“FOOT HALF THE BILL OR LOSE HIM FOREVER! Pundit DEMANDS West Ham Cough Up INSANE £7MILLION Golden Hello to Snatch Red-Hot Striker Target in January – Or Watch Rivals Steal Him for Peanuts!”

West Ham United are targeting Al-Ahli striker Ivan Toney ahead of the January transfer window, particularly with Niclas Fullkrug looking increasingly likely to depart the London Stadium.

However, any move for Toney is complicated by his recent switch to Saudi Arabia.

Having only left the Premier League for the Middle East in the summer window before last season, the England striker would need to remain abroad for close to two years to prevent a significant portion of his tax-free salary from becoming subject to UK taxation upon his return.

Callum Wilson’s brace in the 2–2 draw with Bournemouth on Saturday ensured West Ham avoided dropping into the relegation zone, staying above the bottom three only on goal difference.

Despite that contribution, the club’s long-running difficulties in securing a reliable striker continue to be a major concern.

Darren Bent urges West Ham to cover part of Toney’s tax hit

Speaking on talkSPORT, former Premier League striker Darren Bent made clear he would not personally be prepared to sacrifice the estimated £14 million tax cost required to return to England if he were in Toney’s position.

He argued that such a financial sacrifice would only make sense if the forward were moving to a top club capable of competing for major trophies, or if Thomas Tuchel provided him firm guarantees of a World Cup place.

Bent then floated an alternative: that a desperate, goal-starved club might step in to reduce the burden.

“If a club is absolutely desperate for him—why couldn’t they pay half the bill?” he asked, pointing directly to West Ham as a team battling near the bottom who might consider such a drastic measure.

Wilson offers hope, but durability remains a concern

Despite the speculation, it appears unlikely that Toney will return to English football before next summer, making a January deal improbable—especially for a struggling West Ham side, even if co-owner David Sullivan were prepared to contribute millions to soften the financial blow for the striker.

In the meantime, Wilson has shown signs he could fill the scoring void that has plagued West Ham for several seasons.

His two goals against Bournemouth took his tally to four in nine Premier League matches since arriving in the summer, offering encouraging signs that he can make a meaningful impact.

Yet his well-documented injury issues over recent years mean the Hammers cannot fully rely on him to lead the line consistently through a gruelling campaign.

If, as expected, a Toney move cannot be achieved in January, West Ham must find alternative solutions quickly to prevent their relegation worries from worsening.

Keeping Jarrod Bowen at the club will also be crucial if they are to pull themselves away from danger and repair the damage caused in the first half of the season.