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Newcastle United fans here in the Transfer Tavern grow in concern over the recent news of an injury to one of their star performers. 

Rafa Benitez has set the Toon Army up for an impressive start to the season, as they sit proudly just inside the top half of proceedings. Looking to build on this momentum to take them right through to the January transfer window, where hopefully they’ll be able to enjoy some more investment.

However, in their last match, they faced a tricky trip away to face the inform Burnley at Turf Moor. Coming off the back of a win against Palace had let to the players being in fine confidence heading into kick off, but this wasn’t the case after the game, as it slowly diminished.

They endured a tough 1-0 defeat in what was a fairly even game after a late winner downed the Toon, much to the dismay of the punters here clad in black and white.

The loss wasn’t the only problem for Newcastle, as one of their inform players, Mikel Merino, who missed the game as he underwent an injury assessment on his back. This was a huge blow for the Tyneside club, as a player who has been so influential and found himself on the goal scoring sheet in recent games had to sit out on the sidelines.

Still, if you’re going to be a successful team and provide consistent results, then you need to have the depth and quality to replace unfortunate situations such as this one.

So, with some important games on the horizon, it looks vital that Newcastle can utilize squad depth and consistency in performance in what will be a tough few weeks.

Here’s a look at 2 players that will need to step up in Merino’s absence…

Mohamed Diame

The Senegalese international has been very much on the fringes of the side so far this season, as he tries to find a way in.

The tall midfield dominator was pivotal in the sides rise to the Premier League, but has had limited chances so far. Still, with the recent news of the Merino injury, Benitez opted to give the central midfielder a chance and he started against Burnley.

Having to fill a big void, it was important that the anchorman performed to the highest level, though was dispossessed too easily and remained largely anonymous.

On his day he can cause any midfielder or defender absolute nightmares as his strength and long legs glide past his opponents, while offering a deathly aerial threat.

Isaac Hayden

The former Arsenal youngster was always a promising prospect for the London based side and has continued this on Tyneside. After producing consistently high-quality performances over the past couple of seasons, he’s become a vital player for the Toon.

Benitez so far this season has been a manager who’s grown very fond of the rotation system, constantly rotating Hayden, Merino, Shelvey and now Diame as games go on.

But with Merino now out of the rotation, there is added pressure on the young star to step up and perform to the highest order.

Now with some important games on the horizon, he will probably be the preferred choice over Diame. However, he needs to find that extra level to match the start made by Merino, having made 8 appearances for the side so far this season with a goal in his last start for the side at St Mary’s.

So Newcastle fans, how vital is it that these two men can step up? 

According to Diario Gol, Arsenal have identified Real Madrid goalkeeper Keylor Navas as the perfect replacement for the ageing Petr Cech.

What’s the story?

Cech will certainly be remembered as one of the best goalkeepers to play in the Premier League, but there is no getting away from the fact that the 35-year-old has struggled to produce his best form in the early stages of the 2017-18 season.

It is not a surprise that Arsenal are looking to the future, and according to Diario Gol, the capital giants want Real Madrid stopper Navas to be their new number one.

The 30-year-old has been Los Blancos’ first-choice goalkeeper in each of the last three seasons, but talk of David de Gea joining from Manchester United will not go away, with many believing that the deal will finally happen next summer.

If that occurred, Navas would surely move on, and it would not be a surprise to see the Costa Rica international pitch up in the Premier League.

Would Navas be a good signing for Arsenal?

With Real Madrid actively trying to sign De Gea over the last three years, it would be easy to assume that Navas was struggling at the Bernabeu.

That is simply not the case, however, with the former Levante stopper proving a dependable performer between the sticks.

It is true that Navas, who is valued at £16.2m by transfermarkt.co.uk, has made the odd mistake, but the goalkeeper has also made a series of outstanding saves, especially in big matches.

The 30-year-old came close to joining Man United in the summer of 2015 in a deal that would have seen De Gea move in the opposite direction, but a faulty fax machine saw the move fall through.

The thought of Navas arriving at the Emirates Stadium might not excite too many of the Arsenal supporters, but he is a terrific goalkeeper, and played a key role in Real Madrid winning the Champions League and La Liga last season.

To think the beautiful game started out as something so simple as rival villages kicking a pigskin across a field. If you’d had told them it would one day become an industry where nation states effectively fund transfers worth in excess of £100million, they’d have sent you to the nearest mad house.

Nonetheless, that is the era football now resides in; the age of corporate interest, global marking profiles and records broken in every transfer window without fail. Just when people thought Manchester United had dangerously overspent on Paul Pogba in 2016, PSG went out last summer and snapped up Kylian Mbappe and Neymar for even more ludicrous fees.

Indeed, the rate of inflation in the modern market shows worryingly little signs of relenting and former Tottenham boss Harry Redknapp believes we’re now in a situation where every footballer who can ‘lace their boots’ is effectively overpriced. That’s caused him to question how much a certain Manchester United legend would be worth in the present day…

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West Ham United drew 1-1 with Leicester City at the London Stadium on Friday night, and Irons fans were quick to praise Marko Arnautovic’s performance.

Hammers boss David Moyes was looking to pick up his first point in charge against the Foxes but his side got off to the worst possible start as Marc Albrighton scored within the first 10 minutes, before Cheikhou Kouyate netted an equaliser just before half-time.

Arnautovic has been something of a controversial figure following his club-record move from Stoke City during the summer after struggling to make an impression and being sent off on his second Premier League appearance for the east London outfit.

However, he showed his qualities in the final third against Leicester and also worked hard defensively to help his team.

West Ham supporters took to social media to give their thoughts on the Austria international’s showing, and while one said “he can become a cult hero”, another said he’s “like a new player”.

Here is just a selection of the Twitter reaction…

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Matches between Southampton and Bournemouth have become derbies over the years due to the clubs’ close proximity.

The pair have gone head to head more regularly over recent seasons due to the Cherries progression into the Premier League.

In the last four meetings between the clubs, the Saints have come out on top twice, while Bournemouth have only been victorious once in what was a 2-0 triumph in March last year.

The last time that Southampton played the Cherries away, they earned a 3-1 victory, with Ryan Bertrand and Jay Rodriguez getting on the scoresheet.

The Saints are currently better positioned in the table than their competitors as they sit 11th, four places above Bournemouth, but only have a two-point advantage.

Mauricio Pellegrino’s side have only managed one win in their last four league outings.

The Cherries have had a better run by winning two, drawing one and losing one.

Ahead of Sunday’s contest, Southampton fans have tweeted their predictions for the showdown.

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Southampton completed what should prove to be a very smart piece of business at the end of June by signing Mohamed Elyounoussi from FC Basel in a deal worth £16 million, and recent reports suggest another top attacking player could be available for a summer transfer. 

Based on Elyounoussi’s impressive match-winning performance during FC Basel’s shock victory over Manchester City last season, the Southampton supporters should be feeling excited about watching their new signing in action next season.

With a record of 13 goals and 17 assists to boast from 44 appearances last season, Southampton look set to welcome a player with genuine flair and creativity into their squad, and they will need to get the best out of him next season to ensure they improve upon their sobering 2017/18 campaign.

In order to enable the Norway international to settle into life in the Premier League, Mark Hughes would be wise to sign another attacking talent who possesses both technical quality and a hard-working attitude to provide defensive cover for his full-back.

One player who matches that description is Tottenham’s Erik Lamela (valued at £18 million by Transfermarkt) and, according to the The Daily Express (via Tribal Football), Mauricio Pochettino is willing to sell the Argentine as part of a mass summer clear out.

If that report does indeed prove to be true then it could be fantastic news for a Southampton side who are crying out for further quality in the final-third.

Lamela’s versatility to play on both wings and in a number ten role would lend Hughes the opportunity to experiment with a number of combinations in order to find a system which best serves Elyounoussi’s abilities.

Elyounoussi is not the type of player to shirk defensive responsibility, but his best qualities certainly shine through when he is allowed to express himself in the final-third, so it would be a huge benefit for him to have a teammate like Lamela who is willing to track back for the team.

Hughes’ rebuild is underway at Southampton but he still has plenty of signings to make to ensure the Saints avoid slipping into a relegation battle once again next season, and signing Lamela would certainly help them take a huge step forwards in their development.

Southampton fans – thoughts? Let us know below!

Liverpool striker Daniel Sturridge still has a future at the club according to manager Jurgen Klopp, as reported in Sky Sports.

What’s the story?

The 28-year-old has been at Anfield since 2013 but has struggled with injuries throughout his career.

The England international was sent out on loan to West Bromwich Albion for the second half of last season but only made six appearances for the Baggies during his spell at the club.

According to the report, the striker is a transfer target for Sevilla and Besiktas and it was thought that his time at Anfield may be coming to a close, but Klopp has insisted he has a future at Liverpool if he wants it.

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Time to part ways?

Even though Sturridge has enjoyed many fantastic moments at Liverpool, as well as impressing in pre-season, it’s surely time for Liverpool to bid a fond farewell to the striker.

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His injury record means he cannot provide Klopp with regular assurance and his wage of £120,000 per week and his valuation of £13.5million on Transfermarkt show that they could free up a fair chunk of money if they offloaded him this summer.

Liverpool’s goalkeeping problem will not be resolved this summer unless they spend big.

The Reds have enjoyed a great transfer window thus far, landing two world-class players in Fabinho and Naby Keita. Jurgen Klopp will also seal a bargain £13m deal for Xherdan Shaqiri in the coming days. And if the latest reports are to be believed, Nabil Fekir’s move to Anfield could be back on the cards.

Despite their excellent transfer deals, their goalkeeping problem remains the biggest issue at the club. Following a string of inconsistent showings, Simon Mignolet was finally dropped as number one after years of failing to impress since joining from Sunderland. He was replaced by Loris Karius who looked just as bad between the sticks. His season ended with two howlers against Real Madrid which cost Liverpool the Champions League trophy.

Klopp has backed Karius to recover from the errors but his form is pre-season has done the German no favours. Videos emerged of another dreadful mistake in the warm-up against Chester before he spilt a free-kick against Tranmere to allow Jonny Smith to tuck home the rebound. Following the error, Danny Ward could be given a chance to stake his claim on the number one jersey.

Ward, however, is not the answer to Liverpool’s problems. With only three appearances for the club since 2012, the Welshman evidently doesn’t have the ability to spearhead a title challenge. The Welshman has no experience at Premier League level. His best spell came at Huddersfield where he saved just 65% of his shots.

If Liverpool are serious about challenging for honours, they need to splash the cash and bring a world-class shot-stopper to Anfield. With a feared attack, a world-class midfield and a blossoming defence, they can’t be let down by their goalkeeper yet again.

Liverpool fans, thoughts?

Sunderland now find themselves in League One and in worrying times after facing back-to-back relegations. 

The Black Cats are more often than not associated with the Premier League having been there for a number of years but times have turned very dark over the Stadium of Light. However, with a fresh start in the third tier of English football, Sunderland could build themselves back up as a club, with the help of West Ham youngster Toni Martinez, who is valued at £1.35 million on Transfermarkt.

The Spaniard has struggled to make a name for himself in the first team even though he was magnificent for the U23’s scoring many goals. Last season, he spent his time on-loan with Real Valladolid and in 10 appearances, he scored one time.

21-year-old Martinez has been out on-loan a few times in the last few seasons but he could easily find a permanent home with Sunderland in League One. The pace, trickery and goalscoring ability could all find itself with a move to the Black Cats seeing as Manuel Pellegrini is unlikely to test the Spaniard upon return to the Hammers. West Ham are a club going on the up and Toni Martinez may no longer be a plan for the future, leaving his career in London uncertain.

Joel Asoro has already left Sunderland leaving the club with few attacking options, something which Toni Martinez could amend. The aim will be to build stability for Sunderland having endured a rollercoaster few seasons and Martinez is a relatively risk-free transfer that could be completed on a loan or permanent deal.

Is the young Spaniard right for Sunderland… Let us know!

Leeds are experiencing a new lease of life under manager Marcelo Bielsa and that could work well in their promotion bid. 

Their collapse last season was due to undoubtedly some of the worst football Leeds have played in a long time as they stumbled from 5th place at Christmas and crashed down to a 13th place finish. Leeds will use this transfer window in the hope of doing enough business so that promotion to the Premier League is made a possibility, like signing Everton youngster Beni Baningime, who is valued at £2.7 million on Transfermarkt.

Last season, the DR Congo-born midfielder appeared in the Premier League on eight occasions, starting in just one of those games. This doesn’t show a lack of quality but a lack of risk from Everton not to experiment with a talented youngster.

Leeds though, would be the perfect team to offer Baningime the opportunity to experience regular football in the Championship, which is a physically demanding league. His attributes would suit the league on paper though as the central-midfielder is a tough tackler that likes to get forward and help attacks.

The 19-year-old could join forces in midfield alongside Lewis Baker, a new arrival also at Elland Road. Failing that, due to Baningime’s versatility, he can also play as a right-back or right-midfielder with his pace and power allowing him to perform a job wherever required.

In what will surely be an exciting season under Marcelo Bielsa, Leeds will want to best prepare their squad with the start of the Championship season looming over the club. Beni Baningime is a player with immense potential and his true ability could be established if given the chance by Leeds.

Do you agree… Let us know!