Sport
Toney could still be a useful option for England
Six international breaks. That’s all Thomas Tuchel has to work with before England kick off their 2026 World Cup campaign, assuming they make light work of qualifying for the tournament. The German coach was brought in to forge a team capable of becoming world champions and he is very much already on the clock.
This perhaps explains why Tuchel has been so risk-averse with his first two squad selections as England boss. While interim manager Lee Carsley did a lot to bring through youngsters like Angel Gomes and Taylor Harwood-Bellis, Tuchel has been more inclined to opt for experience. Jordan Henderson, for example, is back in the fold.
So too is Ivan Toney who has been recalled to the England squad for the first time since Euro 2024. The 29-year-old has been out of sight for most Premier League fans since making the move to Al-Ahli in the Saudi Pro League last year, but Tuchel has seen enough to give the former Brentford striker an opportunity to prove his worth.
Of course, England have Harry Kane to lead the line. The 31-year-old might now be entering the twilight of his career, he might not be as mobile as he used to be, but Kane remains one of the most prolific goalscorers of his generation having led Bayern Munich to the Bundesliga title this season.
Beyond Kane, though, Tuchel must explore different options over the next year. Ollie Watkins has also been called up to the England squad for the World Cup qualifier against Andorra and the friendly encounter with Senegal, but the Aston Villa striker hasn’t always been first-choice at club level this season and isn’t the goalscoring force he was 12 months ago.
Toney is a different sort of centre forward. He is dangerous in the air and gives England more physicality in the attacking third. The former Brentford man isn’t always the most refined in his approach, but he proved his value as an alternative option at Euro 2024, coming off the bench to provide a crucial assist in the last 16 win over Slovakia.
“Ivan deserves to be with us,” said Tuchel when asked about his inclusion of Toney for the upcoming games against Andorra and Senegal. “He scored over 20 goals for Al-Ahli this season. He won the AFC Champions League and had a big involvement in the team. It’s a good occasion to test new players, to meet him in person and see him in the environment. We decided to bring three number nines to this camp.”
Tuchel’s decision to call up Toney is in stark contrast to Gareth Southgate’s stance on England players operating in the Saudi Pro League with Henderson exiled from the national team after making the move to Al-Ettifaq. The new England manager seems less concerned with picking players from the league in the Middle East.
Many believed Toney should have stayed in the Premier League. He was linked with the likes of Arsenal, Chelsea and Manchester United before eventually joining Al-Ahli. At the time, Toney was one of the best centre forwards in the Premier League. His decision to make the move to the Saudi Pro League seemed a waste.
However, England could give Toney a platform to show his quality at the top level of the international game. The World Cup is starting to appear on the horizon and a good performance against Andorra or Senegal, or both, over the next week could cement his place in Tuchel’s squad as one of the most effective deputy options behind Kane.
