Al Ahli have moved to clarify the status of two of their most expensive attacking investments, with Ivan Toney and Galeno expected to remain with the Jeddah club for the 2026-27 season. The clarification comes during a broader squad restructuring following the departure of German coach Matthias Jaissle, as well as Riyad Mahrez and Franck Kessie.

Recent reports had suggested that Toney could leave Saudi Arabia for Newcastle United, potentially reuniting with Jaissle, who is set to take charge of the Premier League club. Galeno had also been linked with a departure amid reports of deteriorating relations with sporting director Rui Pedro Braz.

However, information attributed to sources inside Al Ahli indicates that neither scenario is currently taking place. The club is expected to retain both players, giving the new sporting and technical structure access to two high-value attacking assets rather than opening another major rebuilding front.

The decision is commercially significant because both players represent substantial investments. Toney joined Al Ahli from Brentford in 2024 for a reported €42 million and signed a contract running until June 2028. Since arriving, the 30-year-old England international has scored 72 goals and provided 17 assists in 94 official appearances, while collecting three major trophies with the club, including two AFC Champions League Elite titles and the Saudi Super Cup.

Galeno arrived from Porto in January 2025 in a deal valued at around €50 million, also signing through June 2028. The Brazilian winger has recorded 12 goals and 16 assists in 57 competitive appearances and has won the same three trophies during his time in Jeddah.

Those numbers make the decision to retain both players more than a response to transfer speculation. From a squad-building perspective, Al Ahli can preserve continuity in key attacking positions while redirecting recruitment resources toward areas affected by the departures of senior figures.

The timing is especially important because coaching changes often trigger a second layer of squad disruption. A new manager may want different profiles, while players who were recruited under the previous technical regime can become vulnerable to reassessment. Keeping Toney and Galeno reduces that risk and gives the club a proven attacking foundation during the transition.

The case also highlights a broader challenge facing Saudi clubs operating with increasingly ambitious sporting and commercial objectives. High-value transfers need to deliver not only individual performances but also continuity, competitive returns and long-term brand value. Both Toney and Galeno have already contributed directly to trophy-winning campaigns, strengthening the argument for maintaining their roles.

For Toney, the Newcastle speculation illustrates how Saudi Arabia’s leading clubs can become part of a wider international player market. A move to England would have carried a strong sporting narrative, particularly because of Jaissle’s arrival, but retaining him allows Al Ahli to protect an asset who has produced consistently since his arrival.

Galeno’s situation is similarly relevant to the club’s squad strategy. His €50 million acquisition represented a major commitment, and the decision to keep him suggests that Al Ahli currently sees greater value in integrating the winger into the next phase of the project than in pursuing a rapid exit.

The club is therefore entering the new campaign with a mixture of change and continuity. Jaissle, Mahrez and Kessie have departed, but Toney and Galeno remain important pieces of the attacking structure. That balance could prove crucial as Al Ahli attempts to protect its recent continental success while adapting to a new managerial and sporting direction.

The immediate priority will be converting expensive talent into sustainable competitive performance. If the club succeeds, retaining its two attacking investments could provide both sporting stability and commercial efficiency. If the new structure struggles, questions over recruitment strategy, player roles and the direction of the rebuild are likely to return quickly.