So far in this season’s Premier League, fans around the world have been entertained more than they could have imagined. At the very top of the table, we have a genuine title fight between not 2, but 3 teams, Manchester City, Liverpool and Chelsea. Right now, it seems almost impossible to split them, as they all seem to be evenly matched. The betting odds are also refusing to state a clear favourite. The busy Christmas period could be crucial come the end of the season, so make sure to closely monitor the betting odds over the next few game weeks.
It is not just at the top of the table where betting on the Premier League is interesting, as there are a lot of intriguing stories occurring at the bottom of the league too. Between Newcastle, Norwich, Watford, Burnley and Southampton, the odds as to who will finish the season in the bottom 3 are almost too close to call. Again, bettors will have to follow some tips from the best sports betting sites, to see if they can come to a conclusion themselves. Again, the odds could swing one way and then another over the next few busy weeks in the Premier League.
This period is incredibly taxing on the players, so it is no surprise to see a number of clubs suffering very badly with injuries. A depleted squad means certain teams will really struggle to field a strong first 11 in the upcoming game weeks, so could quickly see their form drop off a cliff, which will severely affect their betting stats.
That is why the January transfer window is so important, this year more than any. It means that clubs have the chance to pick up players that they vitally need to help save their season, and also give their current players a chance to rest. Let’s look at some of the emerging stories, and try to predict which signings will actually happen in January.
Chelsea
Despite winning the Champions League last year, Chelsea boss Thomas Tuchel has made no bones about needing to improve the squad if they are going to be challenging on all fronts this year. He has already seen his midfield of N’golo Kante, Mateo Kovacic and Jorginho depleted in recent weeks, as all have suffered knocks at times, so this area could be one for improvement.
That is why rumours of wanting to bring in Casemiro from Real Madrid keep circulating in the press. Despite having never played in the Premier League, he is used to performing at the highest level with Madrid, and could easily slot into one of the 3 midfield slots Tuchel likes to play with. The betting odds are mixed on this one, as it could be hard to negotiate with Madrid, but if anyone could afford him, it is Chelsea
Defensive reinforcements could also be made, especially as the futures of Antonio Rudiger and Andreas Christenen are far from settled. This means the probability of bringing in someone like Niklas Sule or Jules Kounde joining in January could be quite high.
Manchester United
Given their dreadful start to the campaign, Manchester United might be one of the busiest teams in the January transfer window. They have a new manager in Ralf Ragnick, who has a connection to RB Leipzig, having previously worked with them.
That is why the signing of Amadou Haiara, the midfielder who Ragnick originally brought to Leipzig, could then end up joining the German manager yet again in Manchester. This could be a very likely transfer, especially considering he has a low release clause of £33 million.
Liverpool
While Jurgen Klopp always appears to be happy with the state of his squad, with two of his star players, Sadio Mane and Mo Salah jetting off to Cameroon to play at the African Cup of Nations in January. Therefore, could Liverpool be tempted into signing another forward player?
If so, the most likely player to come in is Arnut Danjuma, who currently plays for Villareal. However, given he is cup tied for the Champions League, the odds don’t necessarily favour this move. Instead, Klopp will hope the likes of Diogo Jota and Roberto Firmino can step up to fill the void,
Manchester City
We couldn’t do a January transfer prediction without including one of the richest teams in the Premier League could we? As usual, there are stories being written about City which indicate they are in the market for a big name signing, with Erling Haaland one name that keeps being mentioned.
Haaland’s agent Mino Raiola has been speaking up about the transfer in recent days, saying that City are the only team in England that he could plausibly move to. Given their well documented chase of Harry Kane this summer, the Manchester club are clearly wanting a top level striker. Some betting odds have this one at 9/1, so it might not happen in January. However, much stranger things have happened!