Chelsea hijack still possible as Ivan Toney D-day approaches and astonishing Al-Ahli salary demands emerge

Ivan Toney will this week decide whether to accept a mammoth salary offer to move to the Saudi Pro-League with Al-Ahli with TEAMtalk revealing the transfer now rests entirely on the player and amid suggestions Chelsea could launch a late hijack.

In the coming days, an important meeting is set to take place between Saudi club Al Ahli and Brentford to discuss the potential transfer deal for Toney.

Al Ahli recently submitted a £35m offer for the striker, but Brentford turned it down, as they are seeking a fee closer to £50m.

This upcoming meeting will be crucial in determining whether an agreement can be reached, with Al Ahli also considering alternative striker options if the negotiations don’t progress as hoped.

In addition to the discussion between clubs, Al Ahli also are in talks with the player over personal terms.

The striker has not rejected the idea of playing in Saudi Arabia, asking for a significant contract in terms of salary to think about it seriously. For this reason, Al Ahli already prepared an offer for Toney (a three-year contract until 2027) with a salary close to his requests, set at around €18/20m per season. That would earn the 28-year-old a salary of around £325,000 a week.

No final response from Toney has arrived so far and the final decision will ultimately rest with the player himself.

Beyond the discussions with the clubs, which, as mentioned, will continue soon with the next meeting, the success of this deal will depend largely on the player’s willingness to accept the personal terms.

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Chelsea in the frame to hijack Ivan Toney move

TEAMtalk understands that Chelsea are among several Premier League teams who have contacted Brentford about the possibility of signing Toney.

At this stage Al-Ahli remain favourite to secure his signature but Chelsea’s interest could firm up if they do not make progress in their talks with Napoli over the transfer of Victor Osimhen.

Chelsea are not in a position to pay the full asking price for the Nigerian star and have discussed the possibility of a swap plus cash deal involving 21-year-old Italian midfielder Cesare Casadei.

However it looks increasingly unlikely that a deal will be completed before the summer transfer window slams shut and Chelsea have Toney on their list of possible alternatives.

The Blues currently lack a proven goalscorer in their very young front line and both Toney and Osimhen would improve their starting XI right away.

Chelsea will not be able to match the wages offered by Al-Ahli but would be a better fit for the striker if he wants to continue playing internationally for England given concerns over the quality of the Saudi Pro League.

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