Following the huge disappointment at the end of last season, Liverpool have been wasting no time in the transfer market.
A poor display during the 2014/15 Premier League season was compounded by a 6-1 final day defeat at Stoke City. Not only was this Steven Gerrard’s last game for the club, many people thought it was the last time Brendan Rodgers would be seen in the Liverpool dugout. Football betting odds at TonyBet were tumbling that Rodgers was going to be dismissed.
However, little more than a month later and with Gerrard but a memory, Rodgers continues to be at the forefront of Liverpool football club. Fenway Sports Group, the owners of Liverpool, have clearly made the decision to stick with their man. In fact, they have gone one better than that and backed him, to the tune of at least £34 million.
To date, the names arriving at Anfield include England international James Milner, who joined Liverpool on a free transfer. Also coming to the club without costing a penny is goalkeeper Adam Bogdan. The deal for English striker Danny Ings is yet to officially be given a price, as the transfer has gone to a tribunal. Therefore, the £34 million spent so far has been on two players.
The first was young Joe Gomez, an 18 year old defender from Charlton who cost £3.5 million. But it’s the second transfer that made the footballing world stand up and take notice. Brazilian forward Roberto Firmino joined for a fee of £29 million, a price that shows Liverpool are prepared to pay big money this summer. With Southampton right-back Nathaniel Clyne also joining Liverpool for a fee believed to be around £13 million, Brendan Rodgers has spent big so far this summer. Liverpool have been the most active Premier League club in the transfer market.
Will these signings result in better performances in the Premier League? Having finished 6th last season, a sharp decline from the season before, the owners expect much better results. The way Liverpool played in the 2013/14 season shows what the club is capable of.
With so much money being spent on new players, they may have to balance the books by selling some current players. The one player that Liverpool did not want to lose, could be the man to go and that’s Raheem Sterling. The pacey forward has made it clear he wants to leave the club and it appears Manchester City are leading the race to sign the England international. With the likes of Sergio Aguero, David Silva, Wilfried Bony and Samir Nasri already at the Etihad, Manchester would boast one of the most potent forward lines in the Premier League, if not Europe. Having reached a total of 79 points last season to finish second, this was considered a disappointment for Manchester City. However, with the addition of Sterling, that total could easily be surpassed in 2015/16. TonyBet offer odds of 17/20, that Manchester City will finish the new Premier League season with over 78.5 points and that looks a cracking bet.
Additional football odds available at TonyBet include the 87/20 for Swansea City to get a point at Stamford Bridge on the opening day of the season. The Welsh club caused a huge upset by going to Old Trafford and winning on the opening day of last season and they finished the season confidently. The club have already completed some good business in the summer transfer market and the opening day of the Premier League season can be difficult to call, with no form guide for any team.
Looking toward the teams who potentially face the drop and it’s little surprise to see the newly promoted clubs as favourites to return to the Championship. However, one team that just avoided the drop last season were Newcastle United. With the appointment of Steve McClaren, who has done well to rebuild his reputation in recent years, their future is still uncertain, especially under the ownership of Mike Ashley.
The new Premier League season starts on the 8th August 2015 and there are sure to be further dealings in the transfer market before then, as clubs look to strengthen. Another thrilling Premier League season is in store, as a number of clubs attempt to wrestle the Premier League title out of the clutches of Jose Mourinho and Chelsea.