An English footballer was led away in handcuffs after an alleged altercation in a swanky London hot spot over the weekend.
Ivan Toney allegedly headbutted a person inside 100 Wardour Street, a hotspot in the SOHO district of England’s capital city, after the individual grabbed the 29-year-old striker in an attempt to get a selfie with him early Saturday morning, The Sun reported.
Toney, who currently plays in Saudi Arabia for Al Ahli and has had seven appearances for England’s national team, was seen being taken away in cuffs by uniformed police officers, and the Metropolitan Police told The Sun that a “29-year-old man was arrested at the scene on suspicion of two counts of assault and one count of affray.”
Ivan Toney of Al Ahli scores his team’s first goal from the penalty-spot during the FIFA Intercontinental Cup match between Al Ahli and Pyramids. FIFA via Getty ImagesA witness told the British tabloid that Toney had gone by a “group of lads” sitting at a table and one of them had recognized the footballer, leading the man to “put his hands around his neck to get a photo with him.”
“And then Toney has said, ‘Get off me, get off me’ and ended up headbutting one of the guys,” the witness said.
The victim was bleeding from the bridge of his nose, the witness said, and added that Toney may have felt like the group was a threat to his personal safety, noting that his Saudi club pays the former Brentford star an exorbitant amount and he was wearing expensive-looking jewelry.
“He might have thought they were trying to attack him to take his chain or watch off him,” the witness told the outlet.
London Ambulance Service confirmed to The Sun that it had dispatched an ambulance to a reported assault at 1:57 a.m. local time.
Toney has been linked to a possible return to England in an effort to bolster a case to make the national squad roster for the 2026 World Cup.
Toney has been linked to Premier League clubs West Ham, Tottenham and Manchester United.
The 29-year-old has 12 goals in 18 appearances for Al Ahli this season and has 42 goals for the Saudi side in 62 matches since making the move to the Middle East in the summer of 2024.
Toney had 36 goals in 85 matches during his time in the Premier League with Brentford.
