Will Ivan Toney join Manchester United?

Now you’re probably thinking this is a bit random with Manchester United having signed Rasmus Hojlund and Joshua Zirkzee in the past two seasons, but with the arrival of Ruben Amorim, this might just make sense.

So don’t click off just yet.

Ivan Toney could be a part of United’s future after all.

Who is Ivan Toney?

Toney is a 28-year-old English striker who spent four years at Brentford before moving to Al-Ahli in the summer for £40m.

He was top scorer of League One in the 2019/20 season, then he recreated the same feat but in the 2020/21 Championship season.

In the Premier League, he scored 12 goals and assisted five in his first season, and then racked up 20 goals and four assists in the following league campaign.

So it’s no doubt that Toney is a born goal scorer. He’s got that poacher’s instinct every great striker needs.

Why would Man United go for Toney?

As the former Brentford striker only left England in the summer, it might seem odd for him to comeback so quick. But as seen with players like Jordan Henderson and Allan Saint-Maximin, it’s not unusual for them to move away from the Saudi league not long after they got there.

Meanwhile, United are desperate for a true goal scorer. Both Hojlund and Zirkzee are not proven in this regard. In his last season before joining the club, Hojlund scored just nine Serie A goals for Atalanta in 32 appearances. Similarly, Zirkzee scored 11 goals from 34 league appearances in his final year at Bologna.

Since joining United, Hojlund has scored 13 Premier League goals in 40 appearances and Zirzkee has scored three from 15.

Neither of them are 20 league goals a season strikers yet. Granted Hojlund is just 21 and Zirkzee 23 but United need this now.

If his style at Sporting is anything to go by, then Amorim will want a proper goalscoring centre forward in a similar mould to Viktor Gyökeres.

Hojlund has similar characteristics to the Swedish striker, with his ability to run the channels and at defenders but Zirkzee isn’t like this. He prefers to drop deep and collect the ball.

Amorim may look to use Zirkzee in one of his two 10’s roles or not at all.

This would free up some space for Toney.

He could come in and be the striker Amorim needs instantly, while Hojlund and Zirzkee develop.

Why would Man United sign Toney ahead of Gyökeres?

gyökeres
James Boyes from UK, CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons

With the Sporting Lisbon striker lighting it up in Portugal and in the Champions League, you may wonder why United would look at Toney ahead of him.

This is a fair question, but here’s why.

Toney would cost a fraction of the price. He went for £40m in the summer and is 28, so doesn’t have nearly the same market value as the upcoming Swedish international.

With United struggling with Financial Fair Play (FFP), they might look to prioritise spending in other areas and feel that they can’t spend £60m+ on a striker when they’ve got two already. This would move their attention towards Toney rather than Gyökeres.

Toney is also a proven Premier League level player. Adapting to the top tier of English football can be incredibly difficult and while Gyökeres did play in the Championship for Coventry, he’s never faced the elite level in England yet. No matter the form this can prove an incredibly tricky task for anyone.

Whereas opting for Toney is a safe bet because he’s proven at this level and can easily adapt.

Then competition is one of the biggest reasons. Gyökeres recent form will have caught the attention of all the biggest clubs across Europe, not just United. The club can’t rely on its history to lure these talents anymore, as seen with the failure to bring in Jude Bellingham from Birmingham despite offering him the luxury of meeting Sir Alex Ferguson and a tour round Old Trafford. United would face steep competition and with the rockiness of the last decade, they can’t promise Champions League nor a stable platform to build on.

Despite this, the appeal of having Amorim, his former manager at Sporting, could help in negotiations, but whether United even have the funds for this move is a different matter altogether.

Then with Toney, United would face far less competition making him a pretty easy acquisition. INEOS don’t want to be seen to take too long on deals and the race for the Swedish striker could be just that. This might be a red flag which puts the new leadership off of signing the Sporting striker.

Toney’s Betting Scandal

One thing which could massively put United off Toney though is his betting scandal.

He was banned for eight months after being diagnosed with a betting addiction having put money on various games featuring his own team or other teams in his division.

Such a layoff can have devastating implications for a players ability, which would definitely be a concern for the club.

Since joining Al Ahli, he’s scored three league goals and assisted three in 10 games. These aren’t phenomenal statistics.

Whether United feel he can still replicate the 20 league goals he scored before his ban, will be the crucial deciding factor.

Ultimately, despite moving in the summer, Toney could be the surprise arrival at Old Trafford in the next year.