan Toney at his peak. I would consider a move to Saudi Arabia only when I was 35 and past my prime."
Toney, who was included in the England squad that made the final of the European Championship earlier this summer, sat out most of last season due to an eight-month ban for breaching FA gambling rules. Sutton branded a move to Saudi Arabia as a "waste" on current form given the way Toney is playing.
Sutton told Toney to wait for one more season and see things through. "He's 28, off the back of that high of the Euros, and in fine form," he added. "I understand £50 million with a year left on his deal from Brentford's point of view. But from a football perspective, going to Saudi now is a mistake. He could be really interesting to a Manchester United who do not have a center-forward."
Fellow pundit on Monday Night Club and former England and Manchester City midfielder Izzy Christiansen believes that, from a football point of view, the reason Toney has not attracted more interest from Premier League clubs is unfathomable. "From a footballing perspective, Toney should be in high demand," Christiansen said. "He's fresh, in good form, and performed well at the Euros.".
Brentford boss Thomas Frank revealed to reporters that an exit for the club from Toney was likely, though he noted it's "not close" at this time.
