Ivan Toney could already have a new manager just weeks after completing Al Ahli transfer
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Ivan Toney could have a new manager as Al Ahli are considering a change with Matthias Jaissle under serious pressure, talkSPORT understands.
Toney signed for the Saudi Pro League side in a £40million move from Brentford in August, but they’ve made a bad start to the season.
With five league games played, Al Ahli sit seventh in the table and are also out of the King’s Cup having lost 2-1 to second-tier club Al Jandal.
Sources say their next two games against Al Wasl in the AFC Champions League and Al Hilal in the Saudi Pro League are viewed as important.
Jaissle is expected to still be in demand if fired though after building up an excellent reputation during his two years at Austrian side RB Salzburg.
The German’s first senior management role came in FC Liefering in Austria for the second half of the 2020/21 season.
He then replaced Jesse Marsch at Salzburg and won two Austrian Bundesliga titles, as well as the Austrian Cup.
Jaissle left the club at the beginning of the 2023/24 season and made the move to Al Ahli as part of the Saudi Pro League’s influx of talent.
Although they finished third and qualified for the AFC Champions League, they ended up 31 points adrift of the unbeaten champions Al Hilal.
Al Ahli have won just two of their first five league games this season and suffered two defeats, with the club contemplating a change.
Despite the club’s tricky start to the campaign, Toney has still scored three goals and assisted another in five appearances.
The striker netted two goals in a 4-2 league win against Damac FC and added to his tally in their 2-1 defeat to Al Jandal.
Toney’s scoring form in Saudi Arabia has come after he enjoyed huge success in England.
His breakthrough came at Northampton Town before he signed for Newcastle although Toney only made four senior appearances for the club.
Following various loan spells away from St. James’ Park, Toney left for League One side Peterborough United on a permanent deal in 2018.
The 28-year-old scored 49 goals and assisted a further 15 across all competitions for Posh in 94 appearances.
Toney then sealed a move to the Championship with Brentford ahead of the 2020/21 campaign in which they sealed their promotion to the Premier League.
He netted 31 goals in the league before scoring in the play-off semi-finals and final to send the Bees into the top flight.
During his three-season stint in the Premier League, he totalled 36 goals and 11 assists to help Brentford fight off relegation.
The forward’s club efforts have been rewarded on the international stage as he has earned six England caps and was named in their Euro 2024 squad.
Toney left English football for Al Ahli in August, although Tottenham boss Ange Postecoglou admitted they were interested in signing him.
