West Ham in risk and reward headscratcher over Ivan Toney as they face losing £60m overnight
West Ham have been linked with a move for Ivan Toney in the winter, with the striker reportedly keen to return to the Premier League.
Michail Antonio once said Toney would be worth £100million, but the Hammers will hope to get him for a lower fee than that.
West Ham are lining up a loan deal for Toney, who is aware that playing for a Premier League club would massively improve his chances of going to the World Cup with England.
Ollie Watkins is currently Thomas Tuchel‘s first choice behind Harry Kane, but the position could be up for grabs given the Aston Villa striker’s disappointing performances this season.
Callum Wilson started as West Ham beat Newcastle United 3-1 on Sunday, and theforward performed well against his former side.
Tax implications would fall on Ivan Toney
Financial issues would likely be the biggest issue when it comes to a potential move for Toney.
The England international’s £40m move to Al Ahli likely came with huge wages, and the tax laws in Saudi Arabia make a return to the UK complicated.
| Ivan Toney | Saudi Pro League 2025-26 |
| Appearances | 7 |
| Goals | 5 |
| Expected goals (xG) | 4.40 |
| Shots | 20 |
| Penalty goals | 2 |
Finance expert Dan Plumley has explained that those issues would likely fall on the shoulders of Toney, however.
“Mostly on the player’s side, that would be,” Plumley exclusively told West Ham Zone. “I think for West Ham, with Ivan Toney for example, that’s going to come down to where they are in January as well.
“As we’ve said before, they don’t want to get dragged into a relegation battle and we know the financial cost of relegation. You’re going to be taking £60million off the revenue line overnight.
“You just don’t want to be in that spot, especially given where the club has been in the last few years. So if he, or another big-name striker, is the one you need to bring in to maybe get you the goals that keep you safe, then that’s the other side of whatever the fee is to get him out.
“In terms of the wage side of things and the tax implications, a lot of that is player side so for West Ham it’s about the potential reward, hopefully that you would get from signing a player like that ultimately, to get yourself out from the bottom of the table.“
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Toney’s last full Premier League season
The last full season of Premier League football that Toney played came in 2022/23. Across 33 league appearances, the striker scored 20 goals and provided four assists.
It was a monstrous season for the 29-year-old, who constantly used his height and strength to bully defenders in the box.
But such technical ability, too. The kind that West Ham could very much benefit from.
Given how well Toney has performed for Al Ahli this season, the club would surely take some convincing to let him go this winter. But for the Hammers, the prize is undoubtedly worth it.
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