Ivan Toney admits his transfer to Saudi Arabia has harm his England prospects however insists he has no regrets about swapping the Premier League for Al-Ahli.
The striker has scored 35 targets since leaving Brentford final summer season, serving to his facet win the Asian Champions League and the Saudi Tremendous Cup. But he was ignored for England’s current World Cup qualifiers, regardless of being recalled earlier this 12 months.
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“I’ve to focus on myself, give myself the most effective probability potential, and who is aware of?” . “If I’m chosen, I’ll do my greatest for my nation, but when not I might be cheering the boys on.”
The 29-year-old has gained just one cap since his transfer, after incomes 5 in his breakthrough spell with England between March and June 2024.
He has not held talks with Gareth Southgate’s successor, Thomas Tuchel, however insists that his kind ought to matter greater than the place he performs.
“I don’t anticipate to have a dialog with him,” Toney mentioned. “If you’re adequate, you might be adequate; it doesn’t matter the place you might be taking part in on this planet. So long as you might be doing the fitting issues and scoring targets, you give your self an opportunity.”
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Toney completed final season with 23 league targets, behind solely Cristiano Ronaldo, and says the standard in Saudi Arabia is increased than many individuals suppose.
“For me, [the Pro League] is on a par with the Premier League,” he mentioned. “If Al-Ahli had been within the Premier League, we might give it an excellent go and be near the highest 4. It’s a high quality league and folks mustn’t flip their noses up.”
He pointed to Al-Hilal’s win over Manchester Metropolis on the Membership World Cup as proof. “I used to be going to tweet, however I’d have gotten killed again residence so I saved my mouth shut,” he joked. “However folks noticed the standard of Hilal.”
Even so, his choice has raised questions on whether or not transferring away from Europe was the fitting step for his worldwide profession.
Toney accepts that danger however stays defiant. “People who know me, know that I do what I need to do,” he mentioned. “If folks need to speak, they will speak. It doesn’t trouble me. I do what makes me comfortable.”