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At this stage of the transfer window, random footballers tend to be plucked from the air and linked to various clubs.

Newcastle United have had another frustrating few months trying to bring in some fresh talent to bolster Rafael Benitez’s squad.

Once again, club owner Mike Ashley has caused problems for the manager, who has publicly admitted that he is in the dark with regards to transfer funds.

Martin Dubravka, Ki-Sung yueng, Kenedy, Fabian Schar, Yoshinori Muto and Salomon Rondon have all come through the welcome gates at St James’ Park, but Benitez is not done.

According to a recent report in The Sun, the former Liverpool boss is eyeing a move for Bournemouth midfielder Harry Arter, who the club value at around £10m.

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It seems that if the Magpies are serious about trying to sign the Republic of Ireland international, who has 13 caps to his name, they need to beat off competition from Cardiff City, Middlesbrough and Stoke City.

On Twitter, Newcastle fans have debated whether recruiting Arter would be a good move from Benitez.

Some believe that the club should consider offloading Isaac Hayden in a swap deal.

The transfer window may be over for Newcastle United, but they still have the opportunity to sign free agents at any time to bolster their options in various positions. 

Rafa Benitez was able to bring in plenty of new players during the summer window, many of which will give the club a huge boost in their bid for survival. But yet they remain alarmingly short of strength in depth both in attacking midfield and on the right-wing.

Ayoze Perez and Matt Ritchie have their respective positions secured at this moment in time with little by way of competition to challenge them for a starting berth, but that could all change if Newcastle take note of Alessio Cerci’s availability.

The 31-year-old attacking midfielder was recently released from Hellas Verona at the end of a season in which they were relegated from Serie A, and he is now available to sign on a free transfer.

With the ability to cut in from the right-wing onto his favoured left-foot or play in a number ten role behind the striker, Cerci offers a level of versatility across two positions in which the Magpies are short of quality options.

Although there’s no doubt that he is past is electric best at 31-years-of-age, especially given his injury problems in recent years, Newcastle would certainly be wise to take a punt on the Italian midfielder this summer in order to add depth to their sparse options.

It’s clear from the fact that Cerci has managed to score 41 goals and provide 39 assists from 201 Serie A appearances that he possesses the killer instinct to make a decisive impact in the final-third.

At this stage in his career Cerci will struggle to play 90 minutes on a consistent basis so some form of incentive based contract which takes appearances, goals and assists into account could be a desirable agreement for all involved.

The importance of squad players cannot be underestimated across a 38 fixture season, so Benitez must add another to his ranks by signing Cerci on a free transfer before he gets snapped by a rival club.

Newcastle fans – thoughts? Let us know below!

Former Celtic striker Chris Sutton took to Twitter to hint that Blackburn Rovers defender Charlie Mulgrew could be a good signing for Celtic following his performance on Wednesday night, and Bhoys fans were quick to react.

The Rovers captain helped the Lancashire outfit return to the Championship last term with 14 goals and a further five assists despite playing as a centre-back, and he carried on his goalscoring form in the 2-2 draw against Reading at Ewood Park by twice converting from the penalty spot.

The 32-year-old made more than 200 appearances for the Scottish Premiership holders previously before joining Blackburn two years ago, and with Brendan Rodgers’ current centre-back options struggling right now he would probably prove to be a decent buy.

Celtic supporters took to social media to have their say on Sutton’s comments on Mulgrew, and while one said “he would jump at the chance”, another said “he wasn’t good enough when we got rid”.

Here is just a selection of the Twitter reaction…

West Ham United booked their spot in the third round of the EFL Cup with a 3-1 win over AFC Wimbledon in the second round of the competition on Tuesday night.

It was far from a vintage performance from the Hammers, but they did come from 1-0 behind to ensure that Manuel Pellegrini would pick up his first win as head coach.

Lucas Perez has made two substitute appearances for West Ham since his arrival from Arsenal during the summer, but he was in the XI against Wimbledon.

The 29-year-old struggled to make his mark against the League One outfit, however, which has led to a lot of criticism from the West Ham fans.

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Javier Hernandez was also picked out as an underperforming player on the night, and Perez has received similar treatment from the club’s supporters.

Perez will seemingly have to wait before potentially securing a spot in Pellegrini’s first XI, and the Spaniard will certainly need to up his game from Tuesday night.

A selection of the Twitter reaction can be seen below:

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Achraf Lazaar has become a forgotten figure at Newcastle United, but it seems that there could be a way back for the left-back.

The 26-year-old has been part of the club since 2016 when he signed from Palermo, but under manager Rafael Benitez he has struggled for game time.

In fact, last season in the Magpies’ first campaign back in the Premier League, Lazaar was sent to Benevento on loan, where he made made just nine appearances and scored one goal.

Throughout the summer transfer window, it seemed likely that Morocco international would move on, but a proposed switch to Genoa fell through.

The only thing left for Lazaar to do, until January at least, is work his way back into Benitez’s team.

It appears that there is a route for him to do so having been named in the squad for the first half of the campaign, unlike teammate Rolando Aarons.

On Twitter, some Newcastle fans have been posting their thoughts on Lazaar’s inclusion.

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According to ESPN, Liverpool have made contact with the agent of Adrien Rabiot in order to negotiate a deal with the PSG midfielder.

What’s the story?

Rabiot has so far refused to sign a new contract with the French reigning champions, and so may leave as a free agent come the end of the season when his current deal with the club expires. 

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Having been with PSG since joining the club’s youth academy in 2010, the 23-year-old has since made over 200 senior appearances for the Parisien outfit and has won Ligue 1 and the Coupe de France four times each. Now, however, the France international appears set upon seeking pastures now.

Foreign clubs may offer the powerful midfielder a pre-contract agreement as early as January, and Liverpool look to have made the first move. Before the Reds can land their man, though, Arsenal would be wise to make their own approach for Rabiot.

Adrien for Arsenal

New Gunners boss Unai Emery could really do with a player of Rabiot’s physical stature and technical ability being added to his midfield contingent. Despite the recent arrivals of Lucas Torreira and promising youngster Matteo Guendouzi, this is still an area of the pitch that requires work.

Granit Xhaka lacks the defensive awareness and mobility required to thrive in the Premier League, Mohamed Elneny has suffered a severe loss of form and Aaron Ramsey could be set to leave on a free transfer. A reunion for Emery, a former PSG manager, with Rabiot at the Emirates Stadium would represent the injection of steel that the North London outfit’s midfield desperately needs, and he would be an upgrade on Xhaka.

The Gunners must act fast and put up a fight to ensure that Jurgen Klopp isn’t able to attract this perfect Arsenal target to Anfield first. 

Manchester United will be looking forward to getting back to action following the international break as Jose Mourinho looks to build on last weekend’s win at Burnley.

A difficult few weeks for United and their manager was put to bed briefly at Turf Moor, but more will be needed and on a consistent basis if the critics currently hounding Old Trafford are going to go away any time soon.

The summer transfer window turned into a frustrating one for United, despite the addition of Fred and young right back Diogo Dalot. Missing out on the likes of Harry Maguire turned out to be a big moment, and it would appear that those sort of deals not happening are bringing Mourinho and United supremo Ed Woodward to blows.

However, we at the Tavern think there could be cheaper alternatives out there, and one who we think fits that mould is Brighton defender Lewis Dunk.

The big centre half has been a model of consistency for the Seagulls in the last few years and has taken to Premier League football with ease.

Much like Maguire, Dunk honed his craft in the lower regions of football, and has impressed during his time under Chris Hughton at the AMEX, leading many to believe he can indeed cut it at an even higher level.

The step up to United is huge, but one Dunk could well make given the time and coaching available at Old Trafford. Dominant in the air and comfortable enough on the floor, Dunk could well go on to be a star for a team like United, he just needs the opportunity.

United fans, what do you think? Can Dunk cut it at your club? Let us know your thoughts in the comments!

Nottingham Forest announced the signing of free-agent Claudio Yacob last week, and a huge majority of Reds fans that answered our poll wanted him to be thrown straight into the starting lineup by Aitor Karanka, even though the Reds boss claimed he was not yet match fit, according to BBC Nottingham Sport on Twitter.

Forest currently sit in 14th place in the Championship having won just one game, drawn four and lost one of their first six. The Reds however spent over £20m this summer and would have expected better.

Incredibly, Yacob became Karanka’s 17th new addition of the summer on a free transfer after he had left his former club West Brom at the end of his contract.

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Karanka has favoured Jack Colback, who is on loan from Newcastle, and Ben Watson so far in the two defensive midfield roles that his 4-2-3-1 formation requires, but theÂ5ft 11in tallÂYacob, who has two caps for his national side Argentina, seems to be the player that Forest fans want to protect the back four.

Check out the full results of our poll below.

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Tottenham Hotspur were linked with a move for Lazio striker Ciro Immobile during the summer transfer window, and with Harry Kane struggling for form and with the Italian scoring for his side in the Europa League on Thursday night, Daniel Levy should have taken a big-money risk on the 28-year-old.

What’s the word, then?

Well, The Mirror reported back in April that Spurs were lining up a £100m double swoop on Lazio for duo Sergey Milinkovic-Savic and Immobile, rated at £45m by Transfermarkt, and that the funds for any potential deal could come from selling the likes of Mousa Dembele, Danny Rose and Toby Alderweireld during the summer.

However, the trio – along with teammates like Moussa Sissoko and Victor Wanyama – all remained with the north London outfit, as they failed to make a single addition to their squad before the window slammed shut on August 9.

While Mauricio Pochettino’s men got off to a decent enough start to the current campaign, three straight losses for the first time since the Argentine took charge of Tottenham – and a number of their players looking a shadow of their former selves following the 2018 World Cup – mean they are really struggling right now.

Why should they have signed Immobile?

The Italy international showed the goalscoring ability he has with 41 goals in 47 appearances in all competitions for Lazio last term, and while he may only have two in five outings so far this season – including the winner from the penalty spot against Apollon Limassol on Thursday – there is no doubt he would have made a difference for Tottenham.

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Kane is showing signs of fatigue following his exploits for England in Russia, and Levy and Pochettino failed to find a suitable alternative to the Three Lions captain during the summer window with Fernando Llorente far from an able back-up.

Immobile would have been exactly that, and even if he came at a cost Spurs should have splashed the cash on the 28-year-old, and they would be in a much better position right now if they had.

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Involving two sides that employ similar philosophies, virtually the same formation and have scored precisely 14 top flight goals this season, Chelsea and Liverpool’s Premier League clash on Saturday looks set to be something of a thriller.

They gave a preview on Wednesday night in the form of a Carabao Cup encounter, but what will determine the next instalment this weekend? Football FanCast take a look at the key factors that will decide where Chelsea vs Liverpool is lost and won…

The Key Battle – Eden Hazard vs Mohamed Salah

It may seem an obvious one but when there are two world-class attacking talents on show, it’s difficult to resist drawing parallels. Eden Hazard seems to have kicked up a gear this term and produced an utterly unstoppable cameo outing at Anfield in midweek, scoring an early goal of the season contender to compliment his Premier League haul of five goals and two assists. Maurizio Sarri has even tipped the Belgium international to net 40 times by the end of the campaign.

Mohamed Salah, on the other hand, just hasn’t quite seemed like his usual self – certainly less smiles and less goals. But the Egyptian attacker has still notched up three strikes in six Premier League outings and statistically at least, his per game returns for the season have so far been in line with what he produced during his debut campaign at Anfield. Salah will be desperate to find the net against his former club and provide the kind of performance that will silence his emerging critics.

The Key Dynamic – Who can attack without leaving themselves too open?

It’s the delicate balance that decides every football game, but the poise between attack and defence on Saturday will be particularly important due to the teams involved. Jurgen Klopp and Maurizio Sarri will both insist their sides take the game to the opposition but it will need to be done in a way that doesn’t give complete freedom to the array of offensive quality on show.

Throw in the fact they employ similar philosophies and exactly the same formation, and Saturday’s game could quickly transgress into an incredibly open game of chess.

Based on performances so far this season, though, Liverpool surely boast the upper hand here. They’ve only conceded two goals in the Premier League and one of those was the Alisson howler against Leicester City. They appear to have found that crucial equilibrium by steadying themselves in defence, whereas the Blues are still glaringly open – especially when both full-backs push up the pitch to join the attack.

The Deciding Factor – Surviving Liverpool’s early onslaught

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Liverpool have scored the most first half goals of any Premier League team so far this season and remain the only side yet to concede in the opening 45 minutes. That’s an incredibly telling statistic but isn’t all that surprising; historically, the Reds have always looked to start games as strongly as possible and charge their way to an early lead, before controlling the match from then on.

That trait can, however, be used against them. In a 4-1 win at Wembley last season Tottenham started hard as well, scoring twice in the opening twelve minutes, and while attempting to replicate that is no doubt a risky strategy, the alternative is simply to survive Liverpool’s early onslaught by any means possible.

After that, they begin to run out of steam and those surging attacks become a lot less effective – something Jose Mourinho proved when Chelsea ended the Reds’ title hopes by winning 2-0 at Anfield during the 2013/14 season.

It’s not how Sarri likes to play the game but a pragmatic first half hour could be what wins it for the Blues. On the other hand, if Chelsea don’t pull it off and Liverpool blitz them in the early exchanges, the match could be over before half time.

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The Impact Subs – Ross Barkley vs Xherdan Shaqiri

Ross Barkley will likely need to settle for a spot on the bench after starting at Anfield in midweek but his potential impact on this game shouldn’t be overlooked.

Sarri is clearly fond of the England international, having included him in Chelsea’s early outings this season, and Barkley will always carry an extra motivation when playing Liverpool as an Everton academy product.

It’s not quite happened for him yet at Chelsea but Saturday’s clash could provide Barkley’s breakthrough moment for the Blues.

Liverpool fans finally saw the impact Xherdan Shaqiri could have this season last weekend when the summer signing dazzled in the first half of a 3-0 win over Southampton.

It won’t be quite so easy for the 75-cap Switzerland international away at Stamford Bridge but from dead ball situations especially, he could make a real difference for the Reds late on when there are tired legs and tired minds in Chelsea’s defensive third.

Liverpool lacked a real impact substitute last season but they’ve certainly found one in the former Stoke talisman, who can change the shape of Klopp’s midfield and the rhythm of the Reds’ attack.