As is usually the case in football, when you are down at the bottom of the league, little seems to go your way.

This is especially true for Newcastle United at the moment, who recently lost goalkeeper Tim Krul for the rest of the season to injury.

With largely untested deputy Karl Darlow also struggling for fitness, manager Steve McClaren must surely be looking to the January window when he might be able to bring in reinforcements.

Here are THREE potential keepers that should be on his radar as he looks to plug a major hole in his squad.

Stephane Ruffier

An option is of course to go out and splash the cash on a player who would fill in for Krul during his absence and then compete with him for the number one jersey on his return.

One such possibility would be Stephane Ruffier. The Saint-Etienne stopper has been a Ligue 1 stalwart for nearly a decade now and his consistency has seen him regularly feature around the fringes of the French national side.

The 29 year old would bring experience and is well accustomed to playing in front of big noisy crowds at the Stade Geoffroy-Guichard.

It is believed that Ruffier, who has spent his entire career in France so far, would like to try his hand elsewhere.

Newcastle would in theory be buying a keeper who is entering his best years. It may not necessarily be a straightforward deal however, as he remains first choice for his current side and they would need to have a replacement in mind to do business in January. The two clubs would also need to agree on a fee, possibly of around £7.5 million.

Victor Valdes

The long-running saga over the future of David De Gea meant that Manchester United went about collecting goalkeepers over the last year or so.

With De Gea now firmly reestablished as the number-one choice, a bit of a queue has formed behind him. Victor Valdes though, is not even in contention having fallen foul of Louis Van Gaal for supposedly refusing to play in the reserves .

The Spaniard won virtually everything in the game during a 12-year spell at Barcelona and a more battle-hardened stopper would be difficult to come by. The breakdown in relations with the manager should have seen him make a quick exit but a move to Turkey collapsed.

It is possible Valdes is content to sit with his feet up, or at the very least wait for a chance to return to Spain. If he could be motivated to move to the north east however, it could prove an absolute masterstroke as there is no disputing his credentials and he would represent a low-risk, short-term solution.

Sam Johnstone

Young English keeper Sam Johnstone is also at Old Trafford, but unlike Valdes he is early in his career. However, similarly to his team-mate, his chances of first-team football appear slim.

He is currently third choice behind De Gea and Sergio Romero but the club have refused to allow him to go on loan after Van Gaal and Valdes burnt their bridges.

At 22 Johnstone could represent a sound investment for The Magpies if they could bring him in. He is highly rated at Old Trafford but with De Gea now committed for the foreseeable future, the England youth international may well need to move on to have any chance of establishing himself as a Premier League player.

His lack of experience could prove the main barrier to any move as Johnstone has yet to feature for a team above the Championship.

Come January, his current manager plans to review the decision not to loan him out so it is possible that Newcastle could peruse a temporary switch with an option to buy at that stage.

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Newcastle United’s 2-1 comeback against Tottenham Hotspur on Sunday provided the most convincing evidence yet that Steve McClaren’s methods are having an impact on Tyneside.

Seemingly unable to evade the shadow of his infamous England umbrella, question marks have lingered over the head of the former Middlesbrough boss ever since he took the reins at St. James’ Park in the summer – even more so as the Magpies picked up just ten points from their first 14 games in the Premier League.

One of the biggest criticisms thrown his way has centred around man-management and his ability to motivate. The players have often looked lifeless, apathetic and disillusioned this term and the idea that McClaren is more a coach than a manager harks back to his dreaded England days.

But where others saw ineffectual football I saw counter-intuitive progress. McClaren took the squad back to basics at the start of the season to try and reinvent a side that had suffered from an absence of leadership and identity for far too long. It wasn’t exactly pretty but one way or another, it was essential to add the consistency to Newcastle’s game only organisation and resilience can bring, to stop the polarised patches of form that perpetually plagued them under Alan Pardew.

That’s no easy feat when you’re working with a porous backline and a lack of dependable firepower, but the Magpies have already claimed half as many clean sheets and draws as last season in just 16 games, despite going winless for their first eight.

Successive defeats to Leicester City and Crystal Palace, incurring an aggregate scoreline of 8-1, suggested the wheels were falling off before McClaren had even got the Toon back on the road. Yet Sunday’s result proved not only that Newcastle are moving in the right direction, but that McClaren’s methods are providing the players with the spirit, determination and grit they’ve lacked over the last few years.

Make no mistake about the significance of Sunday’s game. This was Newcastle’s first consecutive victory in over a year, their first victory against top five opposition in over a year and most importantly of all, their first win from a losing position since a 3-2 comeback against Everton last December.

It’s the manner of the result McClaren can draw the biggest positives from. On one of the only occasions I can remember, Newcastle went from looking doomed to defeat in twenty minutes to indisputably deserving all three points by the end – epitomised by Ayoze Perez claiming the winner with virtually the last kick of the game. It wasn’t the prettiest goal, squeezing past an astounded Hugo Lloris, but it was pushed into the net by Newcastle’s sheer will and was justified fortune for their miraculous turnaround in the second half.

Tottenham, likewise, are no easy customers. They hadn’t lost since the opening day of the season, had the best defensive record in the league and had conceded more than once on just two occasions before last weekend. They’re also famed for late winners under Pochettino, so for Newcastle to force them into a change of roles is really something.

There was no great secret, no miraculous formula of noughts and crosses on the tactics board, involved either. It was simply Newcastle’s players rolling their sleeves up instead of letting their heads slip down. The fact both of the Magpies’ goals came from substitutes disappointed to find themselves out of the starting line-up was testament to that, as well as what was reportedly quite an animated dressing room scene at half time.

“Half-time was a big test for this team,” McClaren revealed post-match. “We’ve come in at half-time before and the dressing room has been quiet and disappointed, but it was so vocal here. There was such a determination among the players not to lead down the normal path of losing the game. The response in the second half was fantastic. There was so much going on in there – Robbie Elliot, Fabricio Coloccini, to be fair, all of them. We couldn’t shut them up, and they took it on board. That’s the pleasing thing for me.”

That doesn’t sound like the response from a group of players struggling to find motivation under their manager – in fact, quite the opposite – and I’m sure Newcastle fans will be delighted with that reaction; a sign that the players are taking responsibility and pride in their own performances despite repeated accusations otherwise.

And McClaren will hope that the nature of Sunday’s game provides a template for the rest of Newcastle’s season. A very disappointing start and a subsequent long, hard look in the mirror followed by a much more positive and successful end.

Of course, the next challenge is to beat an Aston Villa side fighting for their lives next Saturday. It will be an entirely different game and Newcastle won’t be able to rely on simply holding shape until chances materialise on the break, as they have done to great success against the Premier League’s bigger clubs this season.

But results like Sunday’s give the Magpies the confidence to play more positive football and McClaren will be well aware that victory essentially kills off any chances of a great escape at Villa Park – one less club to think about in the Premier League’s relegation race.

A third consecutive victory, after all the accusations thrown Newcastle’s way during the first few months of the season, would be a massive achievement for a side McClaren is rebuilding from the ground up.

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With both AFC Bournemouth and Newcastle United claiming back-to-back victories in their last two league outings, Aston Villa are seemingly drifting further and further away from their Premier League opposition as the current season plays out in timely fashion.

The impending threat of relegation looms ever closer for the Villa Park faithful this term, and even though the newly installed Remi Garde does in-fact seem like a rather capable tactician on the back of his previous reputation in France, it remains progressively harder to imagine his side eventually keeping their necks above water in 2015/16.

However, because the January transfer window offers each of the top-flight strugglers a potential way out of their current predicament, Aston Villa could possibly save themselves with some magic work in the transfer market this winter.

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So as former Manchester United captain – Nemanja Vidic – has become the latest name to be linked with a move to Villa Park this season, could Remi Garde really tie down the former Serbian international before things truly get out of hand for the Midlands-based club?

Although the 34-year-old centre-back is hardly operating amid the prime stages of his footballing career still, that doesn’t mean that Aston Villa couldn’t use someone like Vidic at the back throughout the remainder of the current season. The former Old Trafford favourite is expected to return to full fitness in the New Year, with Inter Milan reportedly keen on finding a replacement for the defensive veteran as soon as the chance presents itself this January.

From his impressive spell at Manchester United just a few short seasons ago – every Premier League fan knows just how capable Nemanja Vidic can very well prove on his day. He may no longer have the pace to cover as much ground as he used to under Sir Alex Ferguson, but as the 34-year-old remains one of the most experienced centre-backs in the whole of Europe at the minute, surely Aston Villa wouldn’t say no to his potential services when the winter transfer window finally opens?

Via his determined defensive organisation, often flawless ability to read the game at the highest level – as well as possessing that all important ability to crop up with the odd game-changing goal every now and then – Vidic is a player who many Premier League clubs could at least consider in 2015/16.

He may fail to represent the same player we saw at Old Trafford before he eventually moved on to the Italian Serie A, and it remains obvious that the former Manchester United man was indeed prone to conceding the rare mistake from time to time – but because Aston Villa’s defence simply needs all the help it can get this season – maybe Remi Garde’s reported interest may be more genuine than initial appearances first make out.

The Villa Park faithful have unfortunately paid witness to an awful lot of defensive errors throughout the 2015/16 campaign, with Aston Villa looking no closer to amending their current woes than they were under Tim Sherwood at the beginning of the season. The potential signing of Nemanja Vidic would therefore prove massive for the Villans this term if the club can eventually see this one over the line.

However, as Premier League rivals – Everton – are also supposedly casting their watchful eye over the current Inter Milan veteran this winter, maybe such a signing won’t prove smooth sailing for Aston Villa. The Toffees obviously remain far better placed within the overall league table as things currently stand, so Remi Garde could very well find himself in a particularly tough negotiating position when the time comes this January.

Unless Aston Villa simply throw money at the ex-Manchester United captain on a possible short term deal until the end of the current season, the potential winter coup of Nemanja Vidic this January may prove a task much easier said than done.

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Olivier Giroud: a French maverick who is loved by the ladies. It gets somewhat lost that, on his day, he’s a very, very good striker. He still struggles to get his plaudits, especially from the Arsenal faithful, however this season, only the Neymar and Luis Suarez partnership has produced more goals than the Mesut Ozil and Giroud axis in any of Europe’s top five leagues. This begs the question: when at his best, is Giroud more than just a pretty face and one of the league’s best strikers?

Giroud before the season faced a lot of criticism from Arsenal fans, as well as pundits such as Thierry Henry. The striker was branded lazy and accused of caring more about his looks than his game. However with 18 goals this season, Giroud has fought hard to win over his critics and has helped to build the Gunners’ title hopes. Arsenal currently sit at the top of the table, level with Leicester on points, and have their best hope of winning the title this season for some time.

When you look at their striking options, Arsenal do not have the sort of depth that they would, in an ideal world, like. With Giroud, Danny Welbeck (when fit) and Theo Walcott the only real options in the team. Giroud has had to step up, and step up he has, with his goals helping to put Arsenal in the strong position they are in. The striker has come far from the inconsistent option of seasons past. This is probably one of the reasons why some Arsenal fans are yet to truly warm to him.

What Giroud probably needed was consistent feeding (not in the food way) of chances and balls. Arsenal now play around him, with the free flowing players like Ozil and Aaron Ramsey carrying out all the hard work and the running to make sure that Giroud just has to convert the chances. When watching the ex-Montpellier ace before, he appeared to struggle to hold up the ball on his own, wanting somebody to provide for him – like a true goal poacher. That, and the fact he is getting into the French first-team more due to Benzema’s injury and and off-field problems, means he’s not only is he leading the line for Arsenal but also France. Perhaps he was a player who just needed to be shown love, who needed to have the faith put in him to perform, which is what he has done consistently this season.

When you now think of the best Premier League strikers, Giroud, for his efforts this season, has to be up there with Sergio Aguero, Diego Costa, Jamie Vardy and Co. He has continued to perform at the highest level, and should Arsenal win the league this season, you would feel that it is partly down to Giroud’s goals. If this happens, perhaps it will be time for all Arsenal fans start to love this Frenchmen.

Although he is no Henry, Dennis Bergkamp or Robin van Persie, he does get goals… and has good hair!

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Liverpool legend Graeme Souness has slammed Arsenal’s display in their 3-2 loss to Manchester United on Sunday, branding them a joke, according to reports from the Daily Mail.

With Leicester City winning their crunch match against Norwich City on Saturday, the Gunners knew that they needed a victory to keep up with the leading Foxes against the Red Devils.

However, by the 32nd minute, Arsene Wenger’s men found themselves two goals down following a brace from up and coming youngster Marcus Rashford.

Former United attacker Welbeck pulled one back for Arsenal before the break, but Ander Herrera extended the lead to make Mesut Ozil’s 69th minute goal too little too late.

And Sounness was extremely critical of the Gunners, claiming the team don’t have the mettle to dig in and win the title.

“Arsenal bordered on being a joke,” he said. “Arsene Wenger must be tearing his hair out. There’s a word I want to use but I can’t which describes a lack of something that real players have and this Arsenal lack it in abundance — just don’t have it, none.

“Big players make other players play. The big personalities, the big players drag the lesser likes with them when things are going badly.

“Who does that today for Arsenal? Where’s the Tony Adams? Where’s the Thierry Henry, having a moan-up at half-time when it’s not going well?

“I can imagine that dressing room would have been silent at half-time. I’ve been in dressing rooms where there are real people digging other people out.

“I couldn’t imagine that from this group of Arsenal players and I think they play like that. It worries me that Arsene continually talks about his team being mentally tough. It’s like they lack it and he’s trying to persuade them that they really have it. And I think here you learned a great deal about Arsenal.

“I thought they would come here with an opportunity to put a marker on the wall and say, “We’re back in this race”. And they’ve been so insipid, so weak and pussyfooted.

“All they’ve done is said to the opposition that this team can be rolled over. It was more tippy-tippy football by Arsenal, going nowhere.

“I’ll stand on my head if they prove me wrong and go and win this league because that was totally unacceptable.”

The result now sees Arsenal five points off the top, with their next game against Swansea almost a must-win fixture for the North London club.

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Ask any young player that has flirted with non-league how difficult it is to make the step up to full-time, professional football.

Academies are over-subscribed and incredibly competitive, and when Solihull-born striker Will Grigg broke his leg aged 15 whilst at Birmingham City, you’d be right to assume that would be it for his professional career.

So when he signed for Midland Alliance outfit Stratford Town aged 16, it was thought he’d be another ‘so close, but so far’ story. But credit to the Northern Irishman, he earned a junior scholarship with Walsall and his progress back into the Football League returned.

He played just-shy of 100 games for Walsall after being fast-tracked into the first-team and he quickly became a fans’ favourite. He scored 30 goals during his tenure at the Midlands outfit before earning a transfer to fellow League One side Brentford. The Bees paid just shy of £400,000 for his services, and was easy to see why.

But this was a patch in his career where he struggled, and where some questioned whether or not he was good enough. A 10 game barren spell being played on the wing led to some of the poorest form of his professional career, and he seemed to lose a lot of confidence – the same confidence that saw him become a Bescot Stadium hero at Walsall.

Brentford were promoted automatically that season and despite being part of a side the lifted the second place crown, Grigg was not thought to have been an inaugural part of the side, He was quickly shipped back to League One on-loan at MK Dons.

It was here where he got his mojo back, and under the guidance of Karl Robinson he helped the Dons to a second placed League One finish- he ended the campaign with 22 goals in 50 appearances.

Many Brentford fans wondered why Uwe Rossler was so keen to let Grigg leave upon his return to Griffin Park, but he was sold to Wigan Athletic last summer for a fee thought to be in the region of £1m. And as his transfer value began to rise, his value on the pitch did too.

The Latics were in footballing transit after rapid relegations from the Premier League. The fans expected more from the players and spirits were in decline. Some questioned Grigg’s ability before his first game, citing his inability to break into Brentford’s Championship side before he’d even stepped foot onto the DW turf. But not for the first time Grigg defied the odds.

He’s been scoring goals for fun this season and has even broken into Northern Ireland’s national squad. Many have touted him for bigger and better things again, but with Wigan seemingly running away with the League One title, Grigg will finally get his chance in England’s second division.

It’s the story of hard work, a bit of luck and down-right resilience. Will Grigg could be on the brink of something special and it’s safe to say he deserves it.

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Manchester United’s 3-1 win over Bournemouth yesterday evening officially brought the 2015/16 Premier League campaign to a close, providing the final chapter on what has been an incredible, unprecedented and groundbreaking year in the top flight.

But the English football calendar hasn’t quite gone full circle just yet with one standout affair remaining – the FA Cup final between the Red Devils and Crystal Palace. Echoing the same fixture between the two sides 26 years ago, famed for Ian Wright’s rise to prominence, it looks set to be a bit of a classic.

Indeed, Louis van Gaal needs a trophy to stand any chance of keeping the Manchester United job, whilst the last time Palace boss Alan Pardew reached an FA Cup final, his West Ham side produced a 3-3 thriller with Liverpool.

And Saturday’s game at Wembley could be made even more delicious for you at home with some half-price pizza courtesy of Papa John’s, who are giving 50% off to any fan who can accurately predict which side will score twice or more this weekend in one of their two Big Match Specials.

All you have to do is sign up for free, select United or Palace as your team and wait for them to make the onion bag ripple at least twice in the FA Cup final – at which point you’ll be sent a half-price code. It’s seriously that simple!

So, what are your chances for this weekend’s game? Well, United have scored twice or more on 13 occasions in the Premier League this term, whilst Crystal Palace aren’t lagging too far behind with eleven. Doing the number crunching, that suggests there’s a one-in-three chance of either side scoring at least twice at Wembley. Not too shabby.

With a new manager at the helm and untold millions to spend, it looks set to be a very exciting and expensive summer transfer window at Manchester United.

In fact, the Red Devils have already sealed one signing in the form of defender Eric Bailly, who arrives from Villarreal to become Jose Mourinho’s first official acquisition as United boss.

But who should follow Bailly to Old Trafford? Which target should Manchester United focus their transfer attentions on next?

Earlier this week, we gave you the chance to have your say on United’s summer by giving a simple thumbs up or thumbs down to 22 of their top targets – and we now have the results.

So Football FanCast are delighted to exclusively reveal the ten transfer targets Man United fans want their club to sign most before the start of 2016/17.

Agree with this list? Disagree? Is there someone we missed out? Let us know by commenting below!

10. MARQUINHOS

Ranking in at No.10 is defender Marquinhos, an apparent £40million target for Manchester United. The Brazil international hasn’t flourished as expected since signing for PSG in 2013, finding himself stuck behind countrymen David Luiz and Thiago Silva in the pecking order, but remains highly-rated through a mix of versatility, athleticism and natural Selecao technique.

9. TONI KROOS

United allegedly pulled the plug on a deal to sign Toni Kroos in summer 2014 and have been tipped to revive their interest amid rumours the German international is unhappy at the Bernabeu. Arguably the top deep-lying playmaker in world football, oozing intelligence and impeccable technique, he may be slightly beyond United’s reach this summer without the incentive of Champions League football.

8. MIRALEM PJANIC

Jose Mourinho reportedly wants to add Miralem Pjanic’s attacking flair to Manchester United’s engine room and a fair segment of Red Devils fans would appear to support such a swoop according to our poll. But rumour has it the Bosnian international, who bagged ten goals and twelve assists for Roma in Serie last season, is on the verge of signing for Juventus.

7. Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang

We expected Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang to be a little higher on this list, having just come to the end of the most potent campaign of his career with 39 goals across all competitions. But Manchester United supporters may have been put off by news the Borussia Dortmund striker is in advanced talks to sign for bitter rivals Manchester City – not to mention his apparent £70million price-tag.

6. Saul Niguez

Atletico Madrid midfielder Saul Niguez narrowly misses out on a spot in the top six – by just 21 votes – following what has been a fantastic season for the youngster at Vincente Calderon. The Mattress Makers’ march to the Champions League final has springboarded the 21-year-old to superstardom following a superb assist against Barcelona and an incredible solo goal to help clinch victory over Bayern Munich. Manchester United are known admirers but the Spaniard has committed his future to Diego Simeone’s side – both verbally and in the form of a new contract.

5. John Stones

It’s been a difficult season for John Stones but the Everton defender still finds himself in our poll’s top five for obvious reasons. Manchester United need a long-term partner to Chris Smalling and the 22-year-old is one of the most exciting centre-backs in world football at the minute, laden with unique agility, technique and attacking flair. The Red Devils, Chelsea and City are all chasing the £45million-rated prodigy but recent reports suggest Everton will refuse to sell again this summer.

4. Antoine Griezmann

Capable of playing out wide or centrally, Antoine Griezmann would address a number of deficiencies in Manchester United’s attack. Another phenomenal season at Atletico Madrid has seen the France international bag 32 goals across all competitions and be repeatedly linked with Manchester United, who were reportedly willing to activate his £63million release clause. But recent reports claim the 25-year-old has just signed a contract extension with Diego Simeone’s side, suggesting he won’t be on the move this summer.

3. RAPHAEL VARANE

Another potential partner to Chris Smalling and the most popular on this list with an impressive 925 up-votes. Jose Mourinho once dubbed Raphael Varane the best young defender in world football and has inevitably been tipped to swoop for the French centre-back this summer. He’s the total package at the age of 23, combining a fantastic reading of the game with physicality and confidence on the ball, but Real Madrid certainly won’t let him leave on the cheap.

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2. Zlatan Ibraimovic

Surprisingly enough, Zlatan Ibrahimovic didn’t top our poll, despite his move to Manchester United being seemingly a done deal. The Sweden international is set to arrive from PSG on a free transfer after firing the French club to four consecutive titles with 156 goals in 180 appearances across all competitions and even at the age of 34, remains one of the best strikers in the business.

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1. Paul Pogba

Seeing Paul Pogba at the top of our poll is no great surprise, having flourished into arguably the top midfielder in world football since leaving Manchester United for Juventus back in summer 2012. Indeed, the France international is somewhere between Yaya Toure and Patrick Vieira on the goalscoring enforcer spectrum and United fans are undoubtedly scratching their heads as to why he was allowed to leave four years ago. Some sources claim the Red Devils have already tabled a £60million bid for the23-year-old, but they face competition from all across Europe and the Premier League.

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Brendan Rodgers has been quick to praise the abilities of both Tom Rogic and Stefan Johansen.

Both players are now in the last year of their contract at Celtic Park and one or both could depart before the end of the transfer window if they can’t agree new deals to stay with the Scottish champions:

WANT MORE? >> Celtic transfer news | Scottish Premiership transfer news

The Celtic boss is hoping that Australian international Rogic can develop further this season. The-24-year old has been linked with a move to Arsenal, along with a number of Championship clubs. Rodgers told the Daily Record:

“He has great skill and ability. He had a bad time with injuries and last season was just coming through that. Hopefully this term he can kick on again.”

Rodgers was equally enthusiastic about Norwegian midfielder Johansen, who is being courted by a number of German clubs and Galatasaray according to recent reports:

“I have to say, I haven’t seen a great deal of Johansen yet. But the elements I’ve seen and heard, I like. In training this week he has been outstanding.”

When asked specifically about their respective contract situations, Rodgers said that the power lies with the players and he mentioned England’s transfer market as being very different, commenting in regards to the higher wages English clubs can offer player:

“I’m relaxed about it. Of course, I want happy players who are committed to Celtic. But in modern football sometimes the strength is with the player. The markets in England are very different and we have to respect that. But for every second they are here they’ll respect how we work and have a responsibility to Celtic. That’s all I can do is as a coach. Whatever happens outside of that is not for me.”

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Arsene Wenger is truly part of the furniture in English football. He’s spent 20 years at the pinnacle of the game in this country with Arsenal, winning league titles and domestic cups along the way as well as reaching a European final in 2006.

It’s easy to forget though, that he was a key component of the French game before he arrived in the English capital. He spent decent spells at both Nancy and Monaco in his native France, learning to become the manager he is today with the influence of players from his country clear for all to see in the recent history of Arsenal. Players like Thierry Henry, Patrick Viera and Emmanuel Petit, to name just a few, all played in the French division and the Gunners’ boss is always looking for the next Arsenal hero from Ligue 1.

There’s plenty of talent just over the Channel and Wenger will know that more than most which has led us to think that this FIVE might be on their way to England…

Alexandre Lacazette

It’s time to break the bank, Arsene. The Gunners really could struggle to finish in the top four this season let alone win the title if they don’t get another top striker in. Lacazette has been the main target all summer it seems and yet we’re still no closer to a deal being done.

The French boss might see the current amounts of money being spent as obscene but surely it’s less so than the idea of a club like Arsenal not putting up a genuine fight this season?

Blaise Matuidi

Arsenal have signed Granit Xhaka to be their midfield enforcer yet he didn’t start for the Gunners against Liverpool and frankly looked like someone more concerned with fouling people than winning the game when he came on.

It’s early days of course so the jury is still out but the club might just want to look into Matuidi seriously; he knows how to play the role well and has played at the highest level.

Layvin Kurzawa

Kurzawa won the title in first season at PSG last year, making 17 appearances and scoring four goals. A left back who can clearly attack then, he’d be a strong addition to that area of the pitch for the Gunners.

Currently, Nacho Monreal is the first choice left back at the Emirates but in all fairness there are better players out there than the Spaniard, Kurzawa being one, and Arsenal should be taking note of this.

Marquinhos

Marquinhos would help solve Arsenal’s defensive issues. Like Calum Chambers and Rob Holding, the Brazilian is young but his experience vastly dwarfs that of the two Englishman.

The PSG defender is unlucky to be behind David Luiz in the pecking order in the French capital and would surely consider the chance of first team action at a club like Arsenal.

Benjamin Moukandjo

If Wenger does decide against the Lacazette move maybe he’ll be tempted by a cheaper option that can still score goals.

Moukandjo hit 13 goals for Lorient last season in 31 appearances so the logical reasoning is that for a team that gives him better service he’d surely score more.

The Lacazette deal is taking far longer than it should and if money is the problem, the Cameroon forward is the next best option from the French division.