New year, new Toney? Now settled in RSL, Al Ahli striker gunning for major 2025 | OneFootball

It was a transfer drama that went down to the final moments of the summer window, but eventually Al Ahli got their man.

Despite numerous links to leading English Premier League clubs, Ivan Toney signed on the dotted line.

In doing so, he became the latest high-profile star to head to the green half of Jeddah, joining the likes of Riyad Mahrez, Roberto Firmino and Edouard Mendy. They formed part of the original batch who landed in the Kingdom the previous summer.

Still, Toney’s addition was significant. The England international had emerged as one of his country’s leading forwards during a four-year stint at West London side Brentford, scoring 72 goals in 141 games across all competitions. In the 2020-21 season, his 33 goals sealed the English Championship golden boot.

Then, fresh off featuring for England at the 2024 UEFA European Championship - he scored in the penalty-shootout win against Switzerland in the quarter finals - Toney put pen to paper on a deal with Al Ahli through until 2028.

“I believe and know it’s the right move for myself at this stage of my career,” he said in an interview with the UK media in October. “It’s a different environment; people look at this league differently, but I stepped into it knowing it’s still a high standard.

“I wanted something different. I spoke to my family and was very excited for the journey.”

In signing, Toney provided Al Ahli with the focal point in attack that they lacked last season. While they performed fantastically to finish third in the table upon their return to the top flight, the 2015-16 Roshn Saudi League champions were still 17 points behind second-placed Al Nassr, and 31 short of title-winners Al Hilal.

Further, while those two sides had a dominant figure leading their frontline - Aleksandar Mitrovic in the case of Al Hilal, and Cristiano Ronaldo at Al Nassr - the same wasn’t the case for Al Ahli. Both Al Hilal and Al Nassr scored more than 100 goals; Al Ahli managed 67.

Of course, there’s nothing essentially wrong with that figure. However, to compete this season against the rest of their rivals at the upper echelons of the RSL, which this year includes cross-town foes Al Ittihad with a rejuvenated Karim Benzema and revamped squad, Al Ahli needed someone capable of contributing 20-plus goals a campaign.

Toney was to be that player. Having netted 20 times in the 2022-23 English Premier League, he had the pedigree to do so, so there was naturally much fanfare when he made to the move to join the RSL revolution.

But, after 10 league appearances in the famous green and white of Al Ahli, Toney has to this point failed to meet the hefty expectations placed upon him.

While the likes of Mitrovic (12), Ronaldo and Benzema (both 11) are already in double figures this term, Toney has managed to find the back of the net on just four occasions. Until last Friday, he hadn't registered in the RSL since October.

For sure, there is always a period of adjustment and acclimatisation required - Benzema suffered similar struggles in his debut season last term - although it’s not hyperbole to say more was anticipated, both internally and externally, of Toney.

“Hopefully I can score more,” the frontman, 28, admitted back in October. “But I’m competing with myself; I don’t watch what other people are doing. [Ronaldo] is a top player, [but] I’ll concentrate on myself.”

Toney’s own troubles weren’t helped by the fact Al Ahli also took a long while to get going this campaign, with two wins in their opening six RSL matches. To add to the malaise, there was also an early exit from the King’s Cup at the hands of second-tier side Al Jandal.

Yet, how Al Ahli have rallied. With five wins in their seven league outings, they went into the mid-season break fifth, a position they consolidated upon the competition’s resumption last week by successfully negotiating a tricky clash with sixth-placed Al Shabab.

Crucially, Toney opened the scoring in the 3-2 victory – Al Ahli were 3-0 up after 57 minutes – and in record time, too: heading home Mahrez’s cross on 42 seconds, it marked the fastest goal in the lengthy history of matches between Al Ahli and Al Shabab.

New Year, new Toney?

It must be noted, though, that while the forward’s RSL record has not quite matched his billing, there were already signs in the AFC Champions League Elite that he was turning things around and was ready to come into his own.

In contrast to their slow start in the RSL, when it comes to the continent, Al Ahli have been firing on all cylinders. After six matches, they have five wins and one draw to sit joint top of the Western standings. In fact, they secured their place in the knockouts with three games to spare. RSL counterparts Al Hilal and Al Nassr soon followed suit.

It was in Asia’s preeminent club competition that Toney began to show what he was capable of, with four goals in his past two appearances: two against continental champions Al Ain and two again against Esteghlal.

With Al Ahli having obviously recovered from their early-season stutter, the final two-thirds of the campaign is about closing the gap on the top three - they are five points behind third-placed Al Nassr – and, to do so, they need their marquee marksman to register on a regular basis.

“Ivan has already said how it’s always difficult to adapt to a new culture, country, league and playing style,” Al Ahli manager Matthias Jaissle said last month. “It takes a bit of time. He's working hard, and we all hope he'll find consistency and his best performances in order to deliver the expectations we have for him.”

Perhaps, given that his 2025 has gotten off on a perfect note, Toney is primed to deliver on the excitement sparked by his summer signature.