Meet Ivan Toney’s new team-mates after Saudi Arabia transfer including three Champions League winners and Barcelona flop

3 months ago 45

IVAN TONEY will be joined by a star-studded cast when he makes his debut in Saudi Arabia.

Toney, 28, completed a £40million transfer to Saudi Pro League side Al-Ahli from Brentford on deadline day.

a man holding a soccer ball in front of a building that says al ahli fc

Ivan Toney completed a £40m transfer to Al-Ahli on deadline day[/caption]

a soccer player wearing a green adidas jersey

He will be joining stars with top pedigree such as Riyad Mahrez[/caption]

a soccer player with the number 16 on his shirt

Champions League winner Edouard Mendy is also at the club[/caption]

Former Liverpool forward Roberto Firmino joined the club last summer[/caption]

The six-cap England international has already been greeted by fans of the Jeddah-based outfit, though he cast an awkward look as they sang a new chant for him.

However, while Toney brings star power in his own right, he will be joining a host of stars who can boast major European silverware.

So much so, that even though Toney is earning a whopping £403,000-a-week at base, he is not even scratching the wages of the top earner at the club.

That title belongs to a certain Riyad Mahrez, who reportedly nets a stunning £850,000-a-week.

Mahrez, 33, won five Premier League titles – one with Leicester and four with Manchester City – as well as two FA Cups, three League Cups and the Champions League.

The international stage has also seen Mahrez crowned the African Footballer of the Year for 2016, win the African Cup of Nations with Algeria in 2019 and twice win his nations Player of the Year award.

Mahrez headed to the club last summer, and was soon joined by a host of other big names.

Those included Chelsea Champions League winner Edouard Mendy and Prem and Champions League winner Roberto Firmino.

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Reports suggest Firmino himself is earning £326,000-a-week and Mendy is taking home £216,000 per week.

Al-Ahli’s incredible wage bill is also topped up by Barcelona flop Franck Kessie on £230,000 a week.

The 27-year-old played just 43 times for the Spanish giants after an underwhelming season following a transfer from AC Milan just a year earlier.

Elsewhere in the squad there is highly-rated 22-year-old Gabri Veiga.

The midfielder is a former transfer target of Arsenal, Chelsea and Man City.

He was labelled “embarrassing” by World Cup winner Toni Kroos after completing a transfer to the club for £34m from Celta Vigo last year.

a possible line up for al-ahli with toney at the top

Veiga is estimated to make just shy of £200,000-a-week.

Making up the defence, Al-Ahli have ex-Roma star Roger Ibanez and former Juventus star Merih Demiral.

Both centre-backs also played at Atalanta, though the latter of them was hit by a Uefa ban after his controversial “Grey Wolf” goal celebration while playing for Turkey at Euro 2024.

The full-back slots have been occupied by 24-year-old pairing Ali Majrashi and Bassam Al-Hurayji, who have played right and left-back respectively this season.

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As well as the arrival of Toney, Al-Ahli have also handed former RB Salzburg coach Matthias Jaissle a new defensive midfielder in the form of 20-year-old Alexsander, who joined from Fluminense.

These stars play at the multi-use King Abdullah Sports City which can hold more than 62,000 spectators.

Just over 20,000 turned out for their opening home match against Al-Orobah.

That game ended in a 2-0 win, while their first away game ended in a 1-0 defeat at Al-Fateh.

However, Toney could make his debut for the Royals against Cristiano Ronaldo‘s Al-Nassr on September 13.

Al-Ahli finished third in the Saudi Pro League last season, but will be hoping the addition of Toney can fire them to the title for the first time since 2016.