Pallister urges Man United to pursue Ivan Toney as Carrick's attack misfires

Manchester United’s new-look attack has struggled to fire in the early weeks of the Premier League season, and club legend Gary Pallister is pointing to a familiar name as the solution: Ivan Toney, currently starring for Al Ahli in the Saudi Pro League.

United’s front three of Bryan Mbeumo, Benjamin Sesko and Matheus Cunha have combined for just four goals in five league outings. Sesko, signed as the centrepiece of the attack, has managed only 76 minutes of action after carrying an injury from last season, leaving Carrick’s side short of firepower at a time when Champions League commitments add further pressure on the squad.

Pallister, a multiple Premier League title winner with United, believes the club need a proven scorer alongside the younger Sesko rather than relying on him to carry the burden alone. “I think we need a more experienced player. Sesko is still young enough to be a big part of this squad, but he is not the finished article yet,” Pallister said. “We need someone who has the experience and knows the Premier League, but there aren’t a lot of those experienced English strikers at the moment.”

Toney, 30, was linked with a move to Old Trafford while still at Brentford before opting for Saudi Arabia in 2024. His form in the Gulf has been exceptional — 32 league goals last season, a tally that surpassed both Cristiano Ronaldo and Karim Benzema, and already 10 goals in seven appearances this term. That output earned him an England recall ahead of the 2026 World Cup.

His Premier League record also stands up to scrutiny. Toney scored 36 goals in 83 top-flight appearances for Brentford and was the third-highest scorer in the division in 2022/23, behind only Erling Haaland and Harry Kane.

Pallister acknowledged the financial obstacles. “I don’t think we can pay enough money for Ivan Toney to come to Man Utd, considering the deal he has at the moment. But he scores goals and he has always scored goals in the Premier League. I am sure Ivan Toney would score goals and we need someone who knows the Premier League.”

The endorsement echoes comments made as far back as April 2024, when Peterborough United chairman Darragh MacAnthony — who worked with Toney earlier in his career — argued the striker would transform United’s fortunes. “He turns Manchester United into challengers for the Premier League,” MacAnthony said at the time, adding that Toney was capable of hitting 30 Premier League goals a season at a top club.

Whether United can construct a financially viable deal to bring Toney back to England remains the central question, with his lucrative Saudi contract representing a significant barrier.