Alan Shearer Exclusive: Newcastle must sign at least one striker before Monday's transfer deadline | OneFootball

Alan Shearer

Alan says Newcastle must sign at least one striker before Monday's transfer deadline

Betfair ambassador Alan Shearer discusses where Newcastle need to strengthen, which club has done the best transfer business this summer, the Premier League title race and Champions League exits for Celtic and Rangers...

Newcastle may need to sign two strikers

Whether Alexander Isak stays or goes, Newcastle need to sign a striker before the transfer deadline on Monday. There's no doubt they definitely need to sign one, possibly two with Anthony Gordon being suspended for three games, whether it's Strand Larsen, Yoane Wissa, or both.

Their transfer fees are going up as we speak because of the situation Newcastle are in financially and the club's desperation for forwards.

Arteta must win something after strong transfer window

Arsenal have been really strong in this window and it doesn't look as if they're finished yet either in the transfer. Eberchi Eze is another strong signing they've just got in, so I think Arsenal have had a really good window.

Whether that puts more pressure on them or not, I suppose the pressure is already there. Mikel Arteta knows he has to win something.

Celtic and Rangers are miles away from competing in Champions League

You can already hear the moans and groans from Rangers and Celtic fans for the way they've gone out of the Champions League. They're miles behind in terms of Champions League football.

I heard Brendan Rodgers say he desperately needs additions to his squad, and they didn't get what they wanted so ultimately, you're not going to qualify into the biggest competition.

I heard Russell Martin say that the standards at Rangers have been that bad for a while now that it needs change but when you go up to Glasgow, you realise that they haven't got time. As much as Martin would love it, you're not going to get time. Unless there's a quick fix and results change dramatically, we'll be talking about him and the likelihood of him losing his job.

Everyone knows the rule of management, you're not going to get time whatever club you go into. If you don't see instant returns then, unless you're Ruben Amorim at Manchester United, you're not going to get time as much as you'd like it.

Wissa is a more important target than Strand-Larsen for Newcastle

I think Wissa will be a more important signing for Newcastle than Strand Larsen. The Wolves man is a bit different, I guess. I don't think anyone expected that one. That's not a slant on him because he scored 14 goals for Wolves last season. We know the window has gone mad. I mean, £75million or so for Benjamin Sesko. It's a huge fee. Similar with Viktor Gyokeres.

The difference with Strand Larsen and Wissa is that they've had a season or two in the Premier League, so they know what it's about. I think somehow, you have to try and take the transfer fee out because fees have just gone bonkers, they really have.

Whether Newcastle sell Isak for whatever they get, I guess that's probably why the fee you're talking about is high for Strand Larsen.

Hugo Ekitike has had a flying start, hasn't he? I'm reluctant to say that being a Newcastle fan!

Viktor Gyokeres could be a really important signing. I know he got two goals last weekend which will do his confidence the world of good. I'll say that Gyokeres will be the best individual signing.

Ahead of the big clash of the weekend in the Premier League Alan Shearer gives his combined Liverpool and Arsenal XI.

Alisson

Jurien Timber

Virgil van Dijk

William Saliba

Myles Lewis-Skelly

Declan Rice

Dominik Szoboszlai

Martin Odegaard

Mo Salah

Hugo Ekitike/Eberechi Eze

Bukayo Saka

New Customers can get £50 in free bets!