Manchester United have racked up an eye-watering record debt, but their finances show a positive outcome from the proceeds of Antony and Alejandro Garnacho's sales. The club's total debt has climbed to a record £1.29 billion ($1.72b), driven by fresh borrowing and the long-standing legacy of leveraged ownership. Yet beneath the headline figure sits a more nuanced picture, one shaped by aggressive cost-cutting, a rare operating profit, and timely player sales that have softened the blow.

• Debt continues to pile up at Old Trafford

  According to the quarterly figures, United’s operating debt has reached an unprecedented £749.2m ($1b), following an additional £105m ($140m) drawn down during the most recent reporting period. When combined with non-current liabilities of £216.3m ($289m) and current liabilities amounting to £323.4m ($431.5m), the club’s overall debt burden now stands £60m ($80m) higher than it did a year ago. Much of that liability reflects transfer fees still owed to other clubs, with a significant portion payable within the next 12 months. While such deferred payments are common across elite football, the cumulative scale at Old Trafford remains striking.

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  Ratcliffe restructuring delivers short-term gains

  There has, however, been tangible progress in other areas. The impact of the restructuring programme overseen by minority owner Sir Jim Ratcliffe is now evident in the numbers. United posted an operating profit of £13m ($17m) for the three months up to September, a dramatic turnaround from the £7m loss recorded over the same period last year. Close to 500 jobs have been cut as part of a sweeping redundancy drive aimed at reducing expenditure and streamlining operations. The club’s wage bill for players and staff has fallen by 8.2 per cent to £73.6m ($98m), now accounting for 52.5 per cent of total revenue, down from 56 per cent a year earlier. Overall expenses are also down by just over seven per cent. Despite these savings, costs remain a heavy anchor. Interest and related charges of £21.4m ($28.5m) pushed United back into the red at pre-tax level, resulting in a loss of £8.4m for the quarter. Twelve months earlier, the club had posted a modest profit of £1.6m before tax.

• European absence hits revenue stream

  United’s revenues for the quarter came in at £140m ($187m), representing a two per cent decline year on year. The primary reason is the club’s absence from European competition this season, compounded by two fewer home fixtures during the period. The club has nevertheless reiterated confidence in its broader outlook, forecasting full-year revenues in the region of £600m ($801m) to £640m ($854m) alongside EBITDA of between £180m ($240m) and £200m ($276m). The long-standing American loan tied to the Glazer family’s 2005 takeover remains unchanged at $650m ($867m), or approximately £481m ($642m), continuing to cast a long shadow over the balance sheet.

  One clear positive emerged from the transfer market. The departures of Antony to Real Betis and Alejandro Garnacho to Chelsea generated £60m ($80m) in sales proceeds, playing a key role in delivering the club’s operating profit for the quarter. Those exits not only provided immediate cashflow but also eased wage commitments, reinforcing the financial logic behind difficult sporting decisions.

  Chief executive Omar Berrada framed the results as evidence of progress rather than decline. He said the figures highlighted the "resilience" of Manchester United as it undergoes a structural transformation.

  "These robust financial results reflect the resilience of Manchester United as we make strong progress in our transformation of the club," Berrada said. "The difficult decisions we have made in the past year have resulted in a sustainably lower cost base and a more streamlined, effective organisation equipped to drive the club towards improved sporting and commercial performance over the long term. That has helped us to invest in our men’s and women’s teams."

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  Festive fixtures bring opportunity and risk

  On the pitch, attention now turns to a demanding festive schedule that could shape the mood of the fans heading into the New Year. United begin with a home meeting against Bournemouth on Saturday. They then travel to Aston Villa on December 21 before hosting Newcastle United in the Premier League's sole Boxing Day fixture. The calendar year closes with another Old Trafford outing, this time against Wolves on December 30.

A hat-trick for the South African pace bowler Kyle Abbott as evening sunshine flooded across Worcester all but settled the battle of the bottom two

David Hopps at New Road05-Sep-20181:45

Drama at Taunton as Somerset and Lancashire tie

ScorecardA hat-trick for the South African pace bowler Kyle Abbott as evening sunshine flooded across Worcester all but settled the battle of the bottom two in Hampshire’s favour and gave them renewed hopes of salvaging their Division One status, as well as perhaps consigning Worcestershire to yet another relegation in their perpetual up-and-down existence.Abbott admitted last week that he had been struggling for inspiration in his second season at Hampshire after abandoning international cricket to play out his days in county cricket. A tweak to his contract, a few wickets last week at Chelmsford in a match where Hampshire were trounced by an innings, and the uplifting sight of an uneven, seaming Worcester pitch on which 24 wickets tumbled on the second day was all he needed to put the struggles behind him.Abbott returned the first hat-trick for Hampshire since Billy Taylor in 2006: Joe Clarke, the only batsman in the top six to make double figures, fell for 33 as he edged one that kept low; Josh Tongue, advanced in the order in a desperate attempt to keep Ed Barnard until the morning, was yorked; and Barnard then fell lbw to one that cut back markedly, completing a pair in the day. Abbott finished with 5 for 35 with the chance of the last two wickets on the morrow; Worcestershire need a further 128.Years fell from Hampshire’s experienced international attack as the ball seamed past the outside edge, as it has for two days. They scented a victim with every ball. Abbott, a domineering and robust figure again, felt his cares depart, his fellow South African Dale Steyn could imagine a Test career with stories still to tell, and Fidel Edwards made 36 seem no age at all.”I was pretty stoked up” – Abbott

Kyle Abbott (on his hat-trick): “It is the first of my professional career so I was pretty stoked up by it. It was quite surreal really, three different dismissals, which kind of sums up the pitch. Every ball I felt I was going to get a nick through to the keeper or slips, or bowl someone, or have an lbw.
Alan Richardson (Worcestershire bowling coach): “They’ve got a very good attack, three international quick bowlers on a wicket that has probably assisted them the whole way through so it has made it really challenging for our guys. They have been around a long time, highly skilled bowlers, potentially you would say that has been the difference, just that experience.”

It took one ball for Worcestershire’s second-innings task to appear forlorn, Daryl Mitchell, the one batsman to offer concerted resistance first time around, jabbing Abbott to first slip. A hush fell upon New Road; a vital component removed. Steyn picked off Tom Fell and Alex Milton with ease. Brett D’Oliveira was gated by Abbott, Ben Cox edged Edwards’ outswinger to the wicketkeeper and, although he waited for the decision, the umpires were right to send him packing. Hampshire took the extra half-hour only to be thwarted by desperate ninth-wicket resistance and, ultimately, bad light shortly after seven o’clock.Barring third-morning miracles, it suddenly looks dismal for Worcestershire. Elsewhere, Lancashire have salvaged a tie at Taunton and Yorkshire are putting up stubborn resistance at Trent Bridge. Surrey, champions elect, are next in line. Worcestershire’s young side has many admirable qualities, but top-order resilience is not one of them and the retention of Clarke, their prize batting asset, will be much harder if they go down.Worcestershire were slightly off the pace at the start of the day – 68 for 4 in reply to 191 – and to be dismissed for 120 in a further 16.2 overs served to deepen their predicament. Steyn breaking the innings with two wickets in four balls, D’Oliveira and Barnard both edging balls that snaked away.Hampshire’s lead was 71 and, on such a surface, they only needed to stretch it to 200 to feel in charge. To fall to 25 for 4 was not ideal, a reminder of the promise of Worcestershire’s young attack. But the make-up of struggling sides can be curious in late season, the residue of decisions taken to challenge players not at their best, which explains the decisive presence of Tom Alsop at No. 6 and Liam Dawson eye-catchingly low at No. 8, as they compiled 77 in 19 overs. Wayne Parnell’s intervention as he removed both just before tea helped him to 4 for 23 on his home Championship debut but it came too late.Kyle Abbott bowls for Hampshire•Getty ImagesDawson, of course, has pedigree at eight. He made 66 against India in Chennai there in his first Test innings in 2016, the highest debut score ever made by a batsman in that position. But only three Tests followed, plus a sprinkling of limited-over matches. At 28, further England opportunities might follow, but if they don’t, his challenge to achieve personal fulfilment is not dissimilar to that of Abbott.About the time Alsop and Dawson turned this match Hampshire’s way, a ripple of applause for Alsop’s fifty could be heard in the Ladies Pavilion where tea and cake was being dispensed with military efficiency.”Is that a wicket?” a Worcestershire member asked hopefully.”No, it’s a cheese scone, dear,” came the reply.Alan Bennett would have a field day here. But the confused response was understandable considering the surreal conversation that had just taken place. The previous customer had looked at a line of almond slices with slightly different pastry edges and said: “We used to call them strikers, centre backs and midfielders when I was at school.”The realisation that almond slices in at least one Worcester school were named after football, not cricket, perhaps goes some way to explaining Worcestershire’s never-ending challenge in maintaining life in Division One. Time evidently for Worcestershire’s cake bakers to descend upon the public schools and put a stop to it.

Manchester United boss Erik ten Hag is set to raid the January transfer market as he eyes a solution to his injury crisis at Old Trafford, according to reports.

Man Utd updates: Ten Hag future, Greenwood permanent exit

Football Insider have delivered a worrying piece of Manchester United news concerning Red Devils boss Ten Hag's handling of the dressing room at Old Trafford, amid a backdrop of unsavoury incidents behind-the-scenes this term.

Antony, Mason Greenwood and Jadon Sancho have all been caught up in off-field scenarios over the course of Ten Hag's tenure in charge, while Harry Maguire was stripped of the captaincy at Old Trafford, and the Premier League giants' hierarchy are now believed to be worried that the Dutchman lacks the 'soft skills' to efficiently manage his group of players.

In other news which concerns Manchester United's takeover, Sir Jim Ratcliffe, who is poised to complete a deal to assume control of 25% of the club, will look to 'accelerate' plans to expand Old Trafford to a capacity of 90,000 following widespread discourse that the facilities at the club need to be modernized, as per The Times.

The Glazer family have come under heavy scrutiny for their neglect of one of the most famous stadiums in world football and now it seems as if Ratcliffe has designs on correcting that issue. Ratcliffe reportedly bargained hard in negotiations to improve club infrastructure.

Controversial loanee Greenwood, who is on the books of La Liga side Getafe after being allowed to leave the Red Devils during the summer, is at the centre of a new Manchester United transfer update from The Mirror, which claims that Sevilla are among a batch of clubs in Spain vying to secure his signature permanently.

Greenwood is under contract at Manchester United until 2025; however, he is not expected to play for the Red Devils again after a lengthy investigation into his behaviour away from the field.

Manchester United's last five results – all competitions

Competition

Opponent and result

Venue

Premier League

Manchester United 2-1 Brentford

Old Trafford

Champions League

Manchester United 2-3 Galatasaray

Old Trafford

Premier League

Manchester United 0-1 Crystal Palace

Old Trafford

EFL Cup

Manchester United 3-0 Crystal Palace

Old Trafford

Premier League

Burnley 0-1 Manchester United

Turf Moor

Manchester United transfer news – Marc Guehi

Football Insider have issued another Manchester United transfer update, this time detailing that Crystal Palace defender Marc Guehi has emerged as a target for the Red Devils following Raphael Varane and Lisandro Martinez both suffering injuries in the opening period of the 2023/24 campaign.

The England international has also been tracked by the likes of Liverpool, Newcastle United, Arsenal and Tottenham Hotspur over the last couple of years, but after it was revealed that a centre-back is the Glazers' next transfer priority, it seems United are well in the mix for the Palace star.

Guehi has made nine appearances in all competitions for Crystal Palace this term and has also found his way into the England squad as he continues to be a pivotal player for Roy Hodgson's men (Guehi statistics – Transfermarkt).

Labelled a "brick wall" by Club Brugge goalkeeper Josef Bursik, Guehi's stock continues to rise and a move to Manchester United could help the 23-year-old showcase his talents at the elite level.

Tottenham Hotspur could move for one "playmaker" striker who's "like" former star Harry Kane if they decide to sign one in 2024, according to a very reliable media source when it comes to football transfers.

Spurs transfer targets for 2024

Ange Postecoglou has now officially overseen the best start made to a Premier League season by any new manager, with the Spurs head coach breaking that record while endearing himself to the Lilywhites fanbase in very quick fashion. Tottenham boast a brilliant seven wins from a possible nine thus far; remaining unbeaten in that time with results against high-flying potential title contenders Arsenal and Liverpool.

The north Londoners have discovered a new lease of under Antonio Conte's replacement, who arrived from Celtic in June after winning a plethora of honours north of the border. There had been doubts over Postecoglou's appointment given his lack of experience in an elite European division like the Premier League, but Tottenham's popular new boss is sharply putting them to bed.

However, there is a real elephant in the room where their current form is concerned – Spurs' lack of depth. Son Heung-min, James Maddison, Cristian Romero and Micky van de Ven – alongside full-backs Pedro Porro and Destiny Udogie – are now pivotal for Postecoglou. There is an argument to be made that serious injuries to any of the aforementioned would be a huge, huge worry for Tottenham, not to mention the fact they're lacking a world-class natural centre-forward after Kane's departure.

As a result, reports in the media have linked them with a centre-back and striker most commonly. Galatasaray defender Victor Nelsson, Juventus star Gleison Bremer, Bournemouth's Lloyd Kelly and Bayer Leverkusen's Edmond Tapsoba and Chelsea centre-half Trevoh Chalobah have been named as Spurs transfer targets at various points as options to bolster the defensive area. Meanwhile, Stuttgart striker Serhou Guirassy and Brentford's Ivan Toney could be Tottenham transfer options to replace Kane.

Ivan Toney transfer update

Sharing some news on the latter's future at Brentford this week, reliable journalist Fabrizio Romano suggests that Toney could be a target for Spurs next year, if they do indeed opt to sign one. Romano, writing in a Daily Briefing this week, said (via TEAMtalk):

"We have to [also] see what Tottenham want to do. At the moment they are very happy with the squad but in case they go for a striker, Toney could be an opportunity.”

The 27-year-old marked himself out as one of England's most deadly front men before his ban for alleged gambling breaches this year. Toney scored a brilliant 20 league goals last season, making him one of the country's hottest transfer commodities right now amid widespread interest from up and down the country.

England teammate Declan Rice even likened Toney to Kane while speaking on talkSPORT, hailing the "playmaker" striker.

"I think from the moment he stepped in the Premier League he's taken it by storm," Rice said.

"If you look at what he does for Brentford, how consistent he is and what he does for his team, he's fully deserving of a call-up. He's kind of like Harry Kane in a way where he's not only an out-and-out striker, he's a playmaker as well – his left and right footed passing, the way he picks out his teammates is a special technique to have."

West Ham United saw their incredible unbeaten European record fall as they were defeated 2-1 by Greek side Olympiacos in the Europa League on Thursday evening.

The loss was their first in 18 continental matches, but David Moyes’ men are still in great shape to qualify from their group and make the knockout stages.

Despite going two goals down, a Lucas Paqueta goal with just over 20 minutes left in the tie gave the Hammers a glimmer of hope, yet they could not rescue a point.

There was not a standout performer for the club and now attention turns to a home tie against Everton in the Premier League on Sunday.

West Ham United fail to secure three points against Olympiacos

Overall, it was not a terrible performance by West Ham as they were simply outplayed on the night, yet several players did underperform.

James Ward-Prowse failed to score or assist while making just one key pass during the tie, while fellow summer signing Mohammed Kudus was deployed on the right wing, yet he failed to inspire a positive result, taking just 40 touches and succeeding with only one dribble attempt during his 72 minutes on the pitch.

The defence was also underwhelming during the tie. Konstantinos Mavropanos and Angelo Ogbonna lost possession 12 times combined, while they won only three out of their combined nine total duels, hardly a performance that was going to see West Ham secure yet another three points in Europe.

Ogbonna was making just his fourth start of the season and during the current campaign, he has played only five times, spending the rest of the time on the bench and this could be his final season in London.

Angelo Ogbonna could be entering into the final months of his West Ham career

The Italian defender has a contract that will expire at the end of the 2023/24 season and with the volume of centre-backs Moyes has to choose from, it could be difficult for him to land an extension.

Since joining the club from Juventus in the summer of 2015, he has made nearly 250 appearances yet it is clear that his influence has somewhat waned over the previous few seasons.

Indeed, the 35-year-old made just 16 and 11 Premier League appearances during the last two campaigns and last term, he ranked only eighth across the squad for accurate passes per game (20.8), while ranking 14th for tackles (0.7) and sixth for interceptions (1.1) per game.

He has featured in just two league games so far this season, and none since August, indicating that Moyes prefers to keep him for continental ties, and he could well be entering his final furlongs as a West Ham player.

It appears as though Moyes is looking to sign another centre-back in the January transfer window in order to give his side a boost ahead of the second half of the season.

West Ham United’s January plans

The 60-year-old tactician will be aiming to enjoy a productive winter window with regard to sorting his team out for the foreseeable future, especially with so many players out of contract at the end of the campaign.

The likes of Vladimir Coufal, Tomas Soucek, Ogbonna, and Pablo Fornals are all entering the final months of their deals with the Irons and in order to save a massive rebuild during the summer, Moyes could do some of his business in January.

There has been an update with regard to his plans according to Football Insider, who claim that the London-based side can secure a deal for defender Sebastian Caceres in January for a fee believed to be between £6m-£10m.

With Manchester United, Newcastle United, and Tottenham Hotspur also keeping tabs on the player, West Ham face stiff competition and Moyes will need to make a strong pitch in order to secure his signature.

Sebastian Caceres could be an ideal Ogbonna heir for West Ham

The Uruguayan centre-back currently plays for Club America and has made 109 appearances for the Mexican side since joining back in 2020.

His contract expires in just over 12 months’ time, hence the low fee that Moyes could sign him for and this could represent an excellent piece of business.

The 24-year-old brute has demonstrated his abilities during recent World Cup qualifiers for Uruguay as they defeated Brazil and the defender and was lauded as “solid” for his performance and this has seemingly put some big teams on alert.

Indeed, across the recent four World Cup qualifiers against Chile, Ecuador, Colombia and Brazil, the centre-back was not dribbled past at all, kept one clean sheet, and won 63% of his total duels as he had a positive impact on the side which culminated in their historic win over the Brazilians.

Caceres still has plenty of developing to do, but a move to the Premier League could certainly bring him out of his comfort zone and enable him to improve his performances.

During the LIGA MX Clausura, Caceres ranked in sixth place across the squad for tackles per game (1.5), while ranking fourth for interceptions per game (one) and first for clearances per game (3.8), showcasing his raw potential and proving that he could still improve across a few metrics.

35

28

27

31

23

The recent international displays have allowed the defender to perform at the highest level and being part of a team that defeated Brazil is always going to generate some attention.

Moyes does still have plenty of defenders to call upon, yet with Ogbonna looking increasingly likely to leave next summer, there could be a space for another centre-back to arrive.

Signing Caceres in January would give him a few added months in which he could settle in ahead of the 2024/25 season and with the likes of United and Spurs also chasing him, Moyes will need to act swiftly in order to secure his signature.

At the age of 24, he could be the dream heir to Ogbonna, who is currently poised to depart next summer, and be a long-term option for the Scottish boss to call upon over the years to come.

India’s chief selector MSK Prasad had earlier stated that Dhoni would appear for Jharkhand in the quarter-finals, much like Rohit Sharma for Mumbai

Saurabh Somani13-Oct-2018MS Dhoni will not take part in Jharkhand’s knockout matches for the Vijay Hazare Trophy 2018-19.Jharkhand will play their quarter-final against Maharashtra at the M Chinnaswamy Stadium on Monday, and Dhoni wasn’t present at the first nets the team had, at the adjoining NCA ground, on Saturday. Team members that ESPNcricinfo spoke to on Saturday said they weren’t expecting Dhoni to join the squad.Jharkhand coach Rajiv Kumar said that he had not received any official word about Dhoni joining, but in his opinion, Dhoni wouldn’t have wanted to disturb the team’s combination, especially since he would have been able to play only one match.”He has to go to Hyderabad on October 16 to report for the ODI series,” Kumar said. “Maybe he will come for a day, I don’t know yet what his plan is, but so far, he is not coming. But it may be possible. You know he takes his own decisions. He is saying the boys are doing well, so there is no point coming for just one game and taking somebody’s place.”Jharkhand topped Group C with 32 points from nine matches, to qualify.The semi-finals are scheduled for October 17 and 18, meaning Dhoni would not have been able to take part even if Jharkhand win their match against Maharashtra.It is understood that Dhoni linking up with the Jharkhand team in Chennai was spoken of before he left for the Asia Cup. The Asia Cup concluded on September 28, with India beating Bangladesh in the final. Jharkhand had four league games remaining in Group C after that, with the first one on October 1. They won three of the games, with one abandoned without a ball bowled. Dhoni, however, eventually didn’t join the team.At the press conference after the Indian ODI side had been announced, chief selector MSK Prasad had said that Dhoni would be playing in the Vijay Hazare quarter-final.Dhoni’s decision is rendered more curious given his recent struggles in limited-overs cricket, and questions beginning to be asked about whether he is the right man to be the first-choice wicketkeeper in the 2019 World Cup. In the Asia Cup, he batted four times, scoring 77 runs with an average of 19.25 and a strike rate of 62.09. Overall in 2018, he has batted 10 times in 15 matches, for an average of 28.12 and a strike rate of 67.36. Dhoni’s last first-class match was in the Irani Trophy over a decade ago, while his last List-A game for Jharkhand was in the 2017-18 Vijay Hazare Trophy semi-final against Bengal.However, while Dhoni has decided to stay away, Rohit Sharma will be part of the Mumbai XI that takes on Bihar in the first quarter-final on Sunday. Rohit, who also didn’t join the Mumbai squad during the league stages, has flown down to be part of the first knockout match. A Mumbai team spokesperson confirmed to ESPNcricinfo that if the Indian ODI team had asked players to report by October 16, Rohit would also miss any subsequent knockout matches.

Brighton and Hove Albion have been dealt another injury blow to a first-team favourite alongside Solly March, according to an update from Roberto De Zerbi.

What's the latest injury news at Brighton?

The Amex Stadium outfit have Pervis Estupinan, Tariq Lamptey, Julio Enciso and Jakub Moder all out on the sidelines with their own respective injuries, and over the weekend, they were joined in the treatment room by another regular feature on the south coast.

During Saturday’s 2-1 Premier League away defeat to Manchester City, Solly March left the pitch on a stretcher after a knee injury resulted in him experiencing severe pain and being unable to walk, but unfortunately for the boss, he wasn’t the only player to be forced off the field earlier than expected.

At the Etihad, Danny Welbeck also had to depart the grass after sustaining a muscle injury so was replaced by Evan Ferguson after just 16 minutes, which wasn’t great news for the manager, who had to watch his striker walk away from the action prematurely.

So far this season, England’s former international has started seven out of the opening nine fixtures in the top-flight (WhoScored – Welbeck statistics), which highlights how much of an integral member of the squad he is, but if the following update is to be believed, the 32-year-old may face a wait to stage his comeback.

Danny Welbeck injury update

Speaking during his post-match interview following the weekend's loss to Man City, De Zerbi delivered an injury update on Welbeck and March. As quoted by BBC Sport, he confirmed Welbeck will at the very least miss the Ajax match: "The worst thing today is I think we are losing March for a long time. I'm frustrated, we lost two important players.

"It's tough because we play against Ajax – a crucial game – without [Pervis] Estupinan, [Tariq] Lamptey, March and Welbeck.

"We need more players. We are not used to playing in European competition. We have to find a solution to play and compete in every competition."

How much does Danny Welbeck earn per week?

With the Seagulls, Welbeck currently pockets £55k-per-week (Brighton salaries) which he has more than earned during his time at the club, therefore, it will end up being a huge blow for De Zerbi should he lose the services of his centre-forward for the foreseeable future.

The Longsight-born talent has posted 30 contributions, 20 goals and ten assists, in 99 outings since putting pen to paper (Transfermarkt – Welbeck statistics), form which has previously seen him hailed an “important” first-team player by journalist Josh Bunting.

Furthermore, Welbeck, who is sponsored by Nike, is a versatile operator having been deployed in five different positions over the pitch since the start of his career, including everywhere across the frontline and even as an attacking midfielder, though this is another quality that the head coach will have to cope without having at his disposal should his star be facing a spell on the sidelines.

The last two years has seen the resurgence of one of English football's truly great clubs, Newcastle United.

The Magpies used to be a side that challenged for the top honours, dazzled fans with brilliant football and fielded some of the best in the game, and following their takeover in 2021, they look to be back on that path once more.

The halcyon days of Andy Cole, Les Ferdinand, Malcolm Macdonald and Alan Shearer could be just around the corner.

With that in mind, Football FanCast has created a list of the very best number nines to don the famous black and white stripes of the Toon.

10 Papiss Cisse

Right, so we're kicking off with a player that might raise a few eyebrows given the Toon's extensive history of brilliant nines, but hear us out.

Papiss Cisse was signed from Bundesliga side Freiburg in January 2012 for a fee in the region of £10m, and for those first six months, he was nigh unstoppable in the league.

He would go on to score 13 goals and provide two assists in just 14 Premier League games in that first six months, a streak of red-hot form that included that incredible goal against Chelsea.

In all, he scored 44 goals in 131 games for the club, which might not be outstanding, but he is still a firm fan favourite to this day, and we don't think anyone is going to have quite as good a sixth-month spell as he did for some time.

9 Callum Wilson

Coming in as the ninth-best number nine in Newcastle United history is the club's current number nine, Callum Wilson.

Now, this one might be an easier sell than Papiss Cisse, but there might still be a few people outside of the Newcastle fan base surprised by Wilson's inclusion, such is the extent to which he is underrated.

The former Bournemouth man joined the club in January 2020 in a deal worth around £20m, and ever since then, he has been an essential member of the Toon team.

Since his arrival, the England international has scored 42 goals and provided ten assists in just 90 appearances for the club, giving his a goal involvement every 1.7 games – more than every other game.

This would be incredibly impressive in isolation, but the fact that he has achieved numbers like these while also dealing with consistent injuries is genuinely outstanding.

The arrival of Alexander Isak might mean that Wilson won't be the player to lead them to domestic or Continental glory, but his contribution should not be overlooked.

8 Kevin Keegan

We're going back to the 1980s for this one, and it is none other than two-time Ballon d'Or winner and England great Kevin Keegan.

Now, Keegan only played for the Toon for two seasons between 1982 and 1984 and only wore the number nine for part of the 1983/84 season, but for our money, that makes him eligible for this list.

In his 85 games as a Magpies player, Keegan scored 49 goals and provided one assist, giving him a goal involvement more than every 1.7 games. However, more important than just his goalscoring, he played an essential role in taking the Toon back into the First Division and giving the fans some tremendously exciting football to watch once again.

It may have only been a short moment in the grander scheme of football, but Keegan more than made his mark and would be welcomed back with open arms when he took over the team as manager in 1992.

7 Malcolm Macdonald

We're going even further back in time for this one, back to the early 1970s.

Newcastle United broke their club record transfer fee when they signed Malcolm Macdonald in 1971, but there was never any doubt from those who wanted him whether he was worth the money or not.

In all, the London-born dynamo scored 138 goals in just 258 appearances for the Toon. He was a dazzling player to watch and was a firm fan favourite at the time.

While he didn't win anything in the northeast he did help the club reach the 1974 FA Cup final after his brace knocked Burnley out in the semi-final.

He was sold to Arsenal in 1976, much to the dismay of the Toon faithful.

6 Hughie Gallacher

Once again, we are heading even further back in time for the next Newcastle great on our list, 98 years back, to be specific.

In December 1925, the Magpies desperately needed a new number nine, so they looked north of the border, to Airdrieonians to be exact, and signed their star striker, Hughie Gallacher.

The Scotsman made an immediate impact and ended his first season with 23 league goals as the team's top scorer despite only joining the side halfway through the campaign.

In all, the Toon legend scored 463 goals in his career and captained the Magpies to the First Division title in 1927.

There was also an evident love between fan and player as when he joined Gateshead in 1938, Gallacher said: "My heart has been here ever since I left United eight years ago. I intend to spend the rest of my life with my adopted folk in Gateshead."

5 Andy Cole

We're jumping back into the Premier League era once again here, and to one of the best strikers the top flight has ever seen, Andy Cole.

The Nottingham-born talisman signed for the Toon in February 1993 when the club paid Bristol City a club-record-fee of £1.75m to secure his services.

Cole would partner Peter Beardsley in attack and tear Premier League defences apart for fun. In Newcastle's first season back in the Premier League, Cole would score 41 goals in 46 games across all competitions.

He would end his time at St James' Park with 68 goals in 84 matches, and the only reason he isn't higher on this list is because he left too soon.

4 Les Ferdinand

Coming in at number four is another '90s Toon icon, Les Ferdinand.

He was signed from Queens Park Rangers for £6m in the summer of 1995, and while a price tag such as that would've been pressure enough for most players, Ferdinand also had to deal with the pressure of being Andy Cole's replacement.

Somehow, he coped with both and spent two fantastic years terrifying the league's best defences while donning the famous black and white stripes. He helped the club to two second-placed finishes in the league and scored 50 goals in just 84 appearances across all competitions.

3 Len White

We're into the top three now, and the bronze medalist on this list is actually Newcastle's third-highest goalscorer of all time, Len White.

White joined the Toon in 1953 after a two-year spell with Rotherham United, and while he made an instant impact on Tyneside, he wasn't given the coveted number nine shirt until Jackie Milburn left the club.

Once he pulled on that shirt, his goalscoring went from remarkable to unbelievable, and he ended his career with a staggering 153 goals over nine years at the club.

2 Jackie Milburn

The runner-up on our list is, without doubt, not just one of the best forwards in Newcastle history, but one of the best forwards in English football history.

Born in 1924, Jackie Milburn would start his footballing career with Newcastle in 1943 and stay at the club for 14 years, until eventually moving on to play for Linfield in Northern Ireland.

During his time with the Toon, he would play across the front line, but it was in the post-war years, when he was played as a traditional number nine, that he helped transform the club into perennial winners.

In all, Milburn helped the club win three FA Cups during his time there and scored a mind-boggling 200 goals in 397 appearances. At the time, he was the club's all-time leading goalscorer until another man came along four decades later.

1 Alan Shearer

Come on, really, who else could it have possibly been?

When you ask the average football fan to name an iconic Premier League striker, the chances are that Alan Shearer will almost certainly pop up among a swath of names. However, if you ask someone to name an iconic Newcastle United forward, there is no chance they will name anyone before they name Shearer.

Few football players are as loved by their fans as Shearer; almost two decades on and a failed stint in the dugout, he is still revered to an almost religious degree by the St James' Park faithful.

The Newcastle-born phenom joined his boyhood club in 1996 for a then-world-record fee of £15m, and to say he lived up to the price tag would be a colossal understatement.

He may have ultimately left his boyhood club without a team honour, but he retired as the Premier League's all-time top scorer with 260 and as the Toon's all-time leading scorer with 206.

Newcastle may never see a player quite like him again, and we reckon the fans are probably okay with that.

For the last couple of seasons down at Goodison Park, Everton have lacked a potent goalscorer in attack – the days of Romelu Lukaku scoring twenty plus for the Toffees a distant memory, with Dwight McNeil coming in as the top scorer for Sean Dyche's men last campaign with a passable seven goals.

The Toffees have not been helped by Dominic Calvert-Lewin's woeful injury record of recent times, the once promising starlet – who bagged an encouraging 16 goals for the Merseysiders during the 2020-21 season in the Premier League – is often sidelined with a long-term injury knock now rather than leading the line for Dyche's men.

The Englishman has been a regular fixture for the Toffees in the starting eleven this campaign – after unfortunately suffering a broken cheekbone in August – scoring two goals from six league outings.

All those connected with Everton will hope Calvert-Lewin can put these injury troubles to one side of his mind and transform back into a deadly striker again over a full campaign, with a creative midfielder from Turkey being linked with a switch to Goodison Park that could aid and assist the 26-year-old forward to reach that level again in Kerem Akturkoglu.

Are Everton interested in Kerem Akturkoglu?

TEAMTalk are reporting that a whole host of Premier League clubs are circling for Akturkoglu, the Galatasaray winger wanted by Aston Villa, West Ham United, Brighton and Hove Albion and many others on top of Everton's interest in the player.

Valued at £13m, as per CIES Football Observatory, it could prove to be a shrewd purchase by the Merseysiders to bring the Turkish midfielder to Goodison Park – Galatasaray's number seven having been "impressive", according to Manchester United journalist Samuel Luckhurst, when his side travelled to Old Trafford, the 25-year-old a nuisance all evening for the Red Devils defenders.

Adding new reinforcements that could enhance Everton's creativity would be perfect for Calvert-Lewin, who would surely benefit from the tricky Turkish winger leaving Istanbul behind for Merseyside.

How good is Kerem Akturkoglu?

Away from his one-off starring role in the Champions League group stage, in which he got on the scoresheet to level the tie at 2-2, the 23-cap international has been a consistent performer for his side in the Süper Lig over the last few seasons.

He's notched up 136 appearances for the Istanbul-based giants, registering an impressive 34 goals and 37 assists.

This season alone, Akturkoglu has had a part to play in eight of his side's 18 goals in the league as Galatasaray attempt to overcome fierce rivals Fenerbahce at the top of the division – scoring three goals and assisting five along the way.

Comparatively, the likes of Dwight McNeil, Jack Harrison and Arnaut Danjuma for the Toffees only have a combined two assists between them – the Everton ranks crying out for more creativity to help Calvert-Lewin recapture his previous goalscoring heights.

He could even help Everton score more just from his own efforts alone, hitting the target from ten of his 21 shots on goal for his current Turkish employers this season per FBRef – sharing the goal load out as a result.

Akturkoglu's interest from Premier League teams would only have intensified after his performance versus Man United, Erik Ten Hag's Red Devils surprisingly beaten by Galatasaray 3-2 on a bruising night for the Dutch head coach's ego in the Old Trafford dugout.

Although he would lose possession 17 times in total in this contest – as per Sofascore – the 5 foot 8 dynamo was always available to receive the ball to push his team forward and was an effective thorn in the side that the hosts struggled to contain.

If Everton could beat other suitors to seal the Turkish winger's signature when January comes around, they could have a real star on their hands who could boost Calvert-Lewin's performances subsequently.

After last season's successful top four finish in the Premier League, Newcastle United have been left to balance Champions League football on top of any domestic action. And, so far, Eddie Howe's side have coped fairly well. They sit four points adrift of the Champions League places and have lost just one European game, which came in their recent outing against Borussia Dortmund.

As it turns out, too, that loss came with an even greater blow, with Alexander Isak limping off through injury, leaving Howe with just one striker to call on in the form of Callum Wilson. The injury exposes Newcastle's lack of depth when it comes to attacking options, especially with two wingers now out in the shape of Harvey Barnes and Jacob Murphy, turning their attention towards the January transfer window.

Newcastle transfer news

Now at the end of October, Newcastle's summer business is looking less and less spectacular by the day, with Barnes missing through injury and Sandro Tonali set to serve a ten-month ban. That said, the Magpies have the ideal opportunity to set things right in January, and that could result in the arrival of a new forward, especially after Isak's injury along with Wilson's persistent problems.

The latest Serhou Guirassy transfer news certainly suggests that may be the case. According to The Shields Gazette, the Vfb Stuttgart striker could find himself on Newcastle's shortlist of potential options when the January transfer window swings open. It comes as little surprise to see Guirassy's name mentioned when it comes to a top side, given that he has got off to a blistering start in the Bundesliga this season.

It remains to be seen whether Newcastle decide to make their move for the in-form striker, who will undoubtedly have several admirers when it comes to a potential winter exit – he would definitely solve the Magpies' depth issue, that's for sure.

Serhou Guirassy's stats

To say that the Stuttgart man has enjoyed an incredible start to the campaign would be an understatement. Guirassy's stats show that he is having one of the best goalscoring seasons in the entirety of European football, with his focus firmly fixed on winning the Bundesliga golden boot ahead of the likes of Harry Kane. He has even outperformed Newcastle's Isak and Wilson, as per FBref.

Player

Goals

Assists

Progressive Passes

Serhou Guirassy

14

1

13

Callum Wilson

5

0

2

Alexander Isak

6

0

10

It comes as no shock, then, that Guirassy has been the centre of praise this season, with Seb Stafford-Bloor taking to X to post: "Goals 11, 12 and 13 for Serhou Guirassy this season and now approaching an average of two goals/game. An outrageous hot streak."

The January transfer window can make or break a season, and for Newcastle, it could be the difference between a place in next season's Champions League or what will be a frustrating spot in either the Europa League or Europa Conference League. Guirassy would play a large part in helping the Magpies to avoid the latter, but at this stage, it remains to be seen whether they'll pursue the forward.