England star told he won’t play for his country again after huge summer transfer
Former Arsenal and England midfielder Paul Merson insists Ivan Toney is unlikely to play for the Three Lions again after swapping Brentford for Saudi Arabia.
The 28-year-old was brilliant for Peterborough in League One, scoring 49 goals in 94 matches, before earning a move to Brentford in the Championship in 2020.
Toney finished the season on 31 Championship goals for the Bees as they were promoted to the Premier League, where he continued his goalscoring form.
In his first two seasons in the Premier League, Toney scored 32 goals in 66 games and earned interest from a number of top sides around the English top flight.
Man Utd, Arsenal, Chelsea and others were keen to sign him but a move never seemed close and his eight-month ban for breaching FA betting rules saw transfer interest wane,
Toney was always keen to leave Brentford this summer on a free transfer and eventually completed a move to Saudi Pro League side Al Ahli at the end of the transfer window.
Netherlands boss Ronald Koeman recently axed Steven Bergwijn from the Dutch squad after the winger’s move to the Saudi Pro League.
Speaking of his decision to leave Bergwijn out of his squad, Koeman told a press conference: “The book is basically closed to him. He knows what I think about this.
“When you are 26, your main ambition should be sporting, not financial. These are choices that players make.
“I have never been in that situation, because I could go to Barcelona. He could have stayed at Ajax. That’s not bad, is it?
“You have to respect that choice, but personally I wouldn’t [have moved to Saudi Arabia].”
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And now Merson reckons Toney could face the same fate with England after completing his move from Brentford to Al Ahli.
Merson told Sky Sports: “I think Koeman’s spot on. I don’t get the Bergwijn one. He’s got many years left to come.
“If the Saudi Arabia league is going to be that good and they want it to be that great, it’s still going to be there in five, six, seven years. I didn’t get that one. I didn’t get that at 26.
“I can understand the older players, I really can. I can understand the Ivan Toney one, there was nothing here for him so he had to take that deal. But he’ll find it hard to get in [the England squad].
“Especially with all the injuries that have happened, we haven’t really got an out and out forward bar Harry Kane. If he’s not in this squad, I don’t see him getting in any of the others.”
Merson added: “If you’re going to Saudi Arabia, it’s not the standard of the Premier League. I don’t think you should [get called up].
“You’re only going there because you’re sort of at the end of your career if I’m being honest. If you make a quick stance like England did and then you just get on with it.
“The players know and they make their minds up and they go, ‘Do I take the money or do I go and play for my country?’. Everyone can earn money but not everyone can play for their country.”
