September 5th 2024.
Ivan Toney, the talented striker for Brentford, recently made a move to the Saudi Pro League. This transfer has raised some concerns about his chances of playing for England, as former player Paul Merson has warned him that his international career may be over.
Toney's departure from Brentford was widely expected and he was even linked to top Premier League clubs such as Arsenal, Chelsea, and Manchester United. However, none of them made a move for him, and he ended up signing with Al-Ahli on deadline day. He will now be earning a staggering £400,000-a-week after tax.
Despite not being a regular in the England squad, Toney's impressive performance for Brentford had earned him a spot in Gareth Southgate's Euro 2024 squad. He even played a crucial role in the team's victory against Slovakia in the last-16, setting up the winning goal. However, he has not been selected for Lee Carsley's first Three Lions side, which was chosen before his transfer to Al-Ahli. This is despite injuries to other center-forwards like Ollie Watkins and Dominic Solanke.
It has been speculated that the new England boss is not considering players from the Saudi Pro League, similar to how Ronald Koeman axed Steven Bergwijn from the Dutch team after his transfer to Al-Ittihad. Merson agrees with this decision, stating that he also does not understand why players would make this move at such a young age. He believes that the Saudi league will still be there in the future and players should prioritize playing for their country.
Carsley, who has been appointed as the interim manager for England, will begin his senior career with Nations League matches against Ireland and Finland this week. He has already made a statement by not selecting players from the Saudi Pro League, and has even included four uncapped players in his squad. Merson supports this decision, praising the quick stance taken by England after Southgate did not make a decision on the matter.
In Merson's opinion, players who are going to the Saudi Pro League are not at the same level as those in the Premier League and therefore should not be called up for international duty. He believes that these players are usually at the end of their careers and are only making the move for the money. He commends England for taking a quick stance and urges players to prioritize playing for their country rather than chasing a big paycheck.
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