Alan Shearer Exclusive: Ivan Toney could be a good option for Man Utd on deadline day

• Brentford striker could give United cutting edge

• Chelsea have treated Sterling "shoddily" and he must leave

• Newcastle must make a statement signing before deadline

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Transfer deadline day can be a nightmare

For a club, managers and coaches, transfer deadline day can be a nightmare. You can imagine, whether you want to get players in, big or small, or whether you want to get players out, the stress of being able to do that is huge.

A coach is sat there waiting for a call from his Chief Executive to say, "The deal's done we've got him in", or, "We've got him out", which is the issue half the time, because you can't get a player in until you get a player out. Even more so nowadays because of the financial rules.

I've never been involved in a transfer deadline day, but obviously I've been involved in transfers. I've been sat waiting at home, waiting for a phone call to say 'yes, the club have agreed a fee with your club' and you're then free to then go and travel to Blackburn, as it was in this case. Or whether it was going to see Newcastle or Manchester United when I was leaving Blackburn after that.

I've been sat waiting for those calls to say: "You can go and speak to them." It's nerve-wracking but I guess the football clubs must do the business their way. Chelsea are taking it to a different extreme with the number of deals that they're actually doing but it can be a really tricky time.

Ivan Toney could be a good option for Man Utd

I like Ivan Toney. I think he can do a really good job for someone - he's an excellent player. Obviously, he knows the Premier League, he knows what it's about and he's proven at that level. He's an England international too.

He only has one year left on his contract, and I understand why some players would want to go to Saudi Arabia, but for someone like him who's in the prime of his career, he's got another four or five years ahead of him and I would hope that he stays in English football because I think he has a lot to offer.

I am slightly surprised that Manchester United haven't enquired about him. Maybe they have, maybe there's something brewing behind the scenes that we don't know about, but I think he'd do pretty well at Old Trafford.

I thought they were poor in forward areas against Brighton and without Rasmus Hojlund - I know they've signed Joshua Zirkzee - but they're playing Bruno Fernandes and Mason Mount as two false nines and up to now, I'm not sure that's worked for them.

They got the goal from Zirkzee against Fulham and then just the one last week so it hasn't quite clicked for them yet in forward positions, and I think Toney would be a really good option for them.

Leaving Chelsea and United is best for Sterling and Sancho

It's quite clear that Chelsea don't want Raheem Sterling and Man United don't want Jadon Sancho, for whatever reason, whether you agree with it or not. I think Sterling has been treated rather shoddily by Chelsea and whether you think he's a good player or not, there's a way to treat one of your players and I don't think they've treated him well at all.

With regards to the Sancho situation, we know there was a fall-out with Ten Hag and once that happened, it was always going to take one side to back down and it doesn't look like that has happened.

The best for both players and the best for both clubs would be to get those players out but there's a lot more to it than that.

Sterling has three years left of a contract sitting on an absolute fortune so he'll want compensating for the way he's been treated and for him to leave the club, while Sancho I guess will be in a similar position.

He spent last season out on loan so I suppose a deal for both players going either way would make sense. Both clubs would get rid of the player they don't want and then, in the hope that those new ones that they bring in, whether that be Sancho or Sterling, would give them more options going forward.

Sterling didn't have the greatest of seasons at Chelsea and it's best that he moves on, gets out and plays football because again, if he stays fit and you get the best out of him then there's a talented, player in there too.

It's best that both players move on. Whether a deal can be done both individually and with other clubs we'll have to wait and see but both players need to get out and play.

Sancho and Ten Hag clearly don't get on

There is no doubt that Jadon Sancho is talented but it just hasn't clicked with this manager at United. Erik Ten Hag doesn't seem to get on with him; whether he felt he owed him an apology because he was late or constantly late, we don't know the full story but there's no doubt there's a talented player in there and some manager will benefit from that if Sancho does move on.

While Ten Hag is at Man United, Sancho is clearly not going to play so it'd be a better option for him to at least get out somewhere else and try and play. But Chelsea is a different environment to anything we've known.

We've never seen anything like what Chelsea are doing in terms of bringing in that many players, giving them lengthy contracts and having so many players they don't want, so they either send them off to the youth team to train or sell them on.

It's a very different and difficult situation for players going there but like at most football clubs, if you're good enough, you'll end up playing.

It would be embarrassing for Newcastle not to land statement signing

Newcastle need reinforcements. Whether that's one or two, for them to push on again and go again, we need more reinforcements.

I know we've had injuries, and have Sandro Tonali to come back in and that is a good thing, but Newcastle still need reinforcements at the back and they still need to strengthen.

I know we've had issues with the new financial laws and had to sell two of the youngsters, but they've done that with Minteh and Anderson, and it should add the funds needed to go out and bring at least one statement signing in, and I feel as if Newcastle need to do that.

It would be pretty embarrassing after what's gone on the last two weeks if Newcastle didn't now.

Trippier has been exceptional at Newcastle

I would personally like Kieran Trippier to stay at Newcastle; I think he's been a fabulous addition. He was the first in, the first one who took the leap from La Liga into Newcastle and the relegation battle. His attitude and his experience since he came here has been exceptional.

I know Newcastle have a good talent in Tino Livramento and they both want to play because they are both very good players.

Trippier is at the wrong end of his career if you like and Livramento is at the right end - they both want to play and I don't see the harm in that, but I think with Kieran's experience and knowhow, he would be a big loss to Newcastle.

I totally understand, however, if Kieran wants to leave. Depending on what the manager and club have said to him in terms of whether he'll be first choice or not, plus we know the captaincy has been given to Bruno Guimaraes. There are so many things to consider, and I understand it.

If he were to leave, I'd be the first to say 'thanks for what you've done for Newcastle because you were unbelievable in everything you've done, and you took a gamble and believed in Newcastle'

He'd only ever get positive words from me and I'm sure most of the Newcastle fans as well.

Newcastle was right club, wrong time for Merino

Mikel Merino has joined Arsenal and although he didn't set the place alight at Newcastle, there was never anything wrong with his attitude or anything else. It was just 'right club, wrong time' and we never saw the best of him, so it was best he moved on.

He's been brilliant for Real Sociedad and of course for Spain too, so you can see the attraction that Arsenal see in him, and he'll be a good addition to their squad.

He will bolster their midfield in terms of getting from box-to-box and he'll be a good signing for them.

David Raya could be key to title success for Arsenal

It was a brilliant result for Arsenal against Aston Villa. I watched the full game and if Ollie Watkins had his shooting boots on then it would've been a very different scenario, but how many times over the years have we said that teams just need to find a way to win?

Once Arsenal got that first goal, it was a different game and they're very, very difficult to peg back, once Arsenal take the lead they're solid.

They've had to rely twice on the goalkeeper, David Raya, having pulled a great save off in the first game at 1-0 vs Wolves, and he pulled a great save off from Ollie Watkins at 0-0 last weekend.

To win the title, you need a very, very good goalkeeper. Man City have Ederson who's pulled off great saves a number of times over the years and now David Raya, has made two early in the season to help win them the points.

Yes, you need top quality defenders too and Arsenal have got that. They had the best defence last year and they've spent a fortune on a new left sided defender in Riccardo Calafiori. There may be more additions along with Merino so let's see if anything happens in the next day or so.

It wasn't a great performance, but it was a great result given the circumstances. That's the type of performance that makes people sit up and say, 'maybe they are for real this year.'

Man City are too experienced to let Arsenal bother them

Man City would only really take note of Arsenal's result at Villa if they were new to the game and new to challenging but because they're so experienced, it won't bother them at all. They've won it four times on the spin, it's unprecedented what they have done.

There's no way Pep Guardiola and his team will think Arsenal are any different than they were last year. If Arsenal play like we know they can, then they will be a match for anyone, not just Man City.

However, that result for me sends a message to everyone in the league to say 'well maybe Arsenal might be good enough to go all the way this year'.

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