Ivan Toney denies assault charge over alleged London nightclub incident

Ivan Toney has denied a charge of assault occasioning actual bodily harm relating to an alleged incident at a London nightclub on 6 December last year.

The Al-Ahli and England striker appeared at Westminster Magistrates’ Court on Thursday after being charged on 31 July, according to Sky Sports.

Toney, 30, formally pleaded not guilty to the allegation. The charge relates to an incident said to have taken place on Wardour Street in central London.

A spokesperson for the player said several weeks ago: “Ivan acknowledges that he has been charged and, while naturally shocked by the nature of the allegation, he looks forward to having the opportunity to prove his innocence in court.”

No further details of the alleged incident were provided in the report. Toney’s court appearance came after the charge was brought against him at the end of July.

The forward represented England at the World Cup this summer. He came on as a substitute against Argentina in the semi-final before starting the third-place play-off against France.

Toney joined Al-Ahli from Brentford in the summer of 2024 for £40m. He scored 72 goals in 141 appearances for the English club before moving to Saudi Arabia.

His time at Brentford included a lengthy absence during the first half of the 2023-24 season. Toney was suspended after breaching rules relating to betting and returned to action later in the campaign.

He subsequently featured for England at Euro 2024.