Ivan Toney will earn an eye-watering salary if he signs for Al Ahli – but he won’t be anywhere near being the highest earner in the Saudi Pro League.
Since footballing superstar Cristiano Ronaldo’s high profile move to Al Nassr after his dramatic departure from Manchester United, other big name players have followed suit.
Toney would earn big bucks in the Middle East Credit: Getty
The Saudi top flight has smaller crowds and lacks the deep rooted history the Premier League and other top European leagues offer.
But players are still drawn by the unfathomable wages available, with many signing on life changing deals that will ensure incredible wealth for the star and their families for years to come.
Now, Brentford and England striker Toney is expected to join Karim Benzema and Neymar and other household names in heading to the Middle East.
The Bees have already had one bid from Al Ahli of around £35million including add-ons rejected, as talkSPORT revealed on Friday.
And Toney was left out of Thomas Frank’s squad for their opening day victory over Crystal Palace.
“A lot of things are going on with Ivan,” the Bees manager said. “Especially with transfers, there’s a lot of transfer interest.
“Because of all that, we’ve decided not to include him in the squad. I can’t give too much away.
Ronaldo signed the highest football salary ever when he joined Al Nassr Credit: AFP
talkSPORT understands Al-Ahli are weighing up whether to make an improved offer for him, with the Bees still demanding £50m.
So, if Toney does sign for the Saudi side, how much will he earn? And where does that salary rank amongst the other big names playing out there?
15 players in the Saudi league currently earn over £10million-a-year.
talkSPORT reported Toney wants £17m-a-year, so he would be included in that list.
That means he would earn £327,000-per-week.
Ronaldo, meanwhile, leads the way in the crazy Saudi wage rankings, with a crazy £3.23m-per-week dropping into his bank account.
That’s over £168million a year, nearly 10 times what Toney is after.
Barcelona legend Neymar is runner up to Ronaldo, making £1.62m a week.
Firmino will be Toney’s teammate Credit: Getty
Former Fulham star Aleksandar Mitrovic rakes in £404,000 every week, making him the eighth highest earner.
Ex-Chelsea and Leicester man N’Golo Kante is on the same wages.
Toney would just edge ex-Liverpool star Roberto Firmino’s Saudi salary of £307,000 every seven days, meaning he would be the 12th highest earner in the league.
Meanwhile, Firmino’s former Reds teammate and Ronaldo’s fellow Al Nassr star Sadio Mane takes home £646,400 a week.
Toney will be on a healthy salary – but he wouldn’t be the highest paid star
Breaking Toney’s potential salary down puts in to perspective just how much Saudi clubs are willing to spend to attract stars to their league.
On the money he desires, Toney would take home £17m a year, £327,000 a week, £46,714 a day, £1,946 an hour, £32.44 a minute and £0.54 per second.
The move may well cost him his place in the England squad, with ex-Liverpool captain Jordan Henderson experiencing that first hand after he was dropped for Euro 2024 after his move to Al Ettifaq.
That’s despite Toney still only being 28 years old.
But with time ticking on his current deal and Premier League clubs not currently willing to step in, Toney could well be going from League One star to seriously minted Saudi player in the space of four years.