Shocking Reason why Eric Ten Hag stopped transfer move for Brentford’s striker has been revealed,and it will shock you!!.
Manchester United reportedly considered bringing in Ivan Toney during the summer transfer window but ultimately chose not to pursue the move due to Erik ten Hag’s concerns. Ten Hag was looking to strengthen his attacking lineup after the previous season, which led to the signing of Joshua Zirkzee from Bologna in July. While there were discussions around Toney both before and after Zirkzee’s arrival, the club eventually halted those talks.
Toney also garnered interest from Chelsea and Arsenal before agreeing to join Al Ahli in the Saudi Pro League following Brentford’s acceptance of a £40 million offer. The 28-year-old forward played a key role for England during their Euro 2024 campaign and recently netted twice in Al Ahli’s 4-2 win over Damac.
If not for Ten Hag’s concerns about Toney’s pressing capabilities, he might have remained in the Premier League with Manchester United. Although Ten Hag recognized Toney’s goal-scoring ability, reports from ESPN indicated the United manager had reservations about the player’s energy when pressing. Brentford’s boss, Thomas Frank, initially hoped to keep Toney but accepted his departure as his contract was close to expiring. Following Toney’s move to Saudi Arabia, where he will earn around £400,000 per week, Frank praised him as a Brentford legend, while Toney expressed his gratitude, emphasizing the special relationship he had built with the club and its fans.
On the other hand, Manchester United has been struggling offensively, managing just five goals in their first five games of the season. Zirkzee has only scored once, on the opening day, and Rasmus Hojlund remains sidelined due to injury.
The decision to pass on Toney could be affecting United’s early-season attacking woes. Ten Hag’s emphasis on pressing led the club to prioritize Zirkzee, but Toney has already made a noticeable impact at Al Ahli. With United’s goal drought continuing and Hojlund still out, they may need to reconsider their approach going forward.
