The next transfer window for the English Premier League is due to open on 10 June. If there are not any delays, that leaves clubs with less than a month to get their proverbial ducks in a row, sort their finances out and hopefully sign the players they want. The transfer window can be a real bun fight at times, especially when the big-ticket players are up for grabs.
Manchester United great Ryan Giggs has already reportedly suggested the club sign Swansea City defender Joe Rodon. The acquisition of Rodon could be a boost for a club that will probably have to navigate the absence of Odion Ighalo, who will likely be returning to Shanghai Shenhua in the Chinese Super League after a loan spell with Manchester United.
Who else could be on Manchester United’s books?
Manchester United and other clubs have popular markets in the lead-up to the transfer window, and football fans have the opportunity of using sports betting bonus to capitalise on some of the more attractive offers.
Betfair, for instance, have Antoine Griezmann priced at 6/1 to join Manchester United.
That’s if he doesn’t head to Manchester City or Chelsea at 9/1 and 12/1, respectively. Betfair also have Gareth Bale offered at 7/1 to join Manchester United. Punters will have to wait on the probability of Bale linking up with Newcastle United, though. Kylian Mbappe is a big talking point and, indeed, hot property at the moment. PaddyPower have markets centred around whether or not he will sign for a new club before 9 August 2020 – and which club he might join.
Long odds for Mbappe to Manchester United
Former Italy centre-back Fabio Cannavaro reckons Mbappe will be a good fit at Real Madrid, who are 7/2 to sign the Frenchman. That’s if he doesn’t head to Liverpool at 6/1, Manchester City at 20/1 or – at really long odds – Juventus at 60/1 or Manchester United at 100/1.
Cannavaro told AS that Real Madrid needs players like Mbappe, and he could follow Cristiano Ronaldo’s footsteps. He also said it’s normal that Madrid would want to sign him, but since PSG’s owners don’t need the money and ambitiously wish to win the Champions League that it would be difficult for Madrid to get him. Considering that the president of PSG is a person who likes to win, the club will fight tooth and nail to keep him, or maybe Mbappe will decide to stay at PSG after all.
Who will get Messi, if anyone?
Global superstar Lionel Messi is a pretty permanent fixture at Barcelona, but there are still markets around for his next permanent club. His existing deal allows him to leave the club on a free transfer. Whether he will move remains in the balance. Here are the seven of the most exciting odds of Messi moving – and where he might go – doing the rounds:
- Man City: 9/4
- Juventus: 4/1
- Any Argentinian club: 9/2
- Inter Milan: 5/1
- PSG: 15/2
- Any MLS club: 14/1
- Man Utd: 20/1
Messi’s mate
Elsewhere in La Liga, Chimy Avila says he is comfortable and challenged enough at Osasuna, but wouldn’t mind it if an offer from Barcelona – and, of course, the possibility of playing with Messi. He told Marca that he is very happy at Osasuna, and hopes to recover and play, so he could return the love and affection the fans have shown him.
He went on to say that any player would like to play with Messi, since he is the only person you can’t compare, and he always says Messi because he has played against Messi and that he only saw Diego Maradona on videos.
The books so far
The current Premier League season has already seen some characteristically lucrative signings to date – and it’ll be interesting to see if the transfers in the near future match or better any of these big seven:
- Bruno Fernandes (Manchester United) – joined from Sporting for £50 million
- Danny Ings (Southampton) – joined from Liverpool for £20m
- Gabriel Martinelli (Arsenal) – joined from Ituano for £6m
- Harry Maguire (Manchester United) – joined from Leicester for £78m
- James McCarthy (Crystal Palace) – joined from Everton for £3m
- Neal Maupay (Brighton) – joined from Brentford for £20m
- Ismaila Sarr (Watford) – joined from Rennes for £27m
Arguably, none will ever weigh up to when Sadio Mane signed for Liverpool from Southampton for £37.1 million in 2016 or Wilfried Zaha arrived at Crystal Palace from Manchester United for £3.4 million in 2015. Then again, you never really know.