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The 2017/18 Premier League is fast coming to a close. The good news is that supporters of the teams performing superbly will be celebrating in the not so distant future. At the same time, punters will have increased chances of winning as more markets emerge focusing on the best teams in the premiership. There are several sites for punters to place their bets with others having dedicated expert opinion sections that post over 2.5 tips daily.

Take a look at our prediction on how the Premier League table will look like at the final whistle of the 2017/18 season. The target is specificallyin the top 7 positions i.e. the European qualification positions and the bottom three which are the teams who are more likely to go down to the Championship.

Manchester City- Champions League (Final league position- 1)

Technically, Manchester City has not officially qualified for the Champions League, but it is just that, a technicality. Apart from the mathematical permutations, no one at this stage can say Manchester City will miss out on the Champions League as they have a comfortable 13 point lead over second placed Manchester United with a game in hand. Five more wins and they wrap up the title with a few games to spare.

Manchester United- Champions League (Final league position- 2)

At the start of the year, Manchester United had a comfortable cushion in second place. Two months down the line, only two points separate them from Liverpool in third place. It’s a poor run in form as per Manchester United standards as they lost some crucial matches recently. Manchester United still has some big games left to prove their worth which includes the Manchester derby, the visit of Liverpool and Arsenal. However, with Jose Mourinho, they have a functional manager who will do enough to win the points he needs in the last 10 games of the season.

Liverpool- Champions League (Final league position- 3)

Liverpool’s strength was heightened in the January transfer window by gaining the defence they needed - an area they desperately needed to improve on. Many say that it’s not their defence that will propel them into the Champions League, but rather an impressive attack strategy seen in players such as Mo Salah. The only way Liverpool can fall out of the Champions League spots is if their front three goes on a barren run. We don’t see that happening in the remaining 10 games of the season though.

Chelsea- Champions League (Final league position- 4)

Chelsea will just about get into the Champions League ahead of Tottenham for one reason only, and that is the goal to come from almost anywhere. If one thing can be said, it’s that Chelsea has made work hard for themselves. The uncertainty surrounding Antonio Conte’s future has not helped, however, just because Chelsea has many match winners from their full-backs, Marcos Alonso and Caesar Azpilicueta will just about make it.

Tottenham Hotspurs- Europa League (Final league position- 5)

Tottenham had an impressive Champions League adventure this season, but it’s likely that they will miss out for the next one. Tottenham picked up positive results lately, however all the goals was as a result from one man, Harry Kane. If Kane doesn’t score, then it’s a problem for Spurs as Christen Eriksen and Dele Alli have not been chipping in with some goals. In addition to this, Fernando Lorente has been restricted to the bench.

Arsenal- Champions League & Europa League (Final league position- 6)

Technically, Arsenal already qualifies for Europe i.e. the Europa League by virtue of them finishing second in the Carabao Cup. The only way they will miss out taking the above into perspective is if Manchester City fails to finish in the top four, which is no longer feasible at this stage. Arsenal is still in the Europa League and that provides an avenue to enter the Champions League next season if they manage to win the tournament.

Relegation places- West Brom, Crystal Palace,and Stoke City

West Brom is gone and that is the reality. Joining West Brom is probably Crystal Palace and Stoke City. The two are on a downward spiral with Crystal Palace missing several players through injury including the influential Wilfred Zaha and Bakary Sako. Stoke City are also on a downward spiral and to add to their woes, they have a tough run-in including matches with 6 teams in the top 8.

It has been over two months since ‘Big Sam’ was unveiled as the new Everton manager, replacing the perpetually forlorn David Unsworth. In that time, he has never really been embraced by his new set of fans.

Despite being the embodiment of Premier League security, he is, with some betting firms, fourth favourite to be the next manager sacked in the league. In fact, when utilising 1Xbet Promotions, odds as high as 20/1 for his dismissal can be found. His perceived fragility stems exclusively from his playing style.

For clubs like Everton, entities who have made midtable their permanent abode, there inevitably comes an existential crisis. Why do they exist? What is their function? Despite Leicester winning the Premier League title, such a feat being replicated by one of their peers is a virtual impossibility, while relegation too is a disaster easily avoided. Without titles to chase or a demotion to avoid, these clubs merely drift from season to season.

It is then essential that these clubs strive for something to set them apart. If fans are expected to shell out exorbitant sums of hard-earned cash to watch their club appear frozen in stasis, then they deserve the right to be entertained for ninety minutes.

This is the dilemma that Sam Allardyce has failed time and time again to get his head around. For the experienced gaffer fan enjoyment is a neglected afterthought, a concept that lurks somewhere far to the back of his mind, sandwiched between remembering to put the toilet seat down, and remembering the name of the guy who presented Bullseye.

Big Sam is at his happiest when he is able to turn each and every Premier League game into a war of attrition. A series of pitched battles where the traditional measures of manliness are pitted against their adversaries. Guile, ingenuity, grace and panache all abandoned in favour of grit, aggression and furious application of effort.

At his previous clubs this mode of thinking was understandable, after all sides like Crystal Palace, Sunderland and Blackburn were rarely in a position to play beautiful football. When those clubs hired Big Sam, it was as much a distress call as it was a managerial appointment. They saw chasm of relegation widening and acknowledged that Allardyce’s methods, however coarse, were strong enough to lift them from the abyss.

At Everton however, things are different. The Toffee’s aren’t a side who see themselves as a club who must battle relegation with all their strength. They want to gaze upward, especially considering that over £200million worth of talent has been acquired in the last two transfer windows.

Allardyce however fails to address his fans complaints. After a 4-0 drubbing at the hands of Spurs the jowly gaffer said, “Maybe I have a bit of responsibility by playing too much attacking-minded players and not as many defending-minded players. I should have got back to being a bit more boring and a bit less adventurous.”

For the majority of Everton fans, who had just witness the fourth game of Allardyce’s brief tenure not to feature a shot on target, this was akin to having a nail driven into the base of their skulls.

With the Everton hierarchy’s initial target, Marco Silva lurking in the background after his dismissal from Watford, Allardyce’s job has never looked so precarious.

For Allardyce to thrive at Goodson Park and enjoy a lengthy reign substance must be met with style.

Liverpool is one club that has had a lot of issues as it concerns its best legs being poached by rival clubs. Now, one may say that it most times shows a sign of disrespect when a club is seen as that bride that its beauty could be exploited all the time.

It started when the engine room of their midfield in the person of Xabi Alonso was poached by Real Madrid. This, of course signaled the downfall of the Reds. Javier Mascerano followed suite and the team was placed in a place they have not been able to recover from.

In the later years, Liverpool got a lot of stars who because of their love for the history of the club and other reasons chose to grace the Anfield. Fernando Torres was on fire when he arrived, but the club allowed Chelsea to steal him from them in a big money move after few years. He was replaced by the magical Luis Suarez. But then again, one thing led to the other, and the club allowed him to go. The next superlative talent that has graced the team is Coutinho, and now Barcelona wants to take him away from them again.

However, the one that baffles a lot of football pundits is why the team will even consider an offer from Juventus for their midfield general Emre Can. If for nothing, the Emre Can transfer issue is one that should not be talked about at all. If the team keeps selling their best legs like Emre Can one after the other, when will they have the squad that will lift them from their premier league trophy limbo? Without people like Emre Can, who will get them to be at the top again?

Now, we cannot take away the fact that every team that sees a player as a huge potential for them should move for that player. But the Liverpool board has not done enough in the bid to keep Emre Can. Why would Liverpool allow a 24-year-old who is as good as Emre Can to get to the twilight of his contract before offering him another one? The plot to take Emre can away from Liverpool is even thickening now that the Emre Can to real Madrid rumor has surfaced. This will make it more difficult for Liverpool to keep Emre Can now.

Now, to buttress Emre Can’s importance in the team, Liverpool manager has come out to say that the Emre Can move should be halted at all costs. He has expressed his desire to retain Emre Can at the club, appealing to the owners of Liverpool to ensure that Emre Can is persuaded to stay. But it seems that talks about a new deal are not progressing. So, those teams that will just look at a player and he will agree to come play with them have joined the race.

Emre Can could have looked at the contract extension from Liverpool and the offer from Juventus and decide to remain at the Anfield. But an offer from Real Madrid would be very difficult for Emre Can to reject, just as some matches are difficult to ignore in football betting.

Emre Can is a very young and talented midfielder, and the Galacticos will be ready to dole out the funds. It has been revealed through happenings in the pitch and news from the appropriate quarters that Zidane is shopping for another young and experienced quality in midfield. Emre Can fits the position. So, Emre Can is most likely leaving the club anytime soonest, since he will be a free agent by the summer.

The Gunners were in fine form before the international break, but an away match against a vibrant Watford side has all the hallmarks of a potential banana skin for Wenger’s men – simply put, they cannot afford anything less than 3 points as they look to continue their recovery from their terrible start to the campaign.

The Gunners appear to have found their form following a traumatic transfer window and it is only the Manchester sides that are now noticeably ahead of the Gunners, with Liverpool in 7^th, Chelsea level on points and Tottenham just one point ahead. But you don’t have to look very far down the table to find Arsenal’s opponents on Saturday, Watford, who are sitting pretty in 8^th and have looked very good under Marco Silva.

Watford will surely capitalise on any complacency from Arsenal if it is present, perhaps most impressively, they have scored 11 goals this season, the same amount as Arsenal! Richarlson looks a terrific signing and like Doucoure, he has scored 3 Premier League goals already this season. Watford just look more spirited under their new manager and evidence of this perhaps falls in their late goals.

Despite Arsenal finding their feet, I’m not overly confident of the team getting three points. What do you fancy for this one? Take a look at the Watford vs. Arsenal betting odds. I think a draw is good value at 16/5.

Will Ozil and Alexis start this game? It’s hard to tell, but in truth, Arsenal have looked fine without them on the pitch and even Alexis’ influence is fading as it seems the inevitable is on the horizon. Wenger admitted earlier this week that both players could be sold for cut-prices in January to avoid losing them for nothing at the end of the season. It does look like that could be the best possible solution, but questions must be asked as to why the duo were not sold in the summer if the club were never confident of tying them to new deals. Not only will Arsenal receive much less money for them, but want away players being in the squad is disruptive and this was clearly the case in the seasons opening fixtures.

Whilst the undeniable quality of Ozil and Alexis will be needed at times this season, I would be tempted to hand the likes of Alex Iwobi and Jack Wilshere more game time in preparation for the world class duos exit. I think in a game like this against Watford, Wilshere may even be a better option than the German, who is still going to be struggling for match fitness. I think it sends a positive message about the club if they don’t need to rely on Ozil or Alexis this season, and it’d be great to see someone come through and take responsibility.

There are some players though, whose time is surely up and there isn’t much point in trying to shoehorn them into this team, the likes of Theo Walcott, who was determined to fight for his place in the summer, has surely realised his time is up. He’s no longer having an effect from the bench, which says all you need to know, it’s best for both player and club to move on from this situation and I think that could very well happen in January with a number of clubs snooping around at his availability.

The transfer window is shut and now we can all focus on the football. But how do Arsenal get around their clearly shambolic final few days of the window.

Depsite Wenger’s public stance, the club clearly were open to selling Alexis Sanchez on deadline day, but despite having a £92million bid accepted for Thomas Lemar, the player opted to stay at Monaco, meaning the Gunners now have an Alexis Sanchez that everyone knows wanted to be at Manchester City.

It is a similar scenario for Mesut Ozil, with the German having less than a year remaining on his current contract. Arguably Arsenal’s two best players will be allowed to sign a pre-contract with a foreign club in just a few months – how will this impact on the Gunners season?

In my opinion, if we knew neither player were going to extend, we should’ve sold them earlier and sorted replacements earlier in the window. Thomas Lemar may have turned the club down on deadline day, but he wanted the move to Arsenal in June. Arsenal must have known Alexis would not be extending for some time, and Lemar could’ve been secured (for less money) at the start of the window. At worst Arsenal would’ve had Lemar and Alexis for a season.

It’s possible that Alexis could leave in January for a reduced fee, with Man City 7/2 favourites with PaddyPower to be his next club.

Do Arsenal really have a realistic chance of doing anything special this season? The title is surely beyond them with the squad harmony now probably at an all time low. Claim the best free bets at Freebets.co.uk and put your money where your mouth is.

There is a spin to it though, it’s possible that Alexis and Ozil put in top quality performances in order to secure moves to top clubs at the end of the season. If this happens then it’s true that Arsenal perhaps are a better side than last season, with Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain the only significant departure and Kolasinac and Lacazette arriving.

Lacazette has started the season well and is an outside shot as the Premier League’s top scorer at 12/1. But even if this is the case, the long term impact on Arsenal’s squad will not be good when Ozil and Alexis leave for nothing. The cost of replacing those two players, in this market, will be significant.

As an Arsenal fan I’m trying to think positively from this situation, but I cannot. There is incompetence at every single level of this football club and I don’t see our situation improving any time soon. This could be a big problem considering clubs like Liverpool, Tottenham and both Manchester sides are continuing to show improvements. When will Arsenal be back at the top again? After Arsenal’s poor start, SkyBet have the Gunners as 28/1 outsiders for the title, which makes them 6^thfavourites. This window has only pushed us back, we need something fresh, but sadly it is not coming any time soon.

Chelsea are one of a number of big clubs looking to do business today. In this article we take a look at 4 deals the club are reportedly trying to complete before tonights 11pm deadline.

1 - Danny Drinkwater

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Chelsea are attempting to finally seal their move for Drinkwater on deadline day. The player is desperate to join Chelsea after handing in a transfer request. After losing Nemanja Matic to Manchester United earlier in the summer, Conte has been attempting to add a central midfielder to the clubs ranks, with the clubs current squad very thin considering the fact they will have to participate in the Champions League this season. Drinkwater is unlikely to become a starter at Chelsea but he could reunite with N’Golo Kante in the heart of midfield to form a central midfield partnership that of course won the league title two seasons ago. Conte will be well aware of this and it most likely factored into Chelsea’s interest in Drinkwater. With a couple of bids already knocked back, will this one be completed before the deadline tonight? We think so.

Liverpool haven’t been overly active in the transfer market this summer and despite the exciting addition of Mohammed Salah, the fans will be hoping their club can surprise a few in the final week of the window and complete some top signings. In this article I take a look at four signings Liverpool are reportedly trying to complete before the window shuts, and take a look at what they would add to the club, if they did complete a move. The transfer market is moving fast, but at the time of writing, we are bringing you the latest news.

1 - Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain

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The Ox has been linked with a move to Liverpool all summer, but after Chelsea agreed on a fee with Arsenal for the player yesterday, it seemed this one had drifted from Klopp’s grasp. Now though, the player has seemingly turned down Chelsea as he wants to join Liverpool, but will the club be willing to match the £40million bid made by Chelsea? It also appears that the Ox turned down Chelsea because he wants to play in central midfield now, whilst Chelsea want him to continue to play as a wing back. Reports now suggest that Liverpool will make a decision on Oxlade-Chamberlain today.

Although they are no longer active on the pitch to bring their teams to victory, many footballers of the 80s have left their print on footballing history. The 80s were arguably the period when the best football was being played, and today people still talk about the prowess of many of the football legends from the yesteryears. Travel back in time and relive this exciting football era by playing on the retro themed Bingo Extra online bingo site. This is where you can score big wins in the bingo rooms such as Candy Store, The Extra Room, The Diner, The Playground, and more. Play The Jukebox at Bingo Extra every Saturday and get a chance to win a share of up to £500. Now it’s time to roll back the clock and discover some of the most influential players of the 80s.

Pele

Although Pele has played professional football until 1977, it would be unfair not to include him in the list of the greatest ever football player. His pedigree is simply phenomenal. He has scored more than 1,000 goals during this career and led Brazil twice to World Cup victories. Santos, his club, won two Intercontinental Cup and two Copa Libertadores thanks to the help of Pele. Today, Pele is widely considered as one of the best player the world has seen in professional football.

Diego Maradona

Diego Maradona is known for having won the Final of the 1986 World Cup with his infamous ‘Hand of God’ goal. Four years later, he once again took Argentina to the final. He played for Napoli and was highly involved in making them win their two only Italian titles. Incredibly, Maradona was voted as the best player of all time, after FIFA carried out an internet poll, to the dismay of many Pele fans. Maradona has certainly proved that he is one of the best dribbler of all time. He scored what is arguably one of the greatest ever World Cup goal against England, where he picked the ball while at the halfway line and dribbled his way to get the ball into the net.

Johan Cruyff

Crown as the European footballer of the year for not less than three time, Johan Cruyff is one of the most naturally gifted football player of the 70s and 80s. Cruyff has been playing in the Dutch World Cup team in 1974 and he was also the key player who helped his team Ajax win a treble of European Cups in the early 70s. Most defenders feared playing Cruyff for his incredible acceleration, speed, and unmatched technical skills, and most admitted that it was virtually not possible to defend against him. With his tactical insight about football, it is not surprising that he went on to become a world class coach.

Michel Platini

Michel Platini helped France to reach the World Cup semi-finals twice and the European Championship title in 1984. Platini was named European Footballer of the year thrice, and was mostly successful while he was playing for Juventus. He was instrumental in making them win the Intercontinental Cup and European Cup in 1985. Platini was considered as one of the greatest passers that the world has known and a free kick master. For someone holding the role of a midfielder, he scored not less than 68 goals for Juventus, and was crowned as top scorer on three different occasions for Serie A.

George Best

A fantastic dribbler, George Best is arguably one of the most gifted British football player in history. With a combo of perfect balance, lightning pace, and goal-scoring ability from both feet, made Best a handful to handle for even the most skilled defenders. Best is mostly known for winning the European Cup in 1968 with Manchester United and he was voted as European Player of the Year. Best abruptly ended his career at the young age of 27 years old only, after facing numerous personal problems that was highly publicised in the media.

Everton have recently agreed a fee of £45million for Swansea midfielder Gylfi Sigurdsson, but their spending isn’t set to end there, with Ronald Koeman reportedly still interested in adding another forward to the squad.

Despite adding Wayne Rooney and Sandro Ramirez this summer, Koeman probably rightly feels that his attack still lacks something after the £80million sale of Romelu Lukaku to Manchester United.

Top quality forwards are hard to find these days, but at Arsenal, they are overloaded and Wenger has admitted he is looking to sell players before the window shuts – Everton could potentially grab themselves a bargain with four possible signings. In this article we take a look at all four and who would be the best.

1 – Danny Welbeck

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Everton are said to be actively pursuing a deal for Danny Welbeck, after failing to convince Giroud to join. According to The Mirror, who cite some reports from Italy (huh?), Everton could lodge a £30million bid for Welbeck in the later stages of the transfer window – an offer Arsenal may find hard to turn down considering their depth in attack. Whilst Wenger would probably like to sell other players, he is unlikely to stand in Welbeck’s way if more first team football is on offer at Everton. Welbeck would be a solid addition and could reunite with Rooney in attack. He’s a versatile player and a very hard worker. The negative is he doesn’t score an awful lot of goals, his finishing isn’t great, but he makes up for it in other departments – he’d be a solid addition.

Chelsea look to be desperate to make some more signings ahead of the transfer window slamming shut in two weeks time. Antonio Conte has grown frustrated at the lack of activity so far this summer and there are certain positions that certainly need to be supplemented ahead of the new season.

Chelsea are the title holders, but they have to play much more football this season with the Champions League involved and having lost the likes of John Terry, Nemanja Matic and seemingly soon, Diego Costa in the transfer window, depth, at the very least, is required.

In this article, we take a look at four players being heavily linked with a move to Chelsea currently.

1 - Cedric Soares

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According to The Mirror, Conte is targeting Southampton full back Cedric as competition for Victor Moses at right wing back. Reports are that Chelsea’s interest is at around £15million, though S’oton will likely want more than that, with limited time to find a replacement. Cedric won’t be the stellar signing that many fans will be hoping for, but the Portuguese international is a player that is already Premier League proven and settled in the league, so it wouldn’t be a concern that he is joining the squad with the season already underway. It’d be an interesting battle between Cedric and Moses for the wide right berth, as neither player are known as world class, but both have good qualities and are probably at a similar level. The healthy competition between the duo would likely bring out the best of both players.

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English teams have seriously struggled in Europe’s elite competition in the recent past, but I think that is all about to change, with both Manchester sides now having the quality within their squad to seriously challenge Europe’s elite.

Manchester City have added a whole array of talent in the off-season, with the likes of Kyle Walker, Benjamin Mendy and Bernardo Silva arriving, whilst United have opted for Premier League experience with Nemanja Matic and Romelu Lukaku the headline arrivals.

It goes without saying that Manchester City’s squad is incredibly strong. They have £50million players on the bench every single game, and have versatility not only in attack, but also in defence. Tactically Pep Guardiola can mix it with the very best and after his introductory season last campaign, I feel he is now ready to go for the Champions League title. Man City have spent enough money and have no real excuses now. They have invested heavily in both experienced and young players, and a world class manager. When you spend that sort of money, you can’t just be looking to win your domestic league – the ambition is clearly to be a consistent force in European football too and stop the La Liga dominance.

For me, Chelsea and Tottenham’s squads are too small to seriously compete for the Champions League at this stage, and Liverpool lack the overall quality in their team, especially in defence where they would be taken apart by the likes of Real Madrid and Barcelona.

Who is your pick for the Champions League? Bayern Munich are the bookies favourites, whilst Manchester City (14/1) are slightly preferred to Manchester United (15/1). If you fancy backing up your prediction, check out the Champions League odds 2018. I think City are good value, as they may yet still add more players to their already hugely talented squad, whether that be in the final weeks of August or in the January transfer window.

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Manchester United, after winning the Europa League, have experienced winners in their squad and also a manager who knows how to win the Champions League in Jose Mourinho. The Portuguese man will be relishing the opportunity to be back in the competition and show the world what he and his players are capable of. United have both skilled players and physically big players, that will enable them to compete with all types of opponents. They could be a couple of players short still, but the club have allegedly reopened transfer talks with Inter Milan for Ivan Perisic, his arrival would be a big boost.

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Chelsea look like they will finally add another signing to their squad this summer, with Leicester City’s Danny Drinkwater closing in on a move.

Valued at £40million by Leicester, Chelsea are readying a second bid of around £35million, which may be enough for a player that was left out of the clubs season opener against Arsenal on Friday night.

Drinkwater is viewed as a replacement for Nemanja Matic, as Chelsea look to add some depth to their midfield options after Matic’s departure left them very thin on the ground. This hasn’t been helped by the fact that Tiémoué Bakayoko, the clubs new signing from Monaco, is currently injured.

Drinkwater’s arrival will give the club several senior options in central midfield, with N’Golo Kante, Bakayoko, Cesc Fabregas and Drinkwater all competing for two positions. But with the added stress of Champions League football set to take its effect on the squad, Conte will certainly be looking forward to having several options in a physically demanding position.

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We know the team have the quality to win the league and beat any team in the league, but with no European football last season, the squad depth was never really tested. Flying around Europe and playing those extra games seriously takes its toll on players and often massively increases the probability of a muscular injury occurring.

What will be interesting is whether or not Drinkwater can replicate his title winning form of two seasons ago, because if he can’t, then £35million is an awful lot for a player that has done very little with his career aside from that season. Is he really good enough to start for Chelsea? Personally I don’t think so – which means he isn’t worth close to the £40million Leicester value him at. But the current market is crazy and Chelsea are in a position where they need extra bodies, though I do think they could be doing better with that money.

With the Premier League set to kick off tonight, there are more top strikers in the league than ever before, at least in terms of monetary value. Big money moves for Romelu Lukaku, Alvaro Morata and Alexandre Lacazette have seen the top clubs bolstered with more than £200m of talent – but are any of them capable of dethroning the might Harry Kane.

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Kane netted a massive 29 league goals last campaign at a brilliant rate of 87 minutes per goal. With 65% of the Englishman’s shots hitting the target, despite all of the money spent, can any of the new boys take the golden boot away from Tottenham’s main man? For me Kane still have to be the favourite and SportNation.com are offering tempting odds of 4/1 for Kane to top the Premier League goal scoring charts.

Romelu Lukaku is surely positioned best to challenge Kane, he’s already settled in the Premier League and with a hugely talented midfield behind him, Lukaku is likely to get on the end of a lot of United attacks. He was runner-up to Kane last season with 25 league goals, but with a stronger team behind him the Belgian international will be looking to justify his huge price tag and go one better this time around.

Arsenal’s big summer acquisition Alexandre Lacazette showed glimpses of his quality in the Community Shield and if he settles in the Frenchman will have every chance if Arsenal can get back to their best and Mesut Ozil can create the amount of chances we know he can. He’s consistently scored over 20 league goals in Ligue 1, but the Premier League is a different ball game, so I expect him to drop just short.

Alvaro Morata has been the headline move for Chelsea so far this summer, but it looks as if the Spaniard may take a little time to adjust to life in England.

Liverpool are unlikely to have a player that will challenge the likes of Kane for the golden boot, but what they do have is several sources of goals. The addition of Mohammed Salah has only added to their already strong attacking options which already include the likes of Roberto Firmino and Sadio Mane. With all of these options and if the club can keep hold of Coutinho, they may be worth a flutter on SportNation.bet, with huge odds of 20/1 on Liverpool to win the league on offer.

Manchester City are my personal favourites to win the league and if Gabriel Jesus continues to be preferred to Sergio Aguero as the clubs central strikers, then I can see the young Brazilian being right up there in the golden boot race. The amount of midfield quality he will have behind him will see him have plenty of opportunities to score. De Bruyne, David Silva, Leroy Sane, Bernardo Silva, Raheem Sterling, the creative options just go on and on and that is what makes Jesus my wildcard to be top scorer this time around.

Chelsea were pretty limp in the Community Shield against Arsenal and with the extra pressure of Champions League football this season, it’s pretty clear that Antonio Conte’s squad needs to be bolstered.

In this article we take a look at how the team could possibly line up after the transfer window shuts.

GK - Thibaut Courtois

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The Villian of the Community Shield, Courtois saw his penalty balloon over the bar, but he needs to refocus himself for the Premier League season as he did look very distraught after that miss. On form he’s one of the best keepers in the world and there’s no doubt he will be Chelsea’s number one this season.

CB - Antonio Rudiger

The new summer signing looks likely to come into the starting eleven and hopefully he will impress. It’s likely to mean that Azpilicueta will shuffle to play as full back - but Rudiger’s arrival gives the Chelsea defence versatility.

CB - David Luiz

The most central of the defensive trio, Luiz is a reliable defender that perhaps had the best season of his career last campaign.

CB - Gary Cahill

The club captain, Cahill needs to be at the heart of this Chelsea team and ensure they can maintain their form from last season and keep going. Too often the previous title winners have fallen apart in the following season, so Chelsea need to buck the trend and they will need leaders to ensure all goes well, Cahill is one of them.

When Wayne Rooney eventually hangs up his boots, he will rightly be considered as one of the greatest players to ever kick a football. The Liverpool-born forward is England’s all time leading goalscorer with 53 goals in 119 appearances and is the holder of the same accolade at Manchester United. Rooney scored his 250th goal with a splendid direct free kick in a 1-1 draw against Stoke on the 21st January, surpassing Bobby Charlton’s long standing record of 249 goals for the red side of Manchester.

At the age of 31, Rooney has seen his playing time in the starting eleven cut quite dramatically over the last couple of years, with last season’s total of 25 Premier League appearances a career low for the forward. Earlier this month, Rooney opted to leave Manchester United and resign for his boyhood club on a 2-year deal but can the England captain still cut it at the highest level?

It’s important to note that Rooney, despite playing as a striker for most of his career, has been utilised in a deeper role for the best part of the last three years. After the arrival of Louis Van Gaal in the 2014-2015 season, the Dutchman preferred Robin Van Persie up front and opted to deploy Rooney in midfield for the large majority of the season.

Whilst this move was questioned by both supporters and onlookers alike, Rooney still ended the season as United’s top scorer with 14 goals, 12 of those coming in the Premier League. Moreover, the season before Rooney’s foray into midfield, the striker netted 17 times in the Premier league as well as topping the assist table in the 2013-2014 Champions league with 8 assists, two more than second placed Angel Di Maria, who would later go on to play with Rooney at Old Trafford for a brief and unsuccessful period.

Whilst the recent years have represented more of a lean period for Rooney, he still scored 15 goals in all competitions in the 2015-2016 season and, whilst only managing 8 last campaign, many of his appearances came from the bench. Opportunities have also been limited in the kind of roles that Rooney has become accustomed to occupying, with the emergence of players such as Marcus Rashford and Jesse Lingard, and the arrival of world class players such as Zlatan Ibrahimovic, Henrikh Mkhitaryan and Paul Pogba.

There’s little doubt that Rooney will be a definite starter at Everton but much of his success will depend on where he plays. After netting more than 10 Premier League goals for 11 consecutive seasons up until as recently as 2 years ago, Everton would probably be wise to play the striker as far forward as possible and, if this is indeed the case, Rooney looks good value at 5/6 with Oddschecker to score more than 8 Premier League goals in the following season.

Happy for the win, way to go teeeam!!! @manchesterunited #mufc #neverfollow

A post shared by Paul Labile Pogba (@paulpogba) on Nov 24, 2016 at 3:47pm PST

With the sale of Lukaku to Manchester United, Everton are likely to be in the market for another striker who can place the big Belgian’s goals. However, if Ronald Koeman can get Rooney firing again, acquiring the striker on a free transfer might just be the best business they will do all season. With Everton spending almost £100m in this summer’s transfer window already, the Merseyside club are showing plenty of intent for the upcoming season and being surrounded by quality players certainly won’t harm Rooney’s chances of recapturing his best form. At 31, the Evertonian surely isn’t finished yet.

Arsenal are faced with a dilemma. Alexis Sanchez has one year left on his current contract, but he is showing no signs of wanting to sign it. In fact, he’s hinted on numerous occasions that his future lies elsewhere. With that in mind, should Arsenal let him go now, and receive a substantial fee, or risk (almost certainly) losing him for free at the end of the coming season?

Replacement?

I suppose the main question is, no matter what fee the Gunners receive, if there is no replacement on the market, then it would be hard to justify a sale. Arsenal would have to have a premium world class player lined up, otherwise the fans would surely be infuriated if the Chilean left. Thomas Lemar has of course been widely linked, but the 21-year-old is still very much a raw talent and it is very hard to see him coming in and having the impact that Alexis currently has, especially in front of goal anyway. Karim Benzema is another to have been linked (when isn’t he). Reports in Spain have suggested a £60million fee may be enough to see Madrid part with the 29-year-old, with Kylian Mbappe set to steal the limelight in Spain with a reported £160million move from Monaco.

Marco Reus is another plater that has often been dubbed as a potential replacement for Alexis, but the German’s repeated injury problem would surely be a concern when considering a big money move. Arsenal could test the water with a move for Aubameyang, also from Dortmund, but it would be hard to attract this calibre of player without Champions League football on offer – something the Gunners are having to learn to cope with after so long in Europe’s elite competition.

Fee?

Another huge factor when considering whether or not to sell Alexis is the fee on offer. With one year left on his deal Arsenal are not in a particularly strong bargaining position here, but with the market as it is then you would expect some cash-rich clubs like PSG to be willing to offer in excess of £50million for a player that has really confirmed himself as world class in recent seasons. In this lottery of a market, it’s anyone’s guess what fee he’d go for, sport betting canada will highlight the latest football and transfer markets.

To who?

PSG and Manchester City have been strongly linked, but surely if Arsenal had a chance to replace Alexis with a top quality player, sell for a good fee and to a foreign club – it would certainly worth be at least considering. The risk is that if they do not then Alexis would be within his rights to leave for no fee at all next summer and to a Premier League club, most likely Manchester City.

So, should Arsenal sell? It comes down to the 3 factors discussed, and then a more calculated decision can be made. As fans we don’t know the answers to the three questions above – but Arsenal do, and I expect them to make their decision based on that.

Brazil international midfield maestro Philippe Coutinho has once again been linked with a move to Barcelona.

According to Catalan Radio RAC1 as reported by the Metro, the highly rated attacking midfielder has reached a personal agreement with Barcelona for a potential switch to Camp Nou. Liverpool fans who have been banking on football accumulators may have to have a rethink if their talented attacker leaves the club.

Report claims that Barcelona representatives are already in England for talks.

The La Liga giants’ initial offer of £72m was rejected by the Reds, but they are expected to make an improved offer in other to secure the star signature.

Coutinho, whose prolific exploits last season helped the Red Devils qualify for next season Champions League has been in the news all summer about a move to the Barcelona.

It is believed that Barcelona sees Coutinho as a possible replacement for Neymar, who wants to leave Camp Nou for PSG this summer.

Coutinho joined Liverpool in 2013 from Inter Milan in a £8.5 million deal. Since his move to the Merseyside club, the 25-year-old midfielder has made a total of 182 appearances, while finding the back of the net 42 times in all competitions.

He has also featured for the Brazilian national team side 28 times, scoring seven goals.

Fast, skilful and highly creative Coutinho will certainly be a good buy for Barcelona should they be able to prize him away from Liverpool.

However, the South American star is also a target for Ligue 1 giants PSG. The French club are making plans to lure Coutinho to France as they plan to claim the League title next season.

Report according to the Mirror also claims that Liverpool are close to signing RB Leipzig midfielder Naby Keita, having had their two offers rejected.

It is claimed the Bundesliga club are now preparing life without Keita by scouting potential replacement for the African star.

Meanwhile, Coutinho will travel with his team-mate for a pre-season tournament in Germany today.

Report according to the Independent claims that Manchester United are in pole position to sign Serbian international midfielder Nemanja Matic.

United have had initial offers of £35 and £40m rejected for Matic this summer as the Blues hold out for a fee of £50m for the defensive midfielder. I suspect you will find many Manchester United fans using their william hill promo code 2017 if they pull this one off.

Earlier report had it that Italian giants Juventus were battling the Red Devils for the experienced midfielder signature, but the Old Lady are now focusing their attention on PSG star Blaise Matuidi.

It is believed Juventus have conceded defeat to United over Matic signature and have switched their attention to Matuidi.

Antonio Conte had secured Monaco ace Tiemoue Bakayoko this summer, to partner fellow national team mate N’golo Kante in the heart of Chelsea’s midfield.

It is believed Bakayoko arrival at Stamford Bridge will see Matic starting chances limited to the bench next season.

Conte is willing to sell the Serbian this summer after he was left out of Chelsea’s pre-season tour squad amid interest from other club.

Manchester United boss Jose Mourinho is desperate to reinforce his team ahead of next season campaign.

Although he has brought in Romelu Lukaku and Victor Lindelof as a first team starter, he however wants to add more forces to his squad.

Mourinho is willing to have a reunion with Matic at Old Trafford, after they both had a successful stint at Chelsea winning the Premier League title and the Capital One Cup.

Conte was initially reluctant to sell Matic to Manchester United after they hijacked Lukaku deal. But report now has it that the Italian tactician could let him join United, having signed a replacement for the 28-year old midfielder.

The Serbia international has made over 120 appearances for Chelsea since his returned to Stamford Bridge in 2014 for a second spell.

The Premier League defending champions are also willing to part ways with goal poacher Diego Costa.

Report in Italy has it that Costa’s agent Jorge Mendes met with AC Milan directors yesterday for a possible switch.

The Serie A giants are willing to sanction move for Costa having failed to sign Alvaro Morata.

Although Costa will fancy a move to former club Atletico Madrid, Milan are however willing to hijacked the deal as the La Liga club are currently ban from registering any player.

Jose Mourinho is keen on bolstering his team ahead of the new season and has made two signings so far, with Romelu Lukaku and Victor Lindelof joining the Europa League winners. Now might be a good time to use the 10bet referrer code on United going for the title as they continue to show great ambition in the transfer window.

But the Portuguese coach is not leaving the club’s academy out of the transfer market and has added to their goalkeeping rank.

As confirmed by his agent Charlie McNicholas, goalkeeper Theo Richardson has secured a permanent move to Manchester United from Leeds United, swelling the number of keepers at the club to seven.

The 18-year-old joins the likes of David de Gea, Sergio Romero, Joel Pereira, Kieran O’Hara, Max Johnstone and Ilias Moutha-Sebtaoui at the club.

The Lincoln-born keeper was on trial at Old Trafford towards the end of last season and impressed coaches at the club, prompting Man United to offer him a deal, after Leeds refused to extend his contract which end this summer with them.

McNicholas, who works for World in Motion Agency took to his Twitter account to announce the deal while United have also created a profile for him on the club’s website with the statement:

“Signed on a permanent contract after arriving on a short-term basis towards the end of the 2016/17 season”.

“Formerly with Leeds United, he produced some outstanding performances when thrust into the Reds’ Under-18 team to earn a deal over the course of the summer”.

He made his debut in the academy Manchester Derby at the Etihad Stadium in March making stunning saves, and his brilliant performance in the match earned him a place on the bench for the U23s’ penultimate game of the season against Arsenal.

He may likely join the U23 team and the UEFA Youth League squad but has the likes of David De Gea and Sergio Romero ahead of him in the first-team.

And he will also compete with Kieran O’Hara, Max Johnstone and Joel Pereira for a starting place in the reserve, while Sam Johnstone and Dean Henderson have moved on loan to Aston Villa and Shrewsbury Town respectively this summer.

Richardson was part of the team that featured against Cortiba, Chivas and Real Salt Lake at the Dallas Cup and may also play in United’s return to the prestigious Super Cup NI tournament in Northern Ireland
this week.

The transfer window has opened, and yet again, Manchester United fans are wondering whether David De Gea will still be at their club when the season starts again.

Reports have suggested that De Gea has told Mourinho he wants to play for Real Madrid at some point in his career. If that is the case, then why don’t United move on from De Gea? The uncertainty about his long term future can do no good and surely it is best for United to try and find a keeper that is happy at the club and wants to be there long-term.

The Telegraph suggest that United have braced themselves for a bid from Madrid this summer, with the club valuing their keeper at £60million. With just two years left on his current contract, it looks as if De Gea will not extend his contract and if he doesn’t, then United need to sell as soon as possible in order to maximise the amount they will receive for him.

It’s anyone’s guess as to whether or not De Gea will make the move this summer, the likes of Ander Herrera and Sergio Romero are desperate for him to stay in Manchester but what is your prediction? Check out some football betting sites like the ones listed on BettingTop10 to have a flutter on your instinct.

My gut tells me that De Gea will still be United’s keeper when the season starts, but I’m not sure that is the best thing for the club and their fans, to continue to delay what seems likely to be the inevitable.

There are some top quality keepers in Europe at the moment that United could start to pursue. Gianluigi Donnarumma now looks unattainable for a while due to recently signing a new contract, but Jan Oblak of Atletico Madrid may be a realistic target. Inter Milan’s Samir Handanovic is also a name that is regularly linked with the club.

Neither of the aforementioned names would come cheap but they’d almost certainly be attainable for less than the £50million-£60million that United would likely receive for De Gea – so replacing De Gea is unlikely to have any effect on United’s transfer budget this summer.

Mourinho won’t be keen to sell but with the Portuguese manager hoping to be at United for the long term, surely he too will have concerns over the current cloud hovering over De Gea.

Arsenal have spent their summer so far focusing on incoming transfer business but that’s likely to change in the coming weeks, with the Gunners seeing a wealth of interest in numerous players within their squad.

Arsene Wenger is very much determined to see any departures from the squad decided on his terms but interest from top sides from within the Premier League and from elsewhere in Europe may make things difficult for the Gunners.

Despite signing Alexandre Lacazette and Sead Kolasinac, the success of Arsenal’s transfer window hinges on whether outgoing deals are also good for the Gunners, or whether they’ll be forced to take a few steps back following big losses.

Here, we’ve assessed the futures of six core members of Arsenal’s first-team squad and given a decisive verdict on whether the Gunners should keep them in North London or approve a sale.

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Stay: Olivier Giroud

The French striker’s future has been cast into doubt following Arsenal’s club-record signing of Alexandre Lacazette and the likes of Everton, Marseille and West Ham have been attributed with interest in the services of the 30-year-old.

However, despite the signing of Lacazette, Arsenal are still quite short of striking options and Olivier Giroud is a key part of their side- particularly as he presents a quality alternative for Arsene Wenger’s side, which will be crucial in Arsenal’s involvement in the Europa League next season.

Giroud showed his worth off the bench in the FA Cup final with a superb assist for Aaron Ramsey’s winning goal and his competition for football with compatriot Lacazette could bring the best out of both strikers.

Chelsea boss Antonio Conte is making major changes to his Premier League champions this summer and a wealth of significant departures could occur in the coming weeks.

The Blues missed out on the services of striker Romelu Lukaku, who sealed a move from Everton to Manchester United, but have added Willy Caballero and Antonio Rudiger to their ranks ahead of a Premier League title defence.

Conte is still focused on getting further deals done, as he eyes a new striker and a midfielder, and his transfer kitty is likely to be bolstered by a sale of Diego Costa, who has been informed he’s surplus to requirements.

Atletico Madrid, despite their transfer ban that would leave any signings unable to feature until the new year, are keen to bring the striker back to the Spanish capital and The Guardian indicates Diego Simeone’s side are growing increasingly desperate.

That’s left Chelsea confident their asking-price of £30m will be met, with Atletico’s transfer plans falling apart.

What’s happened with Atletico?

Things started relatively positive for Atletico Madrid as they retained the services of Antoine Griezmann amidst interest from Manchester United, securing the Frenchman to a new contract, but their transfer ban was upheld- casting major problems for the club’s recruitment drive.

Initial agreements were in place to sign Alexandre Lacazette, Vitolo, Diego Costa and Sandro before their ban was confirmed to still be going ahead. Since then, Lacazette has joined Arsenal, Sandro has joined Everton and Vitolo is set to sign a new deal with Sevilla.

Simeone’s frustration means that Atletico don’t really have a strong bargaining position when it comes to negotiations with Chelsea and will probably have to pay whatever the Blues desire, although a £30m fee wouldn’t be the end of the world for the Spaniards.

Manchester United have already spent heavily this summer to bring Romelu Lukaku and Victor Lindelof to Old Trafford but Jose Mourinho is ready to splash the cash once again.

The Red Devils are keen on signing a defensive-minded midfielder to slot into their side, which would allow Paul Pogba and Player of the Year Ander Herrera more freedom in attack- which should significantly improve Mourinho’s side.

Manchester United have been linked with Chelsea’s Nemanja Matic and Monaco ace Tiemoue Bakayoko but Tottenham Hotspur’s Eric Dier is their priority signing, with The Guardian reporting the boyhood United fan is keen on a transfer.

A fresh approach of £50m is rumoured to be in the works but Manchester United may have to part with an even higher figure, as Tottenham don’t want to sell and Daniel Levy is renowned for being a difficult man to deal with in the transfer window.

Where does a deal stand?

Unfortunately for Manchester United, the early indications are not good. Manchester United made an approach earlier in the season, which came with a bid under instruction from Jose Mourinho, but Levy immediately rejected the approach- and insisted he won’t be selling Dier this summer.

The fact that Dier is open to a move will give Manchester United hope though and Spurs may struggle to keep hold of the England international if he seeks an exit, particularly as the Red Devils can easily double the midfielder’s current £70k-a-week wages.

Dier has also faced problems securing regular opportunities at White Hart Lane during the past 12 months, with the signing of Victor Wanyama last summer dethroning the 23-year-old as Spurs’ first-choice defensive midfielder.

Can Spurs fend off interest?

Tottenham will likely fight tooth and nail to keep hold of Dier but they may struggle to retain the services of the England ace as there is still a long way to go in the transfer window- especially as Manchester United’s approach will likely lead to Dier seeking assurances.

Dier will want regular football ahead of the World Cup next summer, as he battles for a spot in Gareth Southgate’s England squad, and may demand an increase in wages. However, breaking the £100k-a-week threshold would shatter the Lilywhites wage structure and may lead to further demands from other players.

In all honesty, Dier is probably the most expendable player within Tottenham’s squad, amongst those attracting interest from big sides, and they’d be able to cope with his departure, whereas they’d find it difficult to replace Harry Kane, Dele Alli and company.

West Brom haven’t been known for making waves in the transfer market that much but they’re looking to land a significant double-deal ahead of the new season.

The Daily Mirror indicates Tony Pulis has set his sights on Manchester United’s defensive duo Chris Smalling and Phil Jones, both of whom have two-years remaining on their contracts at Old Trafford.

Both England aces face uncertain futures in Jose Mourinho’s side following the capture of Victor Lindelof from Benfica, who’s set to partner last summer’s recruit Eric Bailly in the heart of the Red Devils defence- potentially leaving Smalling and Jones in real trouble in their battle to make England’s World Cup squad.

Jones’ versatility appeals to Pulis, who’s also looking to bolster his defensive options with former Manchester United man Jonny Evans attracting interest from elsewhere, Jonas Olsson having already left and Gareth McAuley halfway into a retirement home.

Whether they can persuade Manchester United to sell though is another matter as the departure of the pair would significantly decrease the depth at Mourinho’s disposal.

The England impact

Crucially, moving to West Brom could help both defenders in their quest to establish themselves as key figures within Gareth Southgate’s England squad ahead of the World Cup next summer, especially as Jake Livermore battled his way back into the set-up after joining the Baggies from Hull in January.

Smalling is probably better placed for a starting spot within the England squad next summer as it stands but the rise of young pairing John Stones and Michael Keane prevents problems, especially as the pair will be assured of regular football this season.

Jones is perhaps the man who desperately needs to move on though as he seems out of Mourinho’s plans and a move to West Brom, who’ll offer regular football and stable surroundings, could spark his career back into life.

Liverpool’s transfer window has commanded as many headlines as many of their fellow Premier League sides but significant moves are still likely to be made.

The Reds secured a big addition in the form of Mohamed Salah from Roma and Jurgen Klopp continues to chase the ideal recruits, whilst he’s also preparing for the potential departure of a wealth of the club’s fringe players.

Lucas Leiva stood as one of those last season and is now available on a free transfer after his contract at Anfield drew to a close earlier this month, although he’s still training with the side where he became a fan favourite following a decade at the club.

The Daily Star, citing Di Marzio, claim Italian outfit Lazio are keen on the services of the Brazilian veteran, who accumulated over 340 appearances for Liverpool during 10 years on Merseyside- and it’s likely his spell in England will come to a close.

Why are Lazio keen?

Lazio are reportedly preparing for life without Argentine ace Lucas Biglia, who looks set to become the latest recruit of AC Milan’s frantic summer transfer push- with the San Siro giants having already secured the likes of Adrien Silva and, for some reason, former Liverpool flop Fabio Borini.

30-year-old Leiva could fill the void left by his fellow South American in Rome and a free transfer would be financially appealing to an Italian side who cannot afford to spend as much as rivals like Juventus and both Milan sides in the market.

Everton have been very active in the transfer market thus far and Ronald Koeman shows no signs of stopping, with the Toffees now seeking additions in attack.

Star-man Romelu Lukaku waved goodbye to Goodison Park earlier this week as he sealed a lucrative move to Manchester United, leaving Everton in the market for a replacement striker that can fill the void left by the Belgian forward.

The Toffees have endured frustration in the market as they seek replacements, with Arsenal insisting Olivier Giroud is going nowhere, but Koeman intends to continuing focusing on signing players from the capital.

The Daily Mirror indicates that Everton have set their sights on Crystal Palace’s Christian Benteke, although the Eagles are adamant their £32m club-record signing will not be leaving Selhurst Park this summer.

Everton’s newfound financial strength could prove to be difficult for the Eagles to fend-off though and the Toffees could present a bid in the coming days.

Back to Merseyside?

After netting an impressive 42 goals in 89 games for Aston Villa, Christian Benteke earned a big move to Liverpool but it ended up being another striking mishap for the Reds, with the Belgian striker leaving to join Crystal Palace last year.

His form in front of goal helped the Eagles fend off relegation, as he netted 15 times, and Palace believe he’s crucial to their quest to avoid the drop once again this summer- but Everton’s growing ambition could turn Benteke’s head.

Everton have already signed Davy Klaassen, Wayne Rooney, Jordan Pickford and Michael Keane this summer, amongst others, and are assembling a side capable of fighting the Premier League’s elite for European football- something Palace are a long way off being able to offer.

Everton have enjoyed a busy transfer window so far but the next few weeks could revolve around further departures, following the loss of Romelu Lukaku to Manchester United.

Ronald Koeman’s side have showed their ambition this summer by being incredible active, adding the likes of Jordan Pickford, Michael Keane and Wayne Rooney to their squad, but questions remain on the future of one key-asset.

Ross Barkley has still not signed a new contract, despite being informed by the Dutch manager he would be sold this summer if he did not do so, and questions have raised further after he was left out of the club’s pre-season trip to Tanzania.

The Daily Mail states Everton have claimed Barkley is suffering from a groin injury but the likelihood of Barkley leaving rises day by day, as the 23-year-old has entered the final 12 months of his contract- and Everton would rather sell than lose him on a free transfer next summer.

Unfortunately for Barkley, his bargaining position has been weakened due to the fact that interest in his services has cooled significantly- leaving the England international in limbo.

Where does he fit at Everton?

Barkley’s biggest issue at the moment is the fact that Everton see him as expendable, with the Toffees having strengthen their ranks this summer with the additions of Wayne Rooney and Davy Klaasen- both of whom are amongst Everton’s 25-man tour squad and could fit into Barkley’s attacking midfield position.

The Toffees also continue to chase Gylfi Sigurdsson, who could again fit into the slot that Barkley has adopted in recent years, and Everton’s priority is getting a deal for the Icelandic international done, as well as signing a striker to replace Lukaku.

That means Barkley is left in a difficult position as his club’s demands of around £50m have led to a decrease in interest in his services and he currently doesn’t have a strong position to argue his case with Koeman.

What’s a likely outcome?

With Barkley struggling to find his place in Everton’s new-look side and interested parties being put-off by Everton’s £50m asking-price, the young midfielder may have to swallow his pride and work on rebuilding the bridges at Goodison Park.

The Toffees would no doubt be delighted if Barkley committed his future to Everton on a long-term basis and that seems to be the best course of action for him, as even a move to Arsenal or Tottenham wouldn’t give him guaranteed first-team football.

If Barkley sorts his head out, then he could be a crucial part of Everton’s new-look side and it’s a test of his maturity and desire now.

Arsenal have been handed a significant boost in the transfer market as one of their superstars has revealed he’s intending to stay with the Gunners this summer.

Arsene Wenger deserves praise for his summer business so far, with Arsenal signing Sead Kolasinac and Alexandre Lacazette, but the success of Arsenal’s transfer window hinges of whether the Gunners can retain the services of key-men.

Alexis Sanchez, Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain and Mesut Ozil have all entered the final 12 months of their deals, with speculation continuing to suggest that they could be lured elsewhere, but the Gunners have been handed a significant boost by the latter.

German World Cup winner Mesut Ozil has confirmed he intends to stay with Arsenal this summer and is poised to hold talks regarding a new deal upon his return to North London, as he’s currently on-tour with the squad in Australia.

What’s been said?

Quoted by The Daily Mail, Ozil said following the launch of Arsenal’s new third-kit:

‘It is definitely my preference to stay. It is such a great club and I have always said that I feel very good at Arsenal. Once everyone is back in London we will sit down and discuss the future.’

‘For now the most important thing is our pre-season and getting through the tour, training and getting fitness. When I’m back in London, we will sit down and discuss.’

What does this mean for Arsenal?

Whilst it doesn’t solve all of Arsenal’s issues this summer, retaining the services of Mesut Ozil is a huge boost for the club- especially as the German’s creativity in midfield will compliment new striker Alexandre Lacazette fantastically.

Keeping Ozil will also help Arsenal in their discussions to keep Alexis and Oxlade-Chamberlain, amongst others, showing that they’re still a force to be reckoned with and have moved away from their issues in the past where they’ve struggled to retain the services of their big players.

The focus will now be on ensuring that Oxlade-Chamberlain and Alexis both also remain at the Emirates Stadium, with Arsenal insistent the pair won’t be sold but they risk losing the duo on a free transfer next summer.

Arsenal have already made significant moves on the transfer market to bring Alexandre Lacazette and Sead Kolasinac to the club but that’s nothing in comparison to what could occur.

The Gunners are one of many European giants interested in the services of Monaco’s starring teenager Kylian Mbappe, following the 18-year-old’s meteoric rise last season for the French champions that left everyone talking.

Monaco are understandably desperate to keep hold of the French international, reportedly demanding as much as £130m, but France Football indicates the Gunners have not ended their pursuit, despite signing Lacazette from Lyon in a club-record deal.

In a significant report, it’s claimed Arsene Wenger had a face-to-face meeting with Mbappe following France’s international friendly with England last month, where he spoke about the possibility of Mbappe emulating his hero Thierry Henry in North London.

Could a deal really happen?

Despite Arsenal’s desire to complete a move that would probably have to be a world-record, the Gunners’ chances of securing Mbappe either now or in the coming years seem to be extremely slim, as they face rival competition from Paris Saint-Germain, Real Madrid and other European giants.

Monaco are desperate not to sell though and Mbappe returned to training with the French principality side this week, suggesting that he’s loyal to the club and will not seek to force an exit- leaving the situation very much in Monaco’s hands.

For two seasons, Spurs have been so close to clinching the Premier League title. Both times they’ve fallen short in the final weeks of the season, something that left many wondering how could they improve their team to go that one step further and win the league?

It’s not an easy question, because Tottenham have, arguably, the best starting eleven in the Premier League. Not many changes can be made except for on the bench, which was one of the problems that people found with Spurs’ squad. Minimal changes are needed from Mauricio Pochettino, but with one or two players expected to leave, their replacements need to be top quality.

Hugo Lloris:
One of the best goalkeepers in the league, Hugo Lloris is the club captain and has built up an incredible relationship with his defence in front of him. He may not be the most physically imposing goalkeeper, but he has the ability to make match-winning saves and has shown that he is a real leader of men.

Lloris is incredibly important to Spurs, and it must be said that without him, they wouldn’t even be near the Premier League title. He signed for what is now a bargain of £12.5M from Lyon a few years ago and that is clearly money well spent. His experience is vital in this side and he will help the young players learn across the season and command his defensive line extremely well. Read More »