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With Manchester United having endured a rather grim last few months – despite a run of four wins out of five in the Premier League – the attention is already beginning to turn toward potential signings that the Red Devils could make in January in order to strengthen Erik ten Hag's hand, particularly amid the speculation surrounding the impending investment of Sir Jim Ratcliffe.

A new influx of funds could allow the Old Trafford outfit to try and arrest their current slump, with further reinforcements seemingly required across the park if the club are to become a credible force again, despite having already splashed out over £400m on Ten Hag's watch.

What the incoming Ratcliffe and co will be keen to avoid, however, is the repeat of the mistakes that have plagued United in the transfer market in recent times, with pursuing a move for Atletico Madrid's Antoine Griezmann, for instance, seemingly not the wisest choice – despite the Frenchman's outstanding form of late.

Man Utd transfer targets – Antoine Griezmann

According to reports in Spain earlier this week, representatives from United have travelled to Spain in order to try and tempt the World Cup winner into making the move to England, with Ten Hag seeking to bolster his attacking options as Marcus Rashford remains the only forward to have scored in the league this season.

As per the piece, the interested party are believed to be willing to triple the 32-year-old's wages in the hope of turning his head, with the former Barcelona man having only returned to the Spanish capital back in 2021, after a two-year stint at Camp Nou.

During his first spell under Diego Simeone in Madrid, Griezmann was unsurprisingly a reported target for those at United, with reports in 2017, in particular, appearing to indicate that a move for the playmaking sensation was in the works.

How Antoine Griezmann would fit in at Man Utd

On the face of it, the signing of such a "phenomenon" – as previously hailed by ex-United stars, Juan Mata and Ander Herrera – would be a wise move in order to increase the quality available to Ten Hag at the top end of the pitch, with Griezmann having shone of late operating off a central striker, in a number ten or attacking midfield berth.

In what has been a stunning start to 2023/24 on an individual basis, the £210k-per-week machine has already scored 12 goals in just 16 games in all competitions, while registering one assist, with that haul of 13 goal contributions beyond what Bruno Fernandes has achieved at the Theatre of Dreams this season, the Portuguese magician leading the way with just four goals and three assists – the most of any of his teammates.

In the Champions League, for instance, the Atleti talisman has four goals in just four outings thus far and averages a remarkable 2.5 key passes per game to indicate his creative prowess, while Fernandes also averages 2.5 in that regard, yet has scored just once.

That showcases the undoubted benefit of plucking Griezmann from under Simeone's nose, yet haven't United been down this road before – signing an ageing, yet proven talent from LaLiga?

How Antoine Griezmann compares to Casemiro

On current evidence, it looks as if Ten Hag and co are set to rue their £70m capture of Casemiro from Real Madrid last summer, with the stricken Brazilian – who is likely to be out until Christmas – having endured a miserable second season at the club, notably being "torn to shreds" earlier in the campaign against Wolverhampton Wanderers, as per club legend, Gary Neville.

The 31-year-old had been central to all that was good about the club last term – being described as the "cement" in the side by his manager – yet this time around he appears more of a liability, with the £350k-per-week brute notably being dribbled past 1.9 times per game, as per Sofascore.

As Neville even suggested last year, splashing the cash on a player entering his thirties was "not a smart or shrewd" move – something Ratcliffe is said to agree with – hence why snapping up another veteran talent like Griezmann could prove to be a short-term fix, but a long-term problem.

While the 5 foot 9 star would have been a stellar addition in the past, now at the age of 32, that ship should well have sailed – or Ten Hag runs the risk of facing Casemiro 2.0.

The wait continues at Manchester United to see just when Sir Jim Ratcliffe's impending investment with be confirmed, with the British billionaire seeking to take a 25% stake in the Old Trafford outfit.

For those of a United persuasion, the hope will be that such an act will help to spark the beginning of the end for the wretched Glazer ownership and help to revive the club's fortunes on the pitch, with Ratcliffe – as per the Telegraph – said to be keen to oversee a 'radical overhaul' once he officially arrives through the door.

While the Ineos chief will likely have a long-term plan to ensure that the Red Devils can once again challenge for the top honours, both domestically and in Europe, in the short term the focus may well be on trying to strengthen Erik ten Hag's hand in January, with the Dutchman having overseen a drab start to the season that has left the club outside the top-four berths.

Some supporters may be anticipating an instant injection of cash in order to sign new recruits in the winter window, yet with FFP (Financial Fair Play) restrictions still to consider, it is likely that the Premier League side will have to sell first in order to buy, particularly considering the bloated nature of the current squad.

With rumours already rife regarding who could be snapped up in the New Year – including Nice's, Jean-Clair Todibo – the focus must also turn to who could depart the Theatre of Dreams to help recoup some much-needed funds, with there seemingly a trio of high profile figures who should be moved on as a matter of urgency.

1 Jadon Sancho

There are no prizes for guessing who is first on this list, with Jadon Sancho the most obvious candidate to be sold after being exiled by Ten Hag in the early months of the season.

The former Borussia Dortmund man – who joined United on a £73m deal in 2021 – has not played for the club since publicly biting back at his manager over criticism of his training performances back in early September, with that outburst having come after the 23-year-old was left out of the eventual defeat to Arsenal.

While the misfiring winger subsequently removed his Twitter post which appeared to hit out at the former Ajax boss, there has since been no improvement in the strained relations, with Sancho now completely cast out of the first-team squad after reportedly refusing to apologise.

As such, a return to Dortmund has been mooted in January, while Serie A side Juventus – as well as clubs in Saudi Arabia – are also said to be interested in rescuing the Englishman from his Old Trafford hell.

Although it is a loan exit that has been suggested, reports in the summer indicated that United were looking for around £60m for their underwhelming talent amid interest from Tottenham Hotspur, with the hope being that they can recoup somewhere close to that £73m fee.

Dortmund (Bundesliga)

Games

Goals

Assists

2017/18

12

1

4

2018/19

34

12

18

2019/20

32

17

17

2020/21

26

8

12

Total

104

38

51

Man Utd

2021/22

29

3

3

2022/23

26

6

3

2023/24

3

0

0

Total

58

9

6

Stats via Transfermarkt

Any 2024 exit would bring to an end what has been a hugely disappointing stint at the club for the one-time Manchester City man, with the £250k-per-week enigma – who takes up 6.29% of the total wage bill, as per Capology – scoring just 12 goals and contributing six assists in 82 games for the club, the same number of goal involvements that Dan James recorded from fewer games (18 G/A in 74 games).

Such a dismal return is not what the club had expected when the fleet-footed winger was signed by Ole Gunnar Solskjaer over two years ago, with it now time to cut ties sooner rather than later.

2 Anthony Martial

Unlike the man above, Anthony Martial is unlikely to rake in much of a transfer fee with only six months or so left to run on his current deal, yet any bid received will seemingly be better than the prospect of seeing the long-serving dud depart for nothing in the summer.

While the striking department is one in which United are not particularly strong, with summer signing Rasmus Hojlund still finding his feet after failing to score a league goal so far, it has come to the stage in which keeping Martial around as a backup is almost futile, such is his lack of impact.

As was evident last term, the 27-year-old is routinely unreliable due to his persistent injury woes, with Ten Hag having overlooked the former Monaco man for much of this season so far, despite indicating that the team play their "best football" with the Frenchman leading the line.

While now injury-free, the fact the United boss has rarely looked the way of the experienced striker – who has made just four starts all season – is a reflection of just what a spare part Martial has become, with the polarising asset scoring just 11 league goals since the start of 2020/21.

The fact that he remains the club's number nine despite that woeful record is symptomatic of all that is wrong with the Red Devils at present, with treble-winner Andy Cole only recently stating that his fellow striker has had "more than enough time" to show his worth at Old Trafford.

Currently also taking up 6.29% of the wage bill, like Sancho, Martial is a costly and draining figure who needs to be cast out elsewhere, with The Sun only recently reporting that a belated exit could be in store in January, after previously being touted for a move over the summer.

3 Raphael Varane

As that Sun report claimed, Ratcliffe could look to also oust Antony, alongside Martial and Sancho, yet whether Ten Hag would so willingly part ways with his former Ajax asset is another matter, despite the Brazilian failing to score or assist this season.

With that in mind, the final name on the list of outgoings could well be Raphael Varane, with the World Cup winner having slipped down the pecking order of late, behind the likes of Harry Maguire and Jonny Evans.

While Ten Hag spoke of the tactical reasoning behind leaving out the Frenchman in the Manchester Derby, the fact that the ex-Real Madrid man was usurped by the ageing Evans is a stark indication of his standing under the United boss.

As the 53-year-old coach has revealed, Varane is not seen as a suitable option at left centre-back – nor is Maguire – and is thus fighting it out with the Englishman on the opposite side, with the former Leicester City man currently winning that individual battle.

What has not helped the four-time Champions League winner is his repeated absences throughout his time in Manchester due to injury and illness, with the towering defender notably making just 24 appearances in the league last season and only 22 prior to that.

As has become apparent, Ten Hag cannot rely on the £43m signing across a consistent period, hence why cashing in during the winter window – with Saudi interest said to be brewing – could be a wise move to kickstart the ruthless Ratcliffe regime.

With Varane also reportedly on a £350k-per-week wage to take up 8.55% of the squad salary – taking it to roughly 21% in total, including the two men above – easing that financial burden by moving him on would represent good business.

The former India batsman said at the Dilip Sardesai memorial lecture that the only way to preserve Test cricket was to serve it to viewers at their convenience

Ankur Dhawan in Mumbai01-Oct-2018Test cricket needs saving and the players can be its saviours by embracing day-night Tests, Sanjay Manjrekar said at the Dilip Sardesai memorial lecture. Manjrekar felt that cricket’s “cocky” attitude towards fans and archaic traditions in dissension with the changing times were impeding the format’s popularity. He expressed a need for the five-day game to be offered to fans “as per their convenience”, as they were no longer inclined to flock to cricket grounds during work hours.”The world is ever-changing and with it the taste of people. Don’t be fooled by the crowds at Test matches in England, that’s an aberration. I travel the world and see countries struggle to pull crowds to Test cricket,” Manjrekar said at the Cricket Club of India in Mumbai on Monday.”It’s not that there’s zero interest in Test cricket, just that people can’t come to the stadium or watch on TV. That’s because we are cocky. We have kept the timings such that they are working hours. Gone are the days when people would bunk office and fill up every seat at the Eden Gardens. It’s time to be humble and offer Test cricket to fans as per their convenience.”The only way to increase viewership, popularity and thereby its quality is day-night Test matches. Why aren’t we playing more day-night Tests? It’s a no-brainer. It would draw more viewership.”The game’s biggest crowd puller, India, declined to play a day-night Test proposed by Cricket Australia as part of the four-Test series later this year. They were entitled to do so under ICC’s current regulations for bilateral series, which state that hosting a day-night Test requires the consent of the visiting team. However, they are likely to be stripped off that choice once the Test Championship starts, as member boards have recommended it should only be the prerogative of the host nation.It is understood that senior Indian cricketers were wary of being thrown into a pink-ball contest without having trialled it convincingly at home. While the pink ball has been tried in the Duleep Trophy – with mixed reactions from the players – most of India’s Test regulars did not participate. Manjrekar felt that it was paramount that administrators prioritised the greater good of the game as the players, subsumed by the desire to win, are prone to a myopic attitude during their playing days.”The players are wary of it – the pink ball, the dew factor, etc. But I’ve always believed that conditions are never unfair if they are the same for both sides. What is happening is that we want to give perfect conditions for players to play, even if it means nobody is watching. There was a time when the relationship between players and boards, especially in India, was uneasy. They were always at loggerheads. But we must be careful that we don’t go to the other extreme and make players happy, come what may. Not at the cost of the game. Take the bull by the horns. Do what’s best for the game, for its long-term health. And make the players join, even if they are reluctant. They will thank us later. As a player I, too, had a narrower vision of the game than I do now.”

كشف ديدييه ديشامب، المدير الفني لمنتخب فرنسا، موقفه من توجيه اللوم إلى اللاعبين خاصة كيليان مبابي وأنطوان جريزمان، بعد توديع كأس أمم أوروبا من دور نصف النهائي.

وخسرت فرنسا أمام منتخب إسبانيا، بهدفين لهدف، في إطار منافسات نصف نهائي يورو 2024 مساء أمس.

وقال ديشامب في تصريحات نشرتها صحيفة “آس” الإسبانية: “مبابي وجريزمان؟ لن ألقي المسؤولية على اللاعبين، المسؤولية تقع على عاتقي، علينا أن نتذكر أن مبابي عانى من كسر في أنفه، حتى لو وصلنا إلى نصف النهائي، أمام إسبانيا التي كانت رائعة، كيليان كان متأخرًا قليلًا أيضًا”.

وأضاف: “أنا لا أبحث عن الأعذار، لقد بدأنا التحضير ولم يكن لدينا تشواميني، أصيب رابيو، ووصل أوباميكانو في ظروف صعبة، نحن نحاول أن نكون فعالين قدر الإمكان”.

وواصل: “رغم كل شيء، افتتحنا التسجيل، ثم تغير كل شيء، سيطرت إسبانيا. لم نكن جيدين، قاتلنا حتى النهاية، لن ألوم اللاعبين على أي شيء”.

اقرأ أيضًا.. لا فوينتي عن يامال بعد تألقه أمام فرنسا: تذكروا أنه فانِ.. والنهائي سيكون مختلفًا تمامًا

وأردف: “الانتقادات؟ لست هنا للتعليق على ذلك، تحدث عما تريد، لا توجد مشكلة، وصلنا إلى الدور نصف النهائي، وكل واحد له تحليله الخاص، لم يكن لدينا 100% من إمكاناتنا للقيام بما يمكننا القيام به لأسباب مختلفة”.

وفيما يخص مستقبله كمدرب للمنتخب، قال: “اسأل رئيسي، لقد خسرت للتو مباراة نصف النهائي، أنا هادئ جدًا، رئيسي يعلم رأيه جيدًا”.

وعن عدم ارتداء مبابي للقناع الطبي، قال: “لقد جعل القناع الرؤية بالنسبة له أمرًا مستحيلًا، وبما أن الطاقم الطبي رأى أنه يستطيع اللعب بدونها، فقد شعر براحة أكبر”.

وعندما سُئل عن رأيه تجاه هدف لامين يامال الخرافي، قال: “التسديدة كانت رائعة، تتمتع إسبانيا بجودة اللاعبين الذين يمكنهم التسديد من مسافة بعيدة خارج منطقة الجزاء، هذا يمنحهم المزيد من الحرية، لكن التسديدة كانت مثالية”.

واختتم: “جيرو؟ إنه يشعر بخيبة أمل مثل جميع اللاعبين، لقد مر بفترات صعبة، أردت أن أنهي مع المنتخب الفرنسي في النهائي، برافو وأشكرك على كل ما قمت به يا جيرو”.

Liverpool's main priority in the summer transfer window was bolstering their midfield personnel, losing the likes of Fabinho, Jordan Henderson and James Milner centrally who had become part of the furniture at Anfield leaving numbers depleted.

Their main midfield target was Moises Caicedo, a heavily publicised transfer tussle with Chelsea ensuing with Todd Boehly's millions unfortunately coming up trumps for the Blues at the expense of Liverpool.

Jurgen Klopp would settle for the incomings of four other midfielders instead – signing Dominik Szoboszlai, Alexis Mac Allister, Ryan Gravenberch and Waturo Endo, the final buy a shock but shrewd purchase after Caicedo opted for west London over Merseyside.

This new quartet have been impressive for Liverpool so far, Szoboszlai, in particular, has nailed down a starting spot in the first team and excelled since leaving RB Leipzig behind – scoring a stunning first-time strike versus Aston Villa last month, Klopp's men convincingly winning 3-0 on the day.

Yet, even with these new midfield additions standing out at Anfield, Klopp could well look to the stars he already had in the building before these deals were concluded to make an impact still.

In this case, Liverpool wonderkid Harvey Elliott could well be knocking on the door for more first-team starts again after a promising cameo last match in the Merseyside Derby.

How is Harvey Elliott playing this season?

Making his debut for the Reds at just 16 years of age, the then-teenage starlet has developed into a fantastic talent over the last few seasons.

He has only been afforded cameos off the bench recently however, Elliott unable to break back into the first-team mould with the plethora of options Klopp can now call upon in the centre of the park.

Yet, when he has been substituted on this campaign, he has made an impact as an explosive attacking midfielder who takes advantage of opposition players tiring.

His brief 28-minute spell against Everton last time out has seen many Liverpool fans call for Elliott to start in Klopp's first team more often, the number 19 helping the Reds to clinch a hard-fought 2-0 win over the ten-man Toffees.

His additional energy would be crucial to how Jurgen Klopp's men played in that second half, needing to take advantage of Ashley Young's dismissal by playing a more full-throttle game.

A fierce effort by the 20-year-old nearly went in after being substituted on, an unexpected long-range attempt nearly catching Jordan Pickford off-guard with the Toffees shot-stopper intervening last second to tip the attempt onto the crossbar.

He would impressively complete all 31 of his passes in the contest at Anfield – per Sofascore – with one of these passes helping Liverpool score late on in injury time to secure a much-deserved win against their Merseyside rivals.

A calm pass from the £40k-per-week midfielder – with Everton bodies surrounding him – allowed the Reds to score their second of the afternoon, a defence-splitting pass finding Darwin Nunez who would then tee up Mo Salah for a simple finish.

This brief but brilliant cameo could well leave Klopp with a decision to make centrally, Elliott on the cusp of working his way up the midfield rankings and playing far more often under his German head coach.

A return to European action later in the week could well benefit his chances of earning minutes, potentially ahead of summer signing Graveberch, a man still adjusting to Klopp's demands.

Ange Postecoglou has re-equipped Tottenham Hotspur with the firepower to fight for a spot at the top of the Premier League after a period of instability, but could target further transfer arrivals in January.

Who are Tottenham interested in signing?

The Lilywhites currently top the league table after eight matches and are positively flourishing, already boasting victories over Manchester United and Liverpool and drawing against Arsenal at the Emirates Stadium.

But a few injuries to key players will have supporters concerned that the finely-poised equilibrium could be unsettled, with Ivan Perisic ruled out for most of the season, Manor Solomon's knee injury resulting in a lengthy layoff and Brennan Johnson struggling for fitness thus far.

With the £60m Richarlison vacillating from form – with just one league goal this season – it's very much a possibility that Postecoglou will issue a swoop for a new forward during the winter, with Spanish sources revealing that Al-Ittihad winger Jota, aged 24, could be set for a reunion with his former manager.

Indeed, the former Celtic star is attracting attention from Spurs, who want to sign him on loan, after Saudi Pro League rules stipulate no more than eight foreign players can be registered, with the £25m signing having been swiftly cast aside.

Should Tottenham sign Jota?

While Jota is something of an unknown commodity on English shores, Tottenham supporters will be getting familiar with his name following the persisting rumours of Postecoglou's interest.

The 58-year-old boss fielded the Portuguese talent 83 times during their time together at Parkhead, with Jota scoring 28 goals and supplying 26 assists, earning praise for his “brilliant” performances, as has been claimed by Queen of the South manager Marvin Bartley.

Given that he is unable to play league football at present, Tottenham really do present an enticing offer for a player of his ability, who could offer direct and creative threat across the frontline and combat the current spate of injuries.

He could also give Dejan Kulusevski a run for his money, with the Swede having started all eight of Tottenham's Premier League matches this term, scoring twice.

The 23-year-old has been dubbed a "magician" by teammate Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg for his quality on the ball, but has only registered a direct goal contribution once in every four matches (0.26) on average over the past year, as per FBref.

That being said, he flattered to deceive last year and is now returning to form, but the lack of alternatives on the right flank could prove to hinder Spurs' chances of success for a player who is known to blow "hot and cold" – as was said by Glenn Murray – with Postecoglou also said to have been unconvinced by the Swede ahead of this season, according to 90min.

The 5 foot 9 Jota, comparatively, might be rarely seen in Saudi Arabia but was emphatic in his prolific feats last year, posting 15 goals and 12 assists across all competitions for the Hoops – praised for one "perfect" goal by journalist Josh Bunting.

That added injection of dynamism and depth really could be integral to Tottenham's pursuit of Champions League qualification and perhaps even more this season, with the "revelation" – as he was once dubbed by Alex McLeish – holding the key to unlocking offensive fluidity and constancy.

Kulusevski is a protean threat and one who has already demonstrated his worth in an ambitious Spurs side this season, but given the relative sparsity of the squad's current attacking options, bolstering the ranks with an ace of Jota's calibre might be a prudent move.

West Ham United now hold very strong interest in signing a “fantastic” forward, with Nuno personally keen on a deal.

West Ham's January transfer window plans taking shape

West Ham are looking to strengthen their chances of avoiding the drop by making some new signings in the January transfer window, and Nuno may want to improve his options at the back, given his recent comments.

The 51-year-old said: “We haven’t achieved a clean sheet yet. That is something we need to do. There is improvement. But not total improvement. We still haven’t reached the standard we expect. We are creating chances. It is about finding the balance.”

At the opposite end of the pitch, Jarrod Bowen has continued to impress, with the Englishman scoring in his last two Premier League matches, while summer signing Callum Wilson has made a promising start to life at the London Stadium.

However, the Irons remain keen on strengthening their attacking options even further, according to ExWHUEmployee, who told The West Ham Way that a move for a domestic-based striker is now being prioritised.

A number of targets have been identified, including Coventry City’s Haji Wright and Norwich City’s Josh Sargent, while there is also very strong interest in Fulham winger Adama Traore, with Nuno personally keen on a reunion.

The manager is a big fan of the former Wolverhampton Wanderers man, singling him out for high praise during his time at Molineux: “The moment me, him and his team-mates realise how good Adama can be be, I hope I will be here to see it. He is unique and very special.”

“It’s his personality, character and heart, he’s a very nice boy. A very nice human being.”

“When I say unique, I say unique all over football. There is no player like Adama.”

Traore struggling to make an impact at Fulham

Marco Silva lauded the Spaniard as “fantastic” earlier this season, but in truth, he has struggled to make an impact in the Premier League, yet to register a goal or an assist, and the winger has predominantly been utilised as a substitute.

That said, there are some signs the 29-year-old could be a solid addition, having averaged 0.30 assists per 90 over the past year, which places him in the 83rd percentile, compared to other wingers.

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The eight-time Spain international also loves driving at opposition defences, averaging 2.23 successful take-ons per 90 and 5.21 progressive carries over the same time period, again outperforming the vast majority of his positional peers.

If Nuno feels as though he can get the best out of Traore, it may be worth pursuing a January move, but signing a new striker should remain the priority, given that Niclas Fullkrug has already held talks over a departure.

Newcastle United enjoyed tremendous success last season, rising from the rubble that had shackled the prestigious Premier League outfit to obscurity for too long, now boasting firepower to rival Europe's big boys.

Securing a top-four finish in the league, manager Eddie Howe had manufactured triumph unseen on Tyneside for an age in his first full year with the club.

Newcastle's past four PL finishes	Season
4th (71 points)	22/23
11th (49 points)	21/22
12th (45 points)	20/21
13th (44 points)	19/20

Stats sourced via Transfermarkt

Yes, Newcastle's PIF takeover has pumped in opulence to rival the most well-to-do institutions across the continent, but Dan Ashworth's work plied on the transfer front has been astute and pinpoint.

Nick Pope, Kieran Trippier and Dan Burn, all signed for less than £15m and the cement of the club's instantaneous resurgence in 2021/22; scant purchases have fallen flat. The result? Champions League football and a cup final (albeit ending in defeat).

Regardless, the Magpies are flying and await an enticing Champions League group phase containing European juggernauts Paris Saint-Germain, Borussia Dortmund and AC Milan.

The city is awash with newfound optimism and glimmering with long-lost ambition, however, the start to the 2023/24 campaign has not been convincing, and Howe now needs to rectify the wobbly start.

How have Newcastle performed this season?

When Newcastle and Aston Villa walked onto the St. James' Park pitch to kick off the new campaign, both teams were buoyed by stunning past seasons; Newcastle clinching Champions League, Unai Emery's Villans bagging a spot in the Europa Conference League.

Howe's side opened their account for the year incisively, producing a scintillating offensive display to put five past Emiliano Martinez, winning the game 5-1 and leaving correspondent Craig Hope remarking at the "simply devastating" performance.

It was a reaffirmation of the new position of strength, and while Villa will put it down to simply a poor day at the office, Newcastle were convinced of a continuation of the lasting purple patch. However…

Fast track to the first international break, and the Toon have fallen to defeat in the following trio of Premier League fixtures against Manchester City, Liverpool and Brighton & Hove Albion.

To say that the club are in crisis mode would be a ludicrous, myopic claim; Newcastle have arguably had the toughest start to any outfit in the division, and it took eight fixtures to claim two league victories last term – and we all know how that went.

What is a concern, and certainly presented a quandary in Hope's eyes as he gave his post-match assessment as Brighton dispatched the travelling Toon through Evan Ferguson's clinical hat-trick, was the lack of fluidity and invention.

Despite a lucrative summer of exciting additions, has the equilibrium been unhinged? Have Newcastle adequately targeted the areas of the pitch most important to the strengthening of the framework and the upgrade of an already cohesive machine?

Sandro Tonali was welcomed to the fold from AC Milan in a £55m deal to send shockwaves of excitement through the Magpies masses, but with the midfield partnership of Guimaraes and the Italy international "not working" at present, as Hope claimed, Howe might be inclined to tinker at his system.

What position does Bruno Guimaraes play?

Signed for £40m from French side Lyon in January 2022, months after Howe's appointment, Guimaraes swiftly cemented himself as the midfield centrepiece of the St. James' Park side.

The 12-cap Brazil star – who had been monitored by Manchester United and PSG before his transfer – has been heralded for his "world-class" quality by teammate Burn, and it's clear to see why.

Having made 61 appearances for Newcastle, scoring ten goals and supplying six assists, the 25-year-old has been immense as a deep-lying playmaker, breaking lines with his positive passing and acting as the metronomic component at the centre of the engine.

As per FBref, £46m-rated Guimaraes ranks among the top 16% of midfielders across Europe's top five leagues over the past year for shot-creating actions and successful take-ons, the top 11% for progressive passes, the top 25% for tackles and the top 21% for assists per 90.

Talent scout Jacek Kulig knows his stuff when assessing the potential of budding stars, proclaiming in 2019 – when playing for Athletico Paranaense in Brazil – that the £120k-per-week ace is a midfield "orchestrator" with strength in "passing, vision, tackling, intelligence, technique, work rate."

Last season, the Magpies' midfield worked seamlessly, with Guimaraes partnered, primarily, with Joelinton and Sean Longstaff, with Joe Willock also in the mix.

It was a fluid, interchangeable system, and Tonali's introduction is supposed to be a continuation of this, but the lack of control and balance across the past three fixtures has illuminated the issue that Howe is presented with.

The Brazilian is a very good footballer, that is unquestionable, but he is not a specialist No. 6 and instead utilises his passing prowess, as mentioned, to craft transitional openings for his attack-minded teammates.

Tonali was signed as a multi-functional partner, but from the evidence of the first few weeks, it's not quite working yet.

What are Newcastle's weaknesses?

That's not to say it won't work. If anything, Newcastle should be galvanised by the success in securing the services of one of Italian football's most talented maestros, with Tonali praised for his "gifted" ability by former Italy manager Roberto Mancini.

The £210k-per-week Tonali is not the defensive midfielder the club still needs, but then, neither is Guimaraes. That's not to say it won't work or that they are not first-rate midfielders, take last season's feats for evidence enough, but it is an issue that still needs attention – one would think, when the time comes, it will be a priority position for Ashworth and co.

Ranking among the top 12% of positional peers for assists per 90, Tonali has played a variety of roles already for Newcastle, connecting and ebbing and flowing from the kernel of the midfield against Villa and City, before playing a too-lateral passing game against Liverpool, seemingly contented with preserving the one-goal lead after Virgil van Dijk's red card.

Against the Seagulls, he pushed further up the pitch, evidently a devised plan to combat the lack of positive energy across the past few matches, with the Athletic actually detailing how the 23-year-old's average position was higher up than right-winger Miguel Almiron.

There is a sense that signing a holding midfielder would offer the club a new way of conducting business, Guimaraes could still operate in a base role, utilising his ball-playing range within a double pivot, while Tonali could play that dynamic role and roam around the midfield.

Sean Longstaff's energy and workrate as a box-to-box presence blended well with the 5 foot 11 Guimaraes' own game last season, with the homegrown talent even praised as his side's "unsung hero" by pundit Paul Merson.

Across the summer transfer window, Howe's outfit were linked with an array of midfielders, with the Times (via West Ham Zone) reporting that Mexican titan Edson Alvarez was on the Magpies' radar prior to his £35m move to West Ham United.

Scores more entered transfer circulation, but ultimately, a transfer never materialised and Howe will now need to work out a strategy to get the very best out his current, immensely talented, crop of players.

Are Newcastle in bother? An overreaction. But with the present international break making way for a return to the Premier League and a St. James' Park encounter with Brentford, Howe might be wise to tinker away at his team and seek to restore the balance. Potentially removing Guimaraes from the fold, who has arguably been off his best this season, could well do that.

Either way, it's crucial that Howe hits the nail on the head.

Arsenal midfielder Kai Havertz really struggled to impress in his club's most recent game, as the Emirates crowd vented their "frustration" at him after one incident.

What's the latest on Arsenal vs Fulham?

Having won both of their opening two fixtures of the 2023/24 Premier League season, the Gunners would have been feeling confident ahead of their match this Saturday afternoon.

However, Fulham arrived with intensity at the Emirates and got off to the perfect start when Bukayo Saka's poor pass was latched onto by Andreas Pereira, who then beat Aaron Ramsdale from range after just one minute.

The home side did, however, roar back into the game and scored two goals in just a matter of moments to take the lead in the second half. First, Bukayo Saka netted from the spot after Fabio Vieira won a penalty before Eddie Nketiah finished from close range.

Not long after, Calvin Bassey was sent off for a second bookable offence. Even so, the Gunners couldn't make the most of their numerical advantage as Joao Palhinha volleyed in from a corner, and the game finished all square at 2-2.

Just 56 minutes into the chaos, however, manager Mikel Arteta decided he'd had enough of Havertz and gave him the hook for Vieira – who shone off the bench by winning the penalty and picking up an assist.

When you look at a couple of incidents from the game, it's not hard to see why. In one clip, the German attacker could have easily tapped in his first goal if he'd just been more lively in the box – as you can see below.

In another moment, under little pressure, he played a very wayward return pass to Gabriel Martinelli, forcing his teammate to awkwardly stretch just to keep the ball in play – at which moment you could see Declan Rice vent his anger.

And in a further incident, he even somehow managed to miss when the goal was at his mercy.

What is happening to Kai Havertz?

The 24-year-old joined from London rivals Chelsea in the summer for a notable fee of £65m after three years at Stamford Bridge. After his move, he's been under a lot of scrutiny and hasn't managed to really impress yet.

Read the latest Arsenal transfer news HERE…

Indeed, the German has yet to score or pick up an assist for the Gunners and this game passed him by again; albeit, he has been playing slightly deeper this season as opposed to when he was up top for the Blues.

After his disappointing display against Fulham, he came into some criticism in the media. For instance, reporter James Benge summed up the mood of the Emirates after one particularly unfortunate moment.

The journalist took to Twitter to say: "That cry of frustration when Havertz misplaced a simple pass felt very redolent of the time when this ground had very little patience for certain players"

What's more, Kaya Kaynak of football.london gave him a 5/10 player rating and wrote: "A difficult day at the office for the German. A few loose passes, one of which particularly angered the home fans.

"Also a bit on his heels when chance to get on the end of crosses came up. Needs to do more to convince the Emirates faithful."

All in all, it was a worrying display for the German as he continues to get used to his new surroundings.

Celtic are plotting a summer swoop to sign Newcastle United forward Ryan Fraser, and a new report has revealed the club’s chances of bringing him to the Scottish Premiership.

Where was Ryan Fraser born?

Fraser was born in Aberdeen where he spent the early years of his career before moving to England to carry out spells at Bournemouth, Ipswich Town and finally Newcastle who he joined on a free transfer back in 2020, as per Transfermarkt, but despite having been at the club for three years, he could be on his way before the end of the ongoing window.

In the Premier League last season, the left-winger made just three starts and five substitute appearances across the whole of the campaign, via WhoScored, showing not only how out of favour he is but indicating that he may have to complete a move elsewhere should he want to receive more regular game time going forward.

The Scotland international still has another two years remaining on his contract in the northeast, so it mmay take some kind of fee to prise him away, but that doesn’t seem to be a problem for Brendan Rodgers who has set his sights on the attacker, though it’s not the first time he’s been linked with a switch to Parkhead.

Back in 2020, The Telegraph credited the Hoops with an interest in the 29-year-old before he finalised his move to St. James’ Park, so having already missed out on their target once, chiefs appear to be taking a second bite of the cherry in the hope of a more successful outcome this time around.

Are Celtic signing Ryan Fraser?

According to The Northern Echo, Celtic are “lining up a move” for Fraser in the final weeks of the window. The Glasgow outfit are “ready to make a formal approach” for the unwanted forward who has been “identified” by Rodgers as a “viable target” with the boss looking to bolster his ranks with another winger.

Newcastle are “unlikely to demand a significant transfer fee” because they want to get him off their books and wage bill having already demoted him to training with the development squad, not to mention that his number 21 shirt has been taken by their new signing Tino Livramento, so this is definitely one to keep a close eye on.

How much does Ryan Fraser earn?

At Newcastle, Fraser currently pockets £42k-per-week which he clearly isn’t earning considering that he’s been excluded from the first team fold, but he’s still got so much potential to offer so that could all change should he decide to put pen to paper at Celtic.

The Wasserman Client has posted 86 goal contributions (52 assists and 34 goals) since the start of his career which has previously seen him dubbed a “threat” to the opposition’s defence in the final third by journalist Josh Bunting, but he is also capable of playing in several other roles over the pitch.

Sponsored by Nike, Fraser is a versatile operator having been deployed in an incredible nine different positions since first bursting onto the professional scene, including three up top, four in the midfield and even two in defence, so for a player who really could cover every blade of grass should you ask him to adapt, he could be a fantastic bargain for Rodgers.