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Newcastle United media members have been left buzzing over the news that the club have bought back Strawberry Place.

The Lowdown: Newcastle buy Strawberry Place

As per The Daily Mail, Newcastle have bought back Strawberry Place, the land behind St. James’ Park’s Gallowgate End which was sold under Mike Ashley.

The new ownership plan to expand the stadium in the long-term, and buying back this piece of land will help them in doing that.

There were previous concerns from supporters after Ashley sold Strawberry Place, worrying that the site would be lost to offices and residential apartments, as well as blocking an iconic view of the stadium.

The land can now be used to expand the ground, with every home game being sold out so far this season, and demand for tickets continuing to rise.

The Latest: Media buzzing

Member of the North East media have been left buzzing after hearing the news, with Magpies podcaster Taylor Payne hailing it as ‘incredible’, and Newcastle World writer Jordan Cronin labelling it as ‘massive, massive news’.

The Verdict: Needed

With demands from fans to go and watch the team at St. James’ Park seemingly increasing with every win, an expansion of the stadium is certainly needed in the long-term.

Under the new regime, the club have much loftier ambitions than what they had under Ashley’s ownership, and could even welcome UEFA Champions League football to the stadium next season given their current league position.

Buying back Strawberry Place also wipes out any further tainted memories of the old regime, and shows that the club is continuing to move in the right direction.

Manchester United’s new signing Marcel Sabitzer has not received a lot of game time for Bayern Munich, which is a slight concern for journalist Andy Brassell.

The Lowdown: Sabitzer signs

Erik ten Hag chose to bolster his midfield options on deadline day, signing Sabitzer on a loan deal deal from Bayern Munich until the end of the season, with his squad blighted by injury issues.

Scott McTominay could be set to miss out for more than two weeks, while Christian Eriksen’s ankle injury means he may miss out until the end of April, and so a new addition in the engine room was of paramount importance to the United boss.

However, Brassell has questioned whether the addition of the Bayern ace is the right move…

The Latest: Brassell reacts

Speaking live on Sky Sports about the arrival of the Austrian, the journalist said: “What Manchester United need is someone at the front of the midfield, who can complement Bruno Fernandes without getting in his way.

“Now, Sabitzer is versatile enough to do that, so I feel he would work pretty well. The only question is, he’s not played much for Bayern, so how quickly can they get him to that point where he can contribute on a regular basis?”

The Verdict: Right signing?

The midfielder has only received limited minutes in the Bundesliga this season, failing to start in the last nine games, which indicates that he may not immediately be up to the speed of the Premier League.

When he does reach full fitness, however, the 28-year-old’s track record indicates that he could be a worthwhile signing for United, particularly in an attacking sense, bagging a very respectable 52 goals and 42 assists in 229 appearances with RB Leipzig.

Admittedly, the playmaker’s career has stalled since he joined Bayern, but it cannot help that he has not been given a consistent run in the team, completing the full 90 minutes on just two occasions in the Bundesliga this season.

As such, if Ten Hag gives Sabitzer the game time that he needs to get back to full fitness, he could be a real boost for United in their aim to finish inside the top four.

Wolves could reportedly get the chance to sign Weston McKennie in this month’s transfer window and the USA international could prove to be Julen Lopetegui’s own version of Conor Gallagher at Molineux.

According to Italian news outlet Calciomercato last month, Juventus are keen on signing Rayan Ait-Nouri in the January window and could offer McKennie as a makeweight in any potential deal for the French defender.

The report claims that if Wolves are to consider a swap deal with the Serie A side, they would have to offer around €15m (£13m) to the Old Lady in order to complete the transfer.

Lopetegui recently lost Boubacar Traore to injury and it seems as if midfield signings are a matter of priority for the Spaniard this month after the arrival of Matheus Cunha on loan from Atletico Madrid.

Since joining Juventus from Schalke in 2020, the versatile midfielder has gone on to make 93 appearances for the Italian giants, contributing 13 goals and four assists in that time, so he has plenty of experience playing at the top level for one of Europe’s biggest clubs.

Still just 24, McKennie could prove to be a great long-term addition at Molineux, providing excellent competition for Joao Moutinho, Ruben Neves and Matheus Nunes in Wolves’ side, so it is easy to see why Lopetegui might consider bringing him to Molineux this month.

When the American starlet was still just a young player coming through the ranks at Schalke, he earned a lot of praise from sporting director Christian Heidel.

He said: “Weston is a very good footballer, but he also has a lot of traits that are very, very important to Schalke. The fans love the way he plays, and the work he puts in. His body language is extraordinary.”

Should he complete a move to Wolves in the current transfer window, he could potentially emulate Chelsea midfielder Conor Gallagher, who lit up the Premier League last season on loan with Crystal Palace.

According to FBref, the England international is the second-most similar player to McKennie when compared with other midfielders across Europe’s top leagues.

The midfield duo appear to be extremely competent in front of goal but most importantly, they are box-to-box players capable of influencing play both offensively and defensively with their strong work rate.

The two youngsters have recorded very similar statistics this season with regard to goals per shot on target (both 0.25), passes leading to a shot (both 13) and recoveries (40 vs 38).

This emphasises that they are both all-action midfielders and given Gallagher’s phenomenal form with Palace last season, which saw him earn an England call-up after hitting eight Premier League goals for the Eagles, then Lopetegui would surely be foolish to turn down such a similar player in McKennie.

Manchester United will return to Premier League action later when they welcome newly-promoted Nottingham Forest to Old Trafford, with a victory set to move the club within touching distance of the top-four.

United made a successful return to competitive action following the conclusion of the World Cup in Qatar, dispatching EFL Championship table-toppers Burnley 2-0 in the Carabao Cup.

Now the distinguished outfit must build upon the win and make a resounding return to their divisional exploits, having scored a last-gasp winner against Fulham in the match preceding the international break.

It was prodigious 18-year-old Alejandro Garnacho to have earned the plaudits for his definitive strike in the dying embers, and against Forest, who are slowly acclimatising to life in the top-flight after a severely lacklustre start, it may require a sprinkling of magic from one of the offensive demons within boss Erik Ten Hag’s clutch of talent to break away and climb further up the table.

Marcus Rashford has stolen the headlines with regularity this term, scoring nine goals and plundering three assists before enjoying a fruitful World Cup campaign with England, but it is £85m summer signing Antony, following Ten Hag from AFC Ajax, who could leave pundits waxing lyrical with sights set on breaking into prominence on English soil.

“Incredible talent”

Since departing the Netherlands earlier this year, 22-year-old Antony has made an impressive start to life within the Theatre of Dreams, captivating supporters with his deft footwork and quintessential Brazilian guile, while terrorising defenders with his devastating wand of a left foot.

Scoring three goals from his first six Premier League appearances, including a wonderful finessed curler on his debut against high-flying Arsenal, the Brazilian has quickly asserted himself as a dangerous presence on the right flank, cutting inside and wreaking havoc.

Antony was regarded as an “incredible talent” by Ten Hag, prior to the official confirmation of his move to Old Trafford, and it is clear to see that despite the hefty price tag, United boast a player that has that ‘wow’ factor, the ability to turn the tap and the key to unlock the defences erected in front of the opposing goal.

This is evidenced by his endeavours with Ajax, where he scored 24 goals and 22 assists from 84 displays, nurturing his abundant talent over the maiden period of his professional career.

And as per FBref, Antony ranks within the top 11% for total shots when compared to attacking midfielders and wingers across Europe’s big five leagues this past year – evidencing the direct threat he will bring to the table, no matter the opposition.

Forest will indeed be resolute, compact, and candidly they might find success against a United team that will look to utilise their creativity and pace, flooding the flanks and attempting to take their relegation-threatened foe apart at the seams.

Antony will be crucial in finding success, and should the Red Devils struggle, his moment of brilliance, his gliding gait from the touchline – cutting inside to the edge of the box – might just reap rewards, with his driving shot capable of slotting in the top corner of Dean Henderson’s goal, unleashing a cacophony of cheer throughout the Old Trafford faithful.

Arsenal are interested in a deal to bring Ferran Torres to The Emirates in the January transfer window.

What’s the talk?

That’s according to Dean Jones, with the transfer insider revealing in a recent interview with GIVEMESPORT that Mikel Arteta is a big fan of the Barcelona forward, before going on to suggest that, after making an approach for the 22-year-old in the summer, Arsenal believe the Spain international could become available this winter.

Regarding the Gunners’ interest in Torres, Jones said: “They really like Ferran Torres, and they clearly believe he might become available because they inquired about him in the summer as well. So, if they’re sniffing around him again now, they sense that something’s up.”

Arteta’s own Foden

Considering just how impressive Torres has been for Barcelona ever since his £54.7m move from Manchester City last January, coupled with the fact that Gabriel Jesus looks set to spend around three months on the sidelines due to a knee injury, it is not difficult to understand why Arteta would be interested in a move for the Spaniard in January.

Indeed, over his 18 LaLiga appearances in his debut campaign at the Camp Nou, the £105m-rated talent was in fantastic form going forwards, scoring four goals, registering four assists and creating seven big chances for his teammates, in addition to taking an average 2.9 shots – 1.1 of which hit the target – making 0.7 key passes and completing 0.7 dribbles per game.

These returns saw the 22-year-old – who is capable of operating from any position across a front three – average an extremely impressive Sofascore match rating of 6.98, ranking him as Xavi Hernández’s 14th-best performer in the top flight of Spanish football last time out.

The £165k-per-week winger also caught the eye over his six outings in the Europa League last season, bagging two goals, providing two assists and creating one big chance, as well as taking an average of 2.8 shots, making 0.8 key passes and completing 1.7 dribbles per match – with these returns seeing the Spaniard average a Sofascore match rating of 6.92.

Putting some of these numbers into context, FBref currently rank Torres in the top 6% of attacking midfielders and wingers in Europe’s big five leagues for shots per 90, in addition to the top 9% for non-penalty xG, the top 18% for pass completion, the top 15% for touches in the opposition penalty area and the top 6% for progressive passes received.

These metrics see FBref list some of the biggest talents in European football as Torres’ most comparable players, with Manchester City starlet Phil Foden, RB Leipzig sensation Christopher Nkunku and Tottenham Hotspur flanker Son Heung-min all on the list.

Foden, who is equally as dazzling in the final third, is a particularly outstanding case given Arteta will know him well from his days as the assistant manager at the Etihad, where the Spaniard no doubt would have had a great influence over one of England’s hottest talents, something he will now hope rubs off on Torres too.

As such, should Arteta manage to get a deal over the line for the 22-year-old – who Pep Guardiola claimed has “the smell” for goals that all good number nines have – in January, the Spaniard could well have landed his very own version of the City star at The Emirates – something that is sure to be an extremely exciting prospect for all involved with the Gunners.

Newcastle United’s impressive early season form could well have strengthened their hand heading into the January transfer window, with the Magpies seemingly now a more appealing destination for potential targets.

What’s the word?

That’s according to transfer insider Dean Jones – speaking to GIVEMESPORT – who suggested that the Tynesiders may well now prove a direct rival for the Premier League’s established elite when it comes to recruiting top talent.

The respected journalist stated: “I think Newcastle have put themselves in a wonderful position very, very quickly, and that they could almost attract the sort of players now, that the traditional top four or five could.”

The St James’ Park outfit are currently third in the table having put themselves firmly in the mix for Champions League qualification come the end of the season, with that remarkable rise having potentially come sooner than expected following the change of ownership just over a year ago.

Repeat Bruno masterclass

The northeast side’s new-found appeal has already been evident in the calendar year thus far during PIF’s time at the helm, with the club having notably pulled off a coup with the addition of Lyon gem, Bruno Guimaraes back in January.

The Brazilian sensation – who is in his nation’s squad for the World Cup in Qatar – was snapped up by Eddie Howe and co for a fee of around £40m, having reportedly opted against a move to Arsenal in favour of joining his current side.

That deal provided an early indication of the club’s impressive pull, with the 25-year-old having since gone on to blossom in his new surroundings, scoring eight goals and providing three assists in 29 league outings in his time at the club thus far.

Newcastle – who also secured the notable, club-record capture of Alexander Isak in the summer – could well be hoping to replicate that masterclass with more high-profile additions in the New Year, with their current standing having only served to bolster their chances of getting quality assets through the door.

The recent suggestion is that the likes of Moussa Diaby, James Maddison and Mykhaylo Mudryk could well be some of the names that Howe’s side are targeting in the upcoming window, with further depth potentially needed to maintain this current top-four surge.

As Jones alluded to, the chances of completing such deals have been raised by this rampant start to the season, with the so-called ‘Big Six’ clubs likely to be wary of being edged out by the ambitious Magpies outfit in the race for possible targets.

As the case of Guimaraes illustrates, the club are already able to attract big-name talent despite this exciting project still being in its infancy, with the hope now that they can replicate that masterclass in January. Should they do so, it would no doubt be an eventuality that Howe would love.

Manchester United have made an enquiry for Bayern Munch forward Eric Maxim Choupo-Moting, according to Sky Sports reporter Florian Plettenberg.

The Lowdown: Choupo-Moting at Bayern

Previously of Stoke City, Choupo-Moting has been on the books with the Bundesliga champions since 2020. The 33-year-old has made 72 appearances for the German giants, scoring 28 goals and registering nine assists.

The Cameroon international, who could be at the World Cup later this month, has been in fine form in recent weeks, contributing to seven Bundesliga goals in his last four appearances.

He has been hailed as a ‘great striker’ by Bayern boss Julian Nagelsmann, and it looks as if Old Trafford chiefs are keen on Choupo-Moting’s services.

The Latest: Man United interested in Choupo-Moting

Plettenberg took to Twitter on Monday evening to provide an update on Choupo-Moting and United. He revealed that the Red Devils have made an enquiry over a winter move for the Cameroonian as they seek out replacements for Cristiano Ronaldo.

However, Plettenberg added that Choupo-Moting ‘will stay’ in Munich, with talks over a new Bayern deal set to take place after the World Cup.

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The Verdict: One to watch?

Until a new deal is officially signed at Bayern, United may still attempt to bring the forward back to the Premier League.

Choupo-Moting’s current contract is set to expire at the end of the season, meaning that the Red Devils could be able to discuss a possible pre-contract agreement in January.

However, should Ronaldo leave in the New Year, as has been speculated, then you’d expect that Erik ten Hag will need a replacement straight away, so this link to Choupo-Moting could be one to watch.

Leeds United made some poor transfer decisions in their desperation to return to the Premier League, especially as Marcelo Bielsa edged them ever closer to the promised land.

It seems that, in their evolution, they got caught up in the need to buy talent who had impressed in the past, and despite the obvious red flags, they still would stump up the money.

These prices seem more trivial now that they are back in the top flight, but at the time they could have been devastating in their promotion push.

One transfer in particular which fits this bill is the purchase of Helder Costa, which was very reactionary given that he had been on loan the season prior and disappointed.

Across 43 Championship games in 2019/20, he scored just four times and assisted a further six goals, which makes the decision to unload £16m on the Wolverhampton Wanderers reject even more baffling, especially given how Leeds were now making the step up to play even tougher football.

The Angola international unsurprisingly wilted further during the 2020/21 campaign, featuring just 22 times in the Premier League as he scored just three goals, two of which came in their second game of the season.

Despite spending three years at the club, he featured just 71 times, while also enduring some poor loan spells in an attempt to reignite his career.

It is a testament to how far he was fallen that, just this summer, he was finally shipped off to Al-Ittihad, with the Whites resigned to making a 75% loss on him as he left for a mere £3.9m.

Following Costa’s exit, former England goalkeeper Paul Robinson had some choice words to say about the 28-year-old’s disappointing stay at Elland Road.

He claimed of the Angolan: “He hasn’t been able to do it at the level that Leeds wanted him to do it at. When you’re selling a player, you’re only going to command top money from top teams and if he’s not been good enough at Leeds, you can’t demand top money from elsewhere.”

Costa promised much when he moved to Yorkshire, but in all honesty, he has been a huge flop who drained the club in his time at Elland Road.

Glasgow Rangers endured one of their greatest moments of modern times under their former manager Steven Gerrard, with the Ibrox club winning their first Premiership title in ten years in 2020/21.

The Englishman broke their Glasgow arch-rivals dominance of Scottish football while also raising the Light Blues’ standing in European competition during his near three-and-a-half-year stay in Scotland.

However, he did make some mistakes in his time at Rangers, with a few of his early signings never making an imprint at Ibrox.

One move on which Gerrard had a nightmare was for a winger who cost the club £2m back in 2018…

Rangers endured a nightmare over Grezda

Albanian winger Eros Grezda joined the Ibrox club from Croatian side Osijek, who Rangers had just defeated in Europa League qualifying. Given the transfer fee spent, he was expected to make a big impression in Glasgow.

In fact, Albanian journalist Ermal Kuka predicted that the Light Blues would make a fortune on the winger, saying: “I was surprised they were able to get him for such a low price. I think that is a real steal.

“In two years, I can easily see them selling him for £20 million, because it is different when you buy from Croatia or you buy from a club like Rangers.”

It’s safe to say that it didn’t exactly turn out like that for Grezda at Rangers, with the player featuring just 17 times for the club and scoring only twice, a brace against Motherwell in November 2018.

He cost the club £1m per goal, and following an alleged spitting incident while playing for the Rangers Colts team against Ballymena United in the Scottish Challenge Cup in September 2019, Gerrard made it clear that the Albanian’s Rangers career was over.

Grezda left Glasgow in January 2020 to rejoin his former club Osijek, and it marked a giant waste of money by the Ibrox side.

Gerrard had a nightmare with the winger, and although the 42-year-old didn’t make mistakes like that on a player too often, when he did it often turned out far worse than he could have originally imagined.

Over the last week, the country has come to a near standstill to mark the life of Queen Elizabeth II. A remarkable figurehead and pillar of the United Kingdom, her Majesty sadly passed away on September 8th at the age of 96.

She is the longest-serving British monarch ever, having reigned for 70 incredible years, and the second-longest serving monarch of all time, only behind King Louis XIV of France whose reign lasted for over 72 years.

Since her coronation as Queen, she has witnessed a great deal on the field of play, and so long did her reign stretch that she has witnessed both of England’s major triumphs, that of the 1966 World Cup where she had the pleasure of handing Bobby Moore the Jules Rimet trophy, and most recently, the Lionesses Euro 2022 triumph.

The Queen may not have been in attendance for that match but still issued a strong statement of congratulations.

It was perhaps fitting that such a historic triumph came during what was the final year of her reign, with women’s football banned for the first 45 years of her life and the first 20 years of her time on the throne. Women were under strict orders from none other than the FA, an organisation the Queen would later become a long-standing patron of, to not play.

However, in the modern era, much has changed from the period of time when Elizabeth II would first attend the beautiful game we all love.

Barely out of her teens, Princess Elizabeth – as she was then known – first attended Wembley in 1944. It was a match with little on the line so far as success, but it was one of huge poignance with England beating Scotland, the nation she came to love, 6-2 in a friendly in aid of war charities following the conclusion of WW2.

That was the first of many visits to the historic stadium, with Her Majesty presenting the FA Cup 11 times throughout her reign, the first of which came in 1948. Still a Princess, she first handed the trophy to Wolverhampton Wanderers skipper Billy Wright.

Perhaps the most famous occasion was when she was in the Royal Box for the 1953 final, handing Stanley Matthews his first winners medal. It was another poignant time in the Queen’s association with football, as Matthews clearly made an ever-lasting impression on her, with the former Blackpool and England star becoming the first footballer to earn a knighthood.

There were a number of firsts throughout her life and indeed her time on the throne, as she handed Ron Yeats the trophy when Liverpool won the FA Cup for the first time, just a year before handing the World Cup to Moore while dressed in a stunning yellow dress.

Unsurprisingly, her Majesty would meet a host of footballing greats and in 1968, attended Brazil’s famous Maracana stadium, greeting a certain Pele in the process.

Indeed, her own sporting knowledge was shown firsthand during that event.

In front of 85,000 people, Lael Soares, head of ceremonial at Palácio Guanabara, said: “Majesty, this is the world-famous player Pelé”. Her response was typical, and no doubt one that would have been said with her famous beaming smile: “Oh, I know! I already know him by name. And I feel very happy to greet him,” she replied.

The Brazilian sensation was undoubtedly one of the most famous sporting icons she would meet, but 14 of them, in particular, were very special, as they all received knighthoods.

Those lucky individuals with football connections, in order of last to first, were: Kenny Dalglish, Dave Richards, Trevor Brooking, Bobby Robson, Alex Ferguson, Geoff Hurst, Tom Finney, Bobby Charlton, Bert Millichip, John Smith, Walter Winterbottom, Matt Busby, Alf Ramsey and of course, Matthews.

A number of other awards were handed out by the Queen, with OBEs handed to the likes of Rio Ferdinand, Frank Lampard and David Beckham, a man who queued 12 hours to pay his respects in Westminster a few days ago. MBEs were also bestowed upon famous footballing figures such as Steven Gerrard, Alex Scott and Ian Wright.

The final name upon that list may well have special significance with Wright’s beloved Arsenal being the only club to ever be invited by the Queen for tea.

Such a visit took place in 2007 when Thierry Henry introduced the entire team to Her Majesty, with Theo Walcott revealing the French striker was simply in awe of meeting her.

She declared football to be a “wonderful game” and a meeting with one Emmanuel Eboue, the former Arsenal full-back, only epitomised the influence she had not just on society, but on football too. Going off script, the Ivorian defender asked if he could quit football in order to look after her Corgis.

Such a job would have been an honour but alas, Eboue would continue to play football, a sport that was by no means the Queen’s first love, but a form of entertainment she would grow very fond of.

Indeed, football also has a remarkable fondness for Elizabeth II, a feeling that has been felt throughout the country in response to her sad passing.

Matches were postponed last week and this weekend too, although, for games that did still go ahead, a minute’s silence took place before kick-off. An ovation then took place in the 70th minute to mark the number of years she was on the throne.

It was a rather fitting tribute and one that celebrated her life with a great deal of respect.