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Newcastle United have brought a new exciting youngster into the fold under Eddie Howe despite the transfer window being closed, as per reports.

What's the latest Newcastle news?

According to Football Insider, Newcastle United midfielder Bruno Guimaraes is close to signing a new deal at St James' Park that would make him the highest-paid player in club history.

The report states that the new deal will be worth around £200k-a-week and will also put an end to speculation linking Guimaraes with moves to the likes of Chelsea, Liverpool and Real Madrid. No release clause will be present in the Brazil international's new contract as the Saudi Public Investment Fund have refused to include them in any negotiations since taking over in the North East.

In some international break-themed news involving the Magpies, Newcastle United winger Harvey Barnes is considering changing his international allegiance from England to Scotland after being snubbed once again by Gareth Southgate, as per The Times.

Barnes is eligible through his grandparents and could opt to work under former Newcastle United assistant Steve Clarke, who is in charge of the Scottish national side. Scotland stand on the brink of securing EURO 2024 qualification following a run of five wins from their first five group fixtures, as per Sky Sports.

In a separate piece from Football Insider, it has been revealed that Fabian Schar could be handed a new contract at Newcastle United, with his current terms set to run out at the end of this campaign.

Former Bournemouth boss Howe is keen to keep hold of Schar despite being in the market for another central defender in the summer. Crystal Palace's Joachim Anderson was targeted by the Magpies and it is believed that the Eagles threw out a late deadline day bid for the Denmark international worth over £30 million.

Who have Newcastle signed?

Transfer expert Fabrizio Romano has taken to social media platform X to share that Newcastle United have brought in a new talent despite the transfer window closing in England. Romano stated:

"Official, completed. Talented 2007 born winger Trevan Sanusi joins Newcastle from Birmingham City. Newcastle won competition to sign Sanusi as more than five clubs were involved in the race."

Trevan Sanusi, who has been described as a "really exciting young player" by Birmingham boss John Eustace, has yet to make a senior appearance in his career; however, he has trained with Birmingham City's first-team on several occasions and has a growing reputation as a rising star in the English game.

What now for Newcastle?

Newcastle United will wait for the rest of the international break to play out before returning to action next weekend on September 16th against Brentford in the Premier League.

In the summer, CaughtOffside claimed that Newcastle were rebuffed in an approach to try and bring in Inter Milan midfielder Nicolo Barella; however, he could be available for around £77 million next year.

Football Insider report that Newcastle United may look to expand their portfolio abroad by purchasing a top-division Belgian club and they have already held talks about the possibility of doing so.

Bournemouth's Lloyd Kelly is on the radar at St James' Park and could be courted in January as a potential addition to Howe's defensive ranks, so it could be a bust few months for the Magpies.

Aston Villa have made an enquiry over a possible summer move for Arsenal defender Kieran Tierney, according to Ben Jacobs.

The Lowdown: Villa rumours

Villa were first linked with a move for Tierney earlier this month by Football Insider. They said that Arsenal could green-light a summer sale and value the player at £30m, with the report adding that Villa could be willing to sell Lucas Digne to make room for the Scot.

The 25-year-old appears to have dropped down the pecking order under Mikel Arteta this season following Oleksandr Zinchenko’s arrival in the summer, starting more games in the Europa League than the Premier League.

Tierney also shares the same agent as Villa centre-back Ezri Konsa, and it looks as if Villa have made their first move ahead of a possible transfer.

The Latest: Jacobs’ comments

Jacobs was talking to TEAMtalk regarding Tierney and Villa. He said that those at Villa Park (by extension both NSWE and sporting director Johan Lange) have made an approach for Tierney.

However, the reporter said he would be ‘surprised’ if the left-back decided to move to the Midlands due to no European football being offered.

“Aston Villa have been a club that have also inquired but I think that Tierney will still want European football. So personally – and it is only my view – I’d be surprised if Tierney drops down to a club in his mid-20s after impressing for Arsenal – let’s not forget last season – that doesn’t offer European football.”

The Verdict: You never know…

Christian Purslow is expecting an ‘extremely busy summer’ ahead of Unai Emery’s first full season in charge, so it wouldn’t come as a shock if Villa followed up their approach by making an offer for Tierney in the summer.

He has been dubbed as an ‘absolute baller’ by talent scout Jacek Kulig, so could prove to be a shrewd signing, even though Emery recently brought in left-back Alex Moreno from Real Betis in the winter window.

The Arsenal man would bring a winning mentality to the Midlands after lifting a number of trophies with boyhood club Celtic and the FA Cup and Community Shield with the Gunners, potentially adding a Premier League winners medal to his collection over the coming months.

Villa have shown recently that they can attract players who are used to European football by signing Philippe Coutinho from Barcelona, so we won’t rule out a move for Tierney just yet, although Villa may have to rival Newcastle United for his signature.

To say that Liverpool have had a turbulent summer would be an understatement. The Reds started off well in the summer transfer window, welcoming both Alexis Mac Allister and Dominik Szoboszlai to begin their much-needed midfield rebuild.

Since then, however, things have only gone downhill, as they missed out on key targets. Now, as the window edges closer and closer to closing, Jurgen Klopp and co have reportedly turned their attention to Feyenoord for options.

What's the latest Liverpool transfer news?

Of course, if you cast your mind back, after their strong start to the window, Liverpool said their goodbyes to both Fabinho and Jordan Henderson, as they duo swapped Merseyside for Saudi Arabia. Now, this wouldn't have been an issue if they had replacements instantly lined up.

That was far from the case, though, and with the Premier League season underway, the only incoming since Mac Allister and Szoboszlai has been Wataru Endo, following the rejection of both Moises Caicedo and Romeo Lavia, who chose Chelsea over Liverpool this summer.

On top of their midfield crisis, it could be argued that the Reds need another central defender this summer, given Joel Matip's injury combined with the fact that he has one year remaining on his current contract.

With that said, according to Football Transfers, Liverpool have turned to Feyenoord to solve both of their issues, with the Premier League giants reportedly in contact with both David Hancko and Mats Wieffer over potential summer switches.

Appearing on ESPN's Football Talk, Hans Kraay junior recently spoke about the potential deal for Hancko, in particular, saying, via Football Transfers: "Do all those Premier League clubs send half-blind scouts to the Netherlands? Hancko is worth £35/40 million for almost every team, isn't he?"

As things stand, Feyenoord are yet to set their price, but it certainly seems as though it would cost Liverpool a hefty fee as the transfer window comes to a close.

Should Liverpool sign Hancko and Wieffer?

Given their problems in both central defence and midfield, welcoming both Hancko and Wiffer could be an act of genius from Liverpool.

Hancko, a centre-back, is still only 25-years-old and should, therefore, be in the middle of his prime in the Netherlands. The Slovakian played a key part in Feyenoord's title-winning campaign last time out, even enjoying nine goal involvements from the back.

Meanwhile, Wieffer – a defensive midfielder by trade – is only 23-years-old, and played an equally impressive part in Feyenoord's title win last season, scoring three goals, whilst also assisting a further seven in all competitions.

Compared to recent Liverpool signing Endo last season, as per FBref, Wieffer made more progressive passes, more progressive carries, better pass completion, and made more blocks, interceptions, and tackles per 90. Any way that you look at it, Wieffer would be the option to strengthen Klopp's midfield.

Hancko is just as impressive, too, making more progressive passes, winning more tackles, and making fewer errors per 90 than Joel Matip last season.

If Liverpool do push ahead with deals for the Feyenoord duo, it would represent solid business.

Sunderland are reportedly in talks with Paris Saint-Germain over a permanent move for full-back Colin Dagba.

What’s the latest Sunderland transfer news?

The Black Cats and Tony Mowbray have been fairly busy in the transfer market this summer ahead of their Championship opener on Sunday at home to Ipswich Town, looking to go one better following a top-six finish last time out.

The club have brought in a number of players in recent weeks, with fees paid for Jenson Seelt, Nectarios Triantis, Jobe Bellingham and Eliezer Mayenda from PSV Eindhoven, Central Coast Mariners, Birmingham City and FC Sochaux respectively.

Meanwhile, teenager Luis Semedo and former Blackburn Rovers man Bradley Dack have both made the move to The Stadium of Light on free transfers. In total, Sunderland have spent just under €5m on transfers, but it looks as if that could soon go up with a possible move for Dagba.

According to French outlet Foot Mercato in the last 48 hours, Sunderland and Paris Saint-Germain are in discussions over the transfer of Dagba.

It is believed that the two sides are in talks over a permanent deal, with Dagba’s future at the Parc des Princes ‘blocked’.

Who is Colin Dagba?

Dagba made the move to PSG’s academy as a teenager back in 2016 from Boulogne and progressed into the first team setup two years later.

Now 24 years of age, the Frenchman is primarily a right-back who can also turn out at left-back or as a right-midfielder and was once valued at €18m by Transfermarkt. That figure has dropped to €4.5m, with Dagba’s £22,000-a-week contract having two years left to run.

Sponsored by Nike, Dagba has made 77 senior appearances across all competitions for PSG over the years, scoring one goal and providing six assists.

He has won three Ligue 1 titles, two French Cups, one French League Cup and three French Super Cups during his time with PSG but spent last season on loan with RC Strasbourg, turning out on 21 occasions in the French top flight.

Dagba was once hailed by centre-back Presnel Kimpembe for his display in the Champions League against Bayern Munich, saying:

"I want to say, I am proud. Even though we lost, it remains very positive. For me, it means a lot to be able to have PSG youth products on the pitch, it shows that there is soul in this club.

"Colin showed what he was capable of, I am very proud of him. Collectively we did the job, but I would like to congratulate him because he was hyper-focused."

At Sunderland, Mowbray currently has Trai Hume and Niall Huggins as right-back options, so Dagba could come in and rival the pair while also offering an alternative option at left-back to Dennis Cirkin.

He was even labelled as a wonderkid who managers should look to sign on Football Manager back in 2020, and by the looks of things, a move to The Stadium of Light may well be on the cards for Dagba, making this one to watch over the coming days.

Celtic kicked off their Champions League campaign with a disappointing defeat away to Feyenoord as they lost 2-0 on Tuesday night.

The hosts took the lead through Calvin Stengs as his free-kick from distance curled and bounced up in front of Joe Hart, which prevented the former England international from being able to keep it out.

Hart then made up for his error as he saved a penalty from Igor Paixao but he could do nothing to stop Alireza Jahanbakhsh from smashing the ball into the top corner after a clearance fell kindly for him in the box not long after Odin Thiago Holm was sent off for a late challenge. However, he wasn't the only one to head for an early bath.

Why was Gustaf Lagerbielke sent off against Feyenoord?

The Swedish summer signing was given his marching orders by the referee after he was adjudged to have fouled the Feyenoord player racing through on goal, which led to the saved penalty.

It was his second booking of the match and resulted in a red card. However, it was a contentious decision as the opposition forward appeared to go down rather easily under minimal contact from the central defender, although Lagerbielke put himself in a dangerous position by holding onto him at all.

1 tackle

0 interceptions

1 duel won

2 duels lost

The 23-year-old stopper only won one duel in his 63 minutes on the pitch and recorded a game-low Sofascore rating of 5.7 out of all starters, which illustrates just how poorly the ex-Elfsborg titan performed on the night.

That said, alongside Lagerbielke, another player who let Brendan Rodgers down badly on the night was Honduras international Luis Palma as he struggled on the wing.

How well did Luis Palma play against Feyenoord?

The summer signing from Aris FC was handed a big opportunity to put a marker down after his move to Scotland and failed to do so.

He left much to be desired in and out of possession against Feyenoord in his 58 minutes on the pitch before Rodgers decided to haul the 5 foot 10 forward off.

As per Sofascore, Palma lost eight of his 11 duels (73%) and failed to make a single tackle, block, or clearance, whilst he was also dribbled past twice. This suggests that he did not provide Greg Taylor with much protection from the opposition forwards down that side of the pitch.

The 23-year-old did not make up for his lack of defensive work with quality wing play either. As per Sofascore, the former Aris star only completed two of his six attempted dribbles and did not create a single chance for his teammates. To make matters worse, his 38 touches were also fewer than Hart's 52.

Throughout the match, Feyenoord dominated Palma as they prevented him from being able to dribble past them or play dangerous passes to his teammates, meaning that he was ineffectual on and off the ball throughout the 58 minutes he was on the pitch.

The score was only 1-0 to Feyenoord until the 76th minute and there was plenty of time for Celtic to find an equaliser to change the game but Palma, along with the likes of Kyogo Furuhashi and Daizen Maeda, failed to provide the requisite quality to make something happen in the final third.

Leeds United return to action in the Championship this afternoon as they travel to Wales to take on Cardiff City in their 27th league match of the campaign.

The Whites were in FA Cup action last weekend as they faced Peterborough United away from Elland Road on Sunday and ran out 3-0 winners.

Leicester City

1

26

65

Ipswich Town

2

26

55

Southampton

3

26

52

Leeds United

4

26

48

West Brom

5

26

42

Sunderland

6

26

40

Daniel Farke's side secured a comfortable win thanks to two goals from Ethan Ampadu either side of a wondergoal from striker Patrick Bamford.

The English centre-forward could keep his position in the side for this clash with Cardiff after that stunning strike and the German head coach must unleash Georginio Rutter in the number ten position behind him, ahead of Joel Piroe.

Bamford's season in numbers

Bamford failed to find the back of the net in any of his first 16 appearances for Leeds this season, and did not provide a single assist for his teammates in that time.

In fact, the 30-year-old striker also missed a penalty in a crucial game against Stoke City away from home, minutes before the hosts scored the winning goal.

However, the former Middlesbrough star was handed his first Championship start of the campaign against Birmingham on New Year's Day and headed in his first goal of the season from Dan James' cross.

Bamford then chipped in with a goal of the season contender, as shown in the video above, and an assist in the 3-0 win over Peterborough last weekend and this means that he has three direct goal contributions in his last two appearances.

Rutter's season in numbers

Farke could now provide the English number nine with the service that he needs to continue that rich vein of form by bringing Rutter back into the team.

The French whiz was rested – as an unused substitute – against Peterborough and should come straight back into the XI to replace Piroe due to his superior creativity.

Appearances

25

26

Assists

Nine

One

Big chances created

17

Two

Key passes per game

2.2

0.9

Dribbles completed per game

2.5

0.5

As you can see in the table above, Rutter has significantly outperformed the former Swansea marksman in a host of key creative metrics in the Championship this season.

In fact, the 21-year-old magician ranks within the top 1% of forwards in the division for shot-creating actions (4.53), Expected Assisted Goals (0.37), and assists (0.39) per 90. He also ranks within the top 1% for successful take-ons (2.74) and the top 3% for progressive passes (3.66) per 90.

These statistics show that the ex-Hoffenheim prospect has been one of the best, if not the best, playmakers in the league so far this season.

The £34k-per-week star, who was once lauded for his "blistering" pace by talent scout Jacek Kulig, has the quality to consistently unlock opposition defences to create high-quality chances for his teammates in front of goal.

This is why Farke must unleash him in the number ten position behind Bamford to provide the English striker with all the ammunition that he needs to continue his goalscoring form.

Nottingham Forest are still active in the transfer market even with only a few hours left to complete new signings, and now a new update has emerged from a reliable source on a long-term target.

Who could Nottingham Forest sign on transfer deadline day?

According to Italian journalist and transfer insider Fabrizio Romano, Nottingham Forest are interested in signing PSV Eindhoven Ibrahim Sangare before the transfer window shuts at 11pm today.

Romano revealed on social media yesterday:

"Nottingham Forest are pushing in talks with PSV Eindhoven for Ibrahima Sangaré. Negotiations ongoing today in London.

"Sangaré out and Lozano in could be key part of the domino for Johan Bakayoko to leave PSV."

A move for Sangare could further align following the exit of Lewis O'Brien last night, as the Forest midfielder has joined Middlesbrough on a season-long loan in the Championship.

What are Ibrahim Sangare's strengths?

It is no secret that Nottingham Forest have been huge admirers of Sangare for a long time, so finally sealing his signature in the dying hours of the summer window would be an exciting prospect for the club and its supporters.

The Tricky Trees are currently 14th in the Premier League table and will be keen to compete much more comfortably this season to avoid getting caught up in another tight relegation battle at the bottom of the table and retaining their top-flight status once again.

As a result, the signing of Sangare would be a major coup for the Trentside club as the midfielder is a high-quality midfielder who boasts a diverse skill set, but is especially consistent in his defensive presence in the centre of the pitch.

Over 29 Eredivisie appearances last season, the Ivory Coast international was in red-hot form, scoring five goals, tallying up an 84% pass completion rate and successfully completing 77% of his dribbles, winning 2.3 tackles and 5.8 duels per game, as per SofaScore, proving that he is a dominant presence both in attack and defensive.

Not only that, the 25-year-old sensation ranks in the top 15% of his positional peers across the eight leagues most similar to the Eredivisie for progressive passes, successful take-ons, clearances and aerial duels won per 90 minutes played over the last 12 months, according to FBref.

Branded the "King of PSV" and "extraordinary" in the past by former PSV and Ajax boss Aad de Mos, Sangare has been linked with moves to some of the biggest and most successful English clubs over the last few months including PSG, Bayern and Liverpool, meaning it would indeed be quote the coup if he arrives at the City Ground today.

According to PSV journalist Rik Elfrink, Forest submitted a €35m (£30m) bid for the midfielder on Wednesday [30th August], but it remains to be seen as to whether the Dutch club will accept the offer or demand more as the clock ticks down in the final minutes and hours of the transfer window.

With that being said, it would be a no-brainer to secure Sangare's signature this summer as he could be a huge asset to Cooper's pursuit to establish Nottingham Forest as a competitive Premier League club over the season ahead and beyond.

Tottenham Hotspur remain interested in a longstanding target of theirs, despite advancing deals elsewhere…

Are Tottenham Hotspur signing Edmond Tapsoba?

Whilst the north London transfer sphere has been dominated by reports of Micky van de Ven's imminent signing, it could be forgotten how desperate Ange Postecoglou was to sign Edmond Tapsoba for a period.

However, journalist Paul Brown continues to suggest that such interest has not ceased, but merely taken a back seat given the frustrating nature of the deal.

He told GIVEMESPORT:

"I still think Tottenham will buy a defender. Tapsoba is probably in the top three they're looking at. I'm not sure if they've decided which of these guys they like the most yet, but I think Tapsoba is very high on their list.

Read the latest Tottenham transfer news HERE…

"It's not going to take a lot to get this deal done. So, once a decision is made about which ones to bring in first, I think you'll see it happen. It wouldn't surprise me if Tapsoba is the one."

Given the €45m (£39m) they were reportedly set to offer earlier this week, they still seemingly remain firmly in the race for his services.

How good is Edmond Tapsoba?

Their longstanding interest in the 24-year-old stalwart is well-founded, given how imperious he has been since moving to Germany.

Just last term saw him excel in the Bundesliga yet again, as he continues to announce himself as one of the division's finest central defenders.

In acquiring him, it could avenge chairman Daniel Levy's past transfer failure from earlier in the window, as they reportedly battled with Aston Villa to sign Pau Torres from Villarreal.

The Spaniard had announced himself as one of Europe's top ball-playing centre-backs in his homeland, with his performances for the Yellow Submarine exemplary.

In fact, when compared to others in his role across the continent, he ranked in the top 4% for progressive passes per 90, and the top 1% for progressive carries per 90, via FBref.

However, in the end, the pull of Unai Emery proved too much, and he chose Villa Park over north London. A hammer blow for Spurs, and a damning indictment of their recent failures.

Postecoglou likely received a hefty wake-up call from such a disaster, which he could avenge by signing Tapsoba.

After all, the Burkina Faso star does rank similarly against the same group as Torres, sitting in the top 5% for progressive passes per 90, the top 8% for progressive carries per 90, and the top 6% for successful take-ons per 90, via FBref.

Not only this but last season in the Bundesliga, he maintained a 6.86 average rating, buoyed by 1.1 interceptions, 1.5 tackles and three clearances per game, via Sofascore.

Only two Spurs players recorded more clearances last term in the Premier League.

It was no surprise to see him lauded by journalist Antonio Mango, who outlined his key attributes before branding him a "monster," adding:

"Comfortable on the ball. Big, strong. Quick. Position good with a very good footballing IQ."

To instead sign the hulking titan over their previous transfer target would mark little drop in quality, and given these two sides will likely battle once again for similar spots, it will be interesting to see who comes out on top.

However, at the very least Postecoglou will be safe in the knowledge that despite failing to secure his initial target, his alternative would be arguably just as good.

Hibernian parted company with manager Lee Johnson over the weekend following a dreadful start to the 2023/24 campaign at Easter Road.

Although the club secured progress in the League Cup via a win over Raith Rovers while qualifying for the Europa Conference League playoff round, it hasn’t been enough to save Johnson.

Woeful European defeats to Inter Club d’Escaldes and Aston Villa sandwich an impressive two-legged performance against Swiss side Luzern, but their Premiership form has been nothing shy of disastrous.

They have yet to win a point across their first three matches as they are rooted to the bottom of the table, and although they have scored five times during these ties, conceding eight goals isn’t the form of top-four contenders.

The search for a new boss begins, and the club will need to get it right in order to return to form.

Who could be the new Hibs manager?

The moment a manager is relieved of their duties, the thoughts turn to who could be next in line to manage the team.

Former defender David Gray will lead the side on a caretaker position until a new boss is found, and they may wait until the international break to appoint someone.

The Scotsman have compiled a list of some ideal candidates for the Hibs board to consider and the vast majority of names could certainly be an improvement on Johnson.

Names include Derek McInnes, Neil Lennon, and former Celtic captain Scott Brown, but there is another name on the list who could be an excellent replacement for the recently departed 42-year-old at Easter Road; Marti Cifuentes.

Who is Marti Cifuentes?

The current Hammarby manager was actually linked with a move to Hearts before Steven Naismith was given the opportunity to lead the side, and it’s evident that clubs in Scotland have noticed his potential.

The Spaniard prefers to play with a 4-3-3 formation which could benefit from the quality that Hibs have in their midfield and attack.

He has managed 231 matches during his relatively short managerial career thus far and across those games, he has won 356 points at a rate of 1.54 points per game, whereas Johnson has won just 1.47 points per match.

Cifuentes enjoyed a solid first season in charge of the Swedish side, leading the team to third place in the league while just missing out on national cup success.

Such an achievement certainly makes him comparable to the former Chelsea boss Graham Potter, who built up a wonderful reputation of his own in Sweden.

He led Ostersunds to the Swedish Cup while also claiming a stunning victory against Arsenal in the Europa League, something that secured him a move to England.

Cifuentes has also forged his career in Scandinavia, managing Sandefjord and Aalborg BK before getting the top job at Hammarby, averaging 1.81 points per match at his latest club.

Potter actually averaged fewer points per match (1.71) during his stint in Sweden, meaning the Spaniard looks like he could certainly follow in his footsteps.

Hibs should be making a concrete effort to lure the 41-year-old to Easter Road before another club lands him and the next few weeks could be interesting indeed.

Former Liverpool captain Jordan Henderson was left exhausted by the Saudi heat on his Al-Ettifaq debut, according to multiple reports.

How much will Jordan Henderson earn in Saudi?

During the summer, the English midfielder made the controversial decision to leave Anfield and the Premier League and head to the Middle East.

The transfer – worth £12m plus add-ons – drew criticism from the LGBTQ+ community, however, as same-sex sexual activity is illegal in Saudi Arabia and yet the player has publicly claimed to be an ally in the past.

Despite that though, Henderson is now officially an Al-Ettifaq – earning a reported £700k-p/w – and even made his debut for the club this week as his new side beat Al-Nassr in the Saudi Pro League.

Former Liverpool teammate Sadio Mane actually netted for the opposition after just four minutes, but Henderson and co fought back to win 2-1 thanks to goals from Robin Quaison and former Celtic man Moussa Dembele.

According to a report in The Guardian, though, the English debutant was absolutely exhausted after just 30 minutes of action in the 34.6C Saudi heat.

Paul MacInnes wrote: "Henderson was on his haunches. He had given everything. The former Liverpool captain, and new talisman for Al-Ettifaq, had pushed himself to the physical limits in the service of his team. It was the sort of moment that has previously served to build the Henderson legend, except with a small difference: his team were 1-0 down here and there was still an hour to play."

He added: "An important qualification should probably be made here: it was 34.6C in the stadium at this point and with a level of humidity high enough to hydrate a pack of instant noodles. It was surely, by far, the hottest football match Henderson had ever played in, but one recovery sprint, and a not entirely full-throttle one at that, had entirely done him in. And the England man was hardly alone."

This wasn't the only report to note the extreme weather, with Tom Kershaw of The Times also making sure to note the "gruelling humidity" that left Henderson's spirit "sapped to a despondent trudge" during a water break, with "his head bowed in resignation as he gulped for respite in the suffocating heat".

You can watch highlights of his debut via YouTube below.

What age is Jordan Henderson?

Now 33 years of age, perhaps it's not surprising that the former Liverpool star is struggling in such conditions – although it sounds like he would have found it tough going even at the peak of his powers.

After all, in the aforementioned report in The Guardian, Henderson's new manager and former teammate Steven Gerrard explained how "tough" it has been adapting to the heat.

“When I’m sitting in my house, and I have Sky News on, you see the weather in different countries around the world come up, but you don’t really appreciate that type of heat until you actually come and work in these conditions,” Gerrard said after the match.

“The climate has definitely been tough and challenging. So I’m going to have to adapt, and so are some of the signings we’ve made from Europe. We don’t want to leave our energy on the training pitch. There are things we have to change and … I’m facing the challenges, accepting them. I know what I’ve signed up for.”

It will certainly be interesting to see how all these new stars in the Saudi Pro League will get on. By the sounds of it, the biggest obstacle may well simply be the high temperatures.