Souness hopes to strengthen midfield

Newcastle v Arsenal: Newcastle United play Arsenal at St James' Park tonight with their manager, Graeme Souness, thinking as much about January's transfer window as is the Premiership champions' Arsene Wenger.St James's Park, 8.00On TV: Sky Sports 1

Newcastle have beaten Arsenal once in 10 years at home and their record of six points from the last 27 does not inspire much confidence this time. Yesterday, Souness refused to confirm any new signings but said for the first time he would like to sign a defensive midfielder.

Nicky Butt has missed Newcastle's past six matches and remains three weeks away from a return.

"That is such an important position," Souness said, "protecting the two central defenders. We've been playing without one - we miss Gary Speed without a doubt. That's the kind of player I'd like to get in January."

Souness was linked with Barry Ferguson after leaving Ewood Park in September, but it would require a sum of about £5 million for Blackburn to part with the Scot.

It would also involve, presumably, Rovers chiselling Robbie Savage away from Birmingham.

It is not known how much Souness has to spend, but with Jean-Alain Boumsong moving from Rangers for as much as £9 million and with Luis Boa Morte lined up to join from Fulham for about £2 million, Newcastle might be stretched to sign Ferguson as well. Boumsong may be available in time for next Monday's game at West Bromwich Albion.

Another player Souness is interested in, though he denied it, is Southampton's James Beattie.

Southampton are understood to have asked for two players as well as cash and the names of Lee Bowyer, Titus Bramble, Darren Ambrose and Shola Ameobi have been discussed.

Souness' opposite number, Arsene Wenger, says the Newcastle manager has been handicapped by the transfer window system and that is one of the major factors as to why the Frenchman is opposed to it.

Wenger said: "That's why I was always against the transfer window becomes it gives an impossibility to the guy who comes in to make changes straight away because he has to wait. There is no real impact on the policy inside the club. Then you have to make rush buys in one month.

"The transfer window is near the end of the season because we play something like 24 games before the end of the year and 14 after the end of January. If you are bottom of the league in November, you have to wait until January to do something.

"Then you risk going down and spending money. On top of that, prices get inflated because when it gets close to the window the prices go up. Many clubs buy new players in the last five or six days because they know they have to do something."

Ominously for Newcastle, Thierry Henry thinks that Arsenal have rediscovered their fluency. "I think the football we played against Fulham was beautiful to watch," he said. "What matters is winning and the three points, of course. But it's more enjoyable when you play like we did against Fulham. We're playing as a team and that's important."

Jens Lehmann will be offered a route out of Arsenal by German side Borussia Monchengladbach after losing his goalkeeper's jersey to Manuel Almunia. "When somebody like Lehmann becomes available then you've certainly got to consider it," a Borussia official said.