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Opinion

Top scorer in English football this season – A mistake by Newcastle United to let him go?

4 years ago
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At the time it was the biggest ever spend in a transfer window by Newcastle United, over £50m spent in summer 2015.

After a serious lack of investment in the NUFC squad over a number of transfer windows, sizeable money finally spent from funds that had accumulated.

Gini Wijnaldum, Chancel Mbemba, Aleksandar Mitrovic and Florian Thauvin all arriving for reported transfer fees of between £10m and £14m.

However, there was a fifth signing that summer, 19 year old Ivan Toney signed for £500,000 from Northampton.

I always wondered why he didn’t get more of a chance at Newcastle United, as from the brief glimpses we saw of him in the first team, the young striker seemed to have something.

Especially with Newcastle struggling for goals in the year following his arrival, you would have thought Ivan Toney was at least worth using as a back up forward and see if he could do it at a higher level.

However, he was instead sent out for six different loan spells, with Barnsley, Wigan, Scunthorpe and Shrewsbury, making 65 League One loan start and scoring 26  goals, not too bad when you are young and constantly adjusting to new surroundings.

In summer 2018, Ivan Toney was eventually moved on permanently, Peterborough paying an undisclosed transfer fee, no doubt the deal including a sizeable sell-on close, you hope…

Last season Toney scored 16 League One goals in 31 starts (plus 13 sub appearances).

Now 23, the young striker looks to be getting better and better, his 10 goals in League One (12 games) make him the top scorer in English football this season.

Top scorers in the four divisions:

10 Ivan Toney (Peterborough) – League One

9 Mohamed Eisa (Peterborough) – League One

8 Aleksandar Mitrovic (Fulham) – Championship

8 Sergio Aguero (Man City) – Premier League

8 Tammy Abraham (Chelsea) – Premier League

8 Eoin Doyle (Bradford/Swindon) – League Two

As we have seen with Sean and Matty Longstaff at Newcastle United, until young players get a chance, you never know who can/can’t make it.

Ivan Toney went clear as the top scorer across the leagues with another superb finish (watch below), his volley helping Peterborough to a 2-0 win over Lincoln and up to third in League One (currently six places ahead of ninth placed Sunderland).

Toney certainly looks too good for League One and will surely be moving up to at least the Championship very soon.

Can he do it in the Premier League? We won’t know until he gets the opportunity.

Newcastle United will be set for a windfall from a sell-on clause but will they have missed out on fast improving goalscorer?

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