Saudi Pro League 'on par' with Premier League, claims Ivan Toney

Ivan Toney believes the Saudi Pro League is "on par" with the Premier League and believes Al-Ahli would be among the teams challenging for a top-four spot.

Toney left Brentford for Saudi Arabia last year, joining Al-Ahli in August 2024, signing a three-year contract with the club.

In his first season, he scored 30 goals, with 23 of those coming in the Saudi Pro League. He also helped Al-Ahli to the AFC Champions League title.

Toney also scored one of Al-Ahli's penalties in their 5-3 shootout win over Al-Nassr in the Saudi Super Cup after a 2-2 draw in normal time.

Cristiano Ronaldo, who has played for Al-Nassr since January 2023, recently claimed the Saudi Pro League was a better competition than Ligue 1, and Toney echoed the five-time Ballon d'Or winner's sentiments.

"Ronaldo has been around the world and probably knows a lot more than me, as I have only played in the Premier League, the Championship and Leagues One and Two," Toney told The Guardian.

"For me, [the Pro League] is on a par with the Premier League. If [Al-Ahli] were in the Premier League, we'd give it a good go, and we'd be close to the top four.

"It is a quality league, and people should not turn their noses up. We saw Al-Hilal play against Manchester City and beat them [at the Club World Cup].

"I was going to tweet [about the result], but I would have got killed back home, so I kept my mouth shut. But people saw the quality of Al-Hilal.

"The standard in Saudi Arabia is high. They can play football here. The players are not as known as in the Premier League, but there are many who can play there."

Toney finished second in the race for the Golden Boot in the Pro League last term, netting two goals fewer than Ronaldo, who won the award for the second year running.

His form resulted in an England call-up under Thomas Tuchel for the June internationals, though he was left out of the most recent squad for the September internationals.

Toney has high hopes for the new season, though, and is focused on fighting for a place in England's World Cup squad next year.

"Once I got going, the goals came," he said. "I felt like I could have scored a lot more, but even so, I finished as the second-top scorer in the league in my first season, somewhere that is completely new to me.

"I feel like it is an achievement. This season, I am hoping to take first spot, and hopefully that will help the team and win games and get where we need to be.

"I have to concentrate on myself, give myself the best chance possible, and who knows? If I am selected, I will do my best for my country, but if not, I'll be cheering the boys on.

"I don't expect to have a conversation with him [Thomas Tuchel]. I am sure he has other things to be concentrating on.

"My job is to do well. It is what it is. If you are good enough, you are good enough; it doesn't matter where you are playing in the world. As long as you are doing the right things and scoring goals, then you give yourself a chance."