Football Betting Odds gives you the low-down on the end of the transfer window
With just a few days to go until the transfer window slams shut, the race to acquire new players is heating up. This has been an unusually busy transfer window for many clubs, with three of the top four changing managers, and an influx of new TV money swelling the coffers of Premier League clubs.
One club that has been exceptionally busy in recent weeks is Tottenham, who appear to be doing the football equivalent of a trolley dash in an effort to make up for losing the league’s best player, Gareth Bale, to Real Madrid. Earlier this summer, they brought in £17m midfielder Paulinho to strengthen their options in central midfield, and have since splashed the best part of £80m on Erik Lamela, Roberto Soldado, Nacer Chadli, and most recently Romanian defender Vlad Chiriches. Whether this will make up for the loss of their perennial match-winner remains to be seen, but they are certainly looking stronger as a team going into this season. If, as has been rumoured, they can bring in Danish wonderkid Christian Eriksen as well, they look good for Champions League qualification this season.
Chelsea have also tasted some success in the transfer market this summer, beating Tottenham to the punch for £33m winger Willian and scoring some promising young midfielders in Marco van Ginkel and Andre Schurrle. This gives him plenty of options in midfield, and he may be looking to offload Victor Moses and Juan Mata to make room for the new arrivals. However, it looks like Jose Mourinho’s much-publicised pursuit of wantaway Manchester United striker Wayne Rooney has come to nothing, and the free transfer of his ageing former charge Samuel Eto’o smacks of a short-term fix.
In contrast, Arsenal have been having a torrid time of it, missing out on high profile targets such as Wayne Rooney, Gonzalo Higuain, and Luis Suarez and failing even with their bids for mid-profile players such as Yohan Cabaye. Although they have talent throughout their squad, it’s looking a bit thin in terms of real quality, and the recent injury to Lukas Podolski means that the already-pressing need for a quality striker is now a bare necessity. They’ve been linked with the Real Madrid trio of Angel di Maria, Mesut Ozil, and Karim Benzema, although whether Madrid will be keen to let all three go without having time to replace them is another matter. They apparently have money to spend, but they’re leaving it pretty late this time round, and it’s looking increasingly unlikely that they will be able to land the big names that their supporters crave. However, Wenger has a reputation for finding little-known players and turning them into superstars, so even if the players he brings in aren’t big shirt-sellers at first, expect him to spring a couple of pleasant surprises.
New Manchester United gaffer David Moyes has also had a frustrating time this summer, failing with bids for Cesc Fabregas and Thiago Alcantara, and struggling even to bring in his former Everton charges Phil Jagielka and Marouanne Fellaini. While both players would undoubtedly add something to the squad, they might be seen as symptoms of Moyes’ lack of clout in the transfer market – and the uncertainty over his long-term future, even at this early stage.
Outside of the top five, Liverpool have brought in a quality left-back in Aly Cissokho, replaced influential keeper Pepe Reina with Sunderland’s Simon Mignolet for £10m, and strengthened their forward options with Iago Aspas. However, if they lose Luis Suarez before the deadline, they may struggle to replace him. Other eye-catching signings include the £15m signing of Spanish striker Pablo Osvaldo by Southampton, and the permanent transfer of former £35m man Andy Carroll to West Ham. While it’s too early to say who has done the best out of this transfer window, one thing is for sure – there are going to be a lot of exciting new faces in the Premier League this season!
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