All Games All stakes / home win, draw, and away win predictions for games played today and tonight
Real Madrid said Wednesday they have re-signed striker Mariano Diaz from French side Lyon for 33 millions euros ($39 million) on a five-year deal having only last summer allowed him to move to France for eight million. Diaz, a Spain-born Dominican Republic international, is a product of the Real academy, but had looked initially set […]
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Not a single member of England’s 2018 World Cup squad played their football outside of the Premier League.
That complete domestic dominance wasn’t present in any of the other 31 competing teams, although Saudi Arabia’s three-man La Liga contingent were nothing more than a PR exercise.
In the last 20 years only Fraser Forster (Celtic), David Beckham (Real Madrid) and Owen Hargreaves (Bayern Munich) have represented England at a World Cup while playing abroad.
Playing for Bayern Munich was a thrill a minuteEPA
But the winds are changing.
England now have a manager in Gareth Southgate who doesn’t care for historical club stature. He picks purely on form and suitability for his tactics.
Southgate’s appointment came at a moment in time in which English youngsters are showing increased willingness to fly the nest.
Jadon Sancho may well be the first of Generation Odyssey to see his gamble rewarded with an England call-up.
Jadon Sancho – 17/18 season best bits 
pic.twitter.com/jbqtpn2wPo
— Borussen 
(@BorussenEdits) May 14, 2018
Aged 14, Sancho moved from Watford to Man City for a fee which would have topped £500,000 if certain conditions were met.
In 2017, having been at City for just two years and with his path to first-team football blocked by a never-ending supply of multi-million pound arrivals, Sancho left England for Borussia Dortmund.
Any worries about a lack of confidence moving to a new country were quickly dashed when Sancho inherited the no.7 shirt previously worn by Robert Lewandowski and Ousmane Dembele.
Sancho’s importance to Dortmund was underlined by the fact they only let him play in the group stages of England’s victorious Under-17 World Cup campaign before calling him back to Germany.
A World Cup campaign that didn’t end in tearsGetty - Contributor
Last season he registered one goal and four assists in seven starts for Dortmund, while he’s already off the mark for assists this campaign.
But, more than the numbers and stats, it’s Sancho’s ability to leave professional defenders looking like salsa dancers that has caught the eye, both in Blighty and abroad.
Sancho is a modern footballer who combines YouTube-taught footwork honed in the back garden with academy-drilled football IQ.
One burst from him can change the game, as Greuther Furth recently found out in the last minute of DFB Cup extra-time.
Ademola Lookman had a prolific end to last season when he joined RB Leipzig, much to the annoyance of Sam Allardyce, and registered five goals and three assists in seven starts.
Sancho and Lookman’s travels clearly caught the attention of those back home.
Ronaldo Vieira, Keanan Bennets and Reo Griffiths all left English football to move to Sampdoria, Borussia Monchengladbach and Lyon this summer.
Reiss Nelson, a friend of Sancho, is reportedly closing in on a move to Bundesliga side Hoffenheim.
Enjoy him while you canGetty - Contributor
Nelson’s case is an example of a talented player unwilling to sit about and wait his turn in a brutally cutthroat industry.
The winger won the Under-17 World Cup in 2017 and was named the best player at the Under-17 European Championships in the same year.
He’s been around the Arsenal first-team since the age of 16 but still finds himself stuck behind the less technically talented Alex Iwobi.
So why not move to a league that boasts the youngest average first-teams out of all of Europe’s top five divisions?
Sancho’s call-up to the England squad would leave a clear blueprint for others to follow.
That’s sometimes all it takes for a trend to emerge.
There’s no need to waste your teenage years playing reserve football. There are clubs out there willing to play you from the get-go, as long as you’re good enough.
With the Premier League and the FA clearly disjointed we can no longer rely on domestic football to strengthen the national team.
Time to dust off the passports.
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LONDON — Saido Berahino, once one of the hottest young strikers in English soccer, ended a 2 1/2-year goal drought Tuesday to help second-tier Stoke into the third round of the English League Cup at the expense of Premier League club Huddersfield.
Berahino netted the opening goal in a 2-0 win as he tries to revive a career that stalled over the last couple of seasons.
Berahino was called up for England during the 2014-15 after showing prolific form for West Bromwich Albion, marking a remarkable rise for someone who fled war-torn Burundi at age 10 after learning to play football by using makeshift balls made from plastic bags and rolled-up socks.
But he quickly lost his way, was sold to Stoke and rarely featured as the team was relegated from the Premier League.
Huddersfield, which has collected just one point from its opening three league games, ended up exiting the competition in farcical fashion with Juninho Bacuna scoring an own-goal from about 40 yards (meters) out after volleying the ball over his own goalkeeper.
Brighton lost 1-0 to fellow Premier League team Southampton, while Cardiff was another top-flight team to go out after losing 3-1 at home to Norwich.
West Ham picked up its first win under new manager Manuel Pellegrini, beating 10-man AFC Wimbledon 3-1 after falling behind. Leicester, Wolverhampton Wanderers, Crystal Palace, Bournemouth and Fulham also beat lower-league opposition to advance.
We’ve never seen him do something like this.
It was another disappointing night for Man United after Spurs were convincing 3-0 winners at Old Trafford.
Jose Mourinho’s side have slumped to their second defeat in as many games and look in a perilous position.
AP:Associated Press A man under pressure[/caption]
In what seemed like a desperate bid to keep the disgruntled supporters on his side, the Portuguese boss made a point of saying sorry at full-time.
As much of Old Trafford had emptied out by full-time, Mourinho came over to applaud those fans who had stayed.
It was a strange gesture from the United boss and one that is difficult to fully decipher.
Did you see?
Romelu Lukaku’s shocking new boots are being blamed for his poor performance
Mourinho headed straight for the supporters by the tunnel
He stood directly in-front of them and proceeded to clap the remaining crowd
The fans responded well and threw Mourinho a United scarf that he held and took with him down the tunnel
It has been somewhat of a love/hate relationship between the manager and fans since Mourinho’s arrival in 2016.
He hasn’t been afraid to criticise the Old Trafford crowd in the past, however he now looks as though he’s desperate to keep them onside.
As pundits heap pressure on Mourinho, he might well need all the support he can get in the coming weeks just to keep his job.
AFP or licensors A frustrating night at Old Trafford[/caption]
Mourinho declared post-match that his fans are ‘more intelligent’ than to get hoodwinked by the widespread media criticism of United in recent weeks.
He claimed that the fans answered all the critics in an ‘amazing way’ and hasn’t ever seen a fan base react like that to a 3-0 defeat at home.
News Group Newspapers Ltd Things go from bad to worse[/caption]
It could however be too little too late for Mourinho to win over the supporters.
He has some major bridges to rebuild…
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Former Danish international Michael Silberbauer, coach of Pacific FC of the Canadian Premier League, joined Sportsnet 650 to discuss coming over to North America to take on a coaching gig in a brand new league.
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GOSFORD, Australia — Usain Bolt’s attempt to win a contract to play as a professional in Australian football’s A-League began in earnest on his 32nd birthday Tuesday when he trained for the first time with the Central Coast Mariners.
The eight-time Olympic sprint champion began an "indefinite" training period with the Mariners with a 15-minute passing drill under the eyes of head coach Mike Mulvey.
A crowd of around 50 reporters and photographed crowded around the players tunnel at the Mariners’ Central Coast Stadium to catch a glimpse of Bolt who smiled and offered a thumb’s up.
Bolt has a long-held ambition to play professional football but his previous trials in Germany, South Africa and Norway have been unsuccessful.
Mulvey has said the Jamaican sprint start will be treated as any other player and will not receive an A-League contract unless he meets the required standard.
Mariners chief executive Shaun Mielekamp has rejected suggestions the Mariners’ decision to offer Bolt a trial is a publicity stunt.
"For us it’s really about getting him out there, see what he can do and let his performance do the talking," Mielekamp said.
NYON, Switzerland — Cristiano Ronaldo is on a three-man shortlist to be named the best player in Europe for last season.
Ronaldo will be up against Real Madrid midfielder Luka Modric and Liverpool forward Mohamed Salah for the award next week at the Champions League draw ceremony in Monaco.
The award typically rewards Champions League performances, but voters can take the World Cup into account. Modric won the Golden Ball for captaining Croatia to the final, where his team lost to France.
UEFA says voting by Champions League coaches and invited journalists across Europe placed three Frenchmen in the top 10. Antoine Griezmann of Atletico Madrid was fourth, Kylian Mbappe of Paris Saint-Germain was sixth and Raphael Varane of Real Madrid was eighth.
Neil Etheridge was Cardiff’s hero as the goalkeeper saved a last-gasp penalty from Kenedy to salvage a 0-0 draw against 10-man Newcastle on Saturday. Rafael Benitez’s side were reduced to 10 men in the 66th minute when half-time substitute Isaac Hayden was sent off for an ugly foul on Josh Murphy. But it was Newcastle […]
The post Neil Etheridge saves Kenedy’s last-gasp penalty after Hayden sees red appeared first on Inquirer Sports.
Spurs builders fear the stadium will not be ready for another THREE MONTHS — after sending an SOS for more electricians.
And Tottenham boss Mauricio Pochettino admits he feels “sorry” for chairman Daniel Levy and fans over the sorry shambles.
The club insist they still hope their new home will be ready to host Manchester City on October 28.
Spurs chief Daniel Levy is having the mother of all nightmare over the new stadiumGetty Images
On Wednesday an online recruitment agency posted a job saying “10 electricians required for immediate start in North London on a large commercial project” on THREE-MONTH contracts.
And a source told Sunsport the agency confirmed it was for work on Tottenham’s new stadium.
Its opening has already been delayed indefinitely due to construction problems, forcing the North Londoners to switch the home games against Liverpool and Cardiff to their former temporary home at Wembley.
And Pochettino also wants to play Pep Guardiola’s City there if White Hart Lane is not ready – even though there is an NFL game at the National Stadium on that date.
The only way Spurs’ match clash can be played at Wembley that weekend is if it is switched to Monday night, which breaches the Premier League’s own ground-sharing rules.
But Pochettino, whose side host Fulham at Wembley tomorrow, has ruled out the option of playing at a THIRD venue – which also breaks rules.
Spurs fear their new ground will not be ready for three monthsAlamy Live News
He said: “If our stadium is not ready we need to find a way to play at Wembley because three stadiums in one season would be too much.
“Maybe the day after the NFL game the pitch is not in the best condition.
The new White Hart Lane’s opening has already been delayed indefinitely due to construction problemsAlamy Live News
“But we need to make the effort and try to play in the end because maybe to find another date will be difficult.
“We all feel disappointed with the announcement from the club this week.
“I feel so sorry for myself first of all, for players, fans, everyone.
“I feel sorry for the chairman – he tried with everyone to arrive on time, he made a massive effort, I feel it every day.”
Mauricio Pochettino admits he feels ‘sorry’ for Spurs fans over the shamblesReuters
Spurs’ original planned stadium opener against Liverpool on September 15 had to be scrapped after construction chiefs admitted to Levy that crucial safety systems had not yet been put in place.
Poch added: “Not having it ready for Liverpool match is massive disappointment for everyone. But most of all for Daniel.
“The first thing we can do is try to help, to be positive to adapt ourselves. But now we’re going to play at least two games more at Wembley, that is for sure.
“I hope we can finish the work in that moment and we can play in our new home. If not, we are going to give our best to win games and give good performances.
Spurs had hoped to face Liverpool next month in their new homeAlamy Live News
“This is another disappointment but we need to be all together and that this is a massive project that will be there forever.
“I understand the problems about tickets and the money, I feel sorry for the fans.
“I want to say thank you to them, apologise and try to reward them by winning games. That is the only way we can pay back all the work they have been doing for club.”
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Justifying an overhaul of its ethics code, FIFA asserted Tuesday that people who “tarnish the reputations of others” must be banned from soccer.
The Associated Press revealed Monday that a new offence of defamation had been added to the document governing the conduct of participants in soccer, with scope for a ban of up to five years from the game.
While the code provides no precise definition of defamation, FIFA has now provided further context in a statement, saying it is “the act of communicating false information that harms the reputation of an individual or a group.” The ethics committee would determine what constitutes “false information.”
Amid criticism from some football federation presidents of his decision to oust the organization’s ethics judge and prosecutor in 2017, FIFA President Gianni Infantino decried “fake news and alternative facts about FIFA” during a speech to member associations. When later asked to provide examples, Infantino backtracked, saying it was “my feeling … there are a lot of people spreading a lot of wrong and false information.”
FIFA said the new defamation offence “exists in most legal systems.”
“The world of football is not immune to conduct that aims to tarnish the reputations of others and … must be sanctioned accordingly,” the Zurich-based governing body said. “The article concerning defamation is not only there to protect FIFA, but also to protect any other person covered by the code who may be subjected to discriminatory or defamatory statements in the context of FIFA events.”
FIFA outlined the “landmark changes” in statement published a day after the AP disclosed how the new code, which was distributed without a public announcement to soccer officials, varied from the previous 2012 edition. FIFA did not provide any written explanation for the changes when the AP first posed a series of questions by email about the new code two weeks ago.
One of the most symbolically significant alterations is the word “corruption” being completed removed from the primary English version of the code. FIFA said this change has “no material impact on the actual infringements that are pursued.”
But cases of bribery, misappropriation of funds and manipulation of matches must now be prosecuted within 10 years of the offence. In the previous edition of the code, prosecution for “bribery and corruption” was not subject to a “limitation period.” American investigators uncovered corruption in soccer going back decades before dozens of officials and entities were indicted in 2015.
“Although the new code has introduced new time limits for certain serious infringements, the ethics committee believes that ten years (or 15 years if an investigation is open) is a sufficient period of time in which to complete the investigation in cases of serious infringements,” FIFA said. “This change will bring more legal certainty to the world of football by ensuring that potential infringements to the code are dealt with in a swift manner.”
Officials now face a minimum five-year ban for bribery.
FIFA said changes to the ethics code “ensure more transparency.” The organization has declined to make ethics judge Vassilios Skouris or prosecutor Maria Claudia Rojas available to answer media questions since Infantino abruptly removed their predecessors from their posts in 2017 with hundreds of cases pending.
The Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe said in a report scrutinizing FIFA governance that Rojas “does not really meet the profile of a ‘prosecutor.”‘ The European lawmakers also said Infantino has removed independent officials who “might have embarrassed” him by doing their duty.
PORTLAND, Ore. — Kei Kamara and Cristian Techera each scored for the Vancouver Whitecaps in a 2-1 Cascadia Cup victory over the Timbers on Saturday night, snapping a 15-match unbeaten streak for Portland.
The Timbers (10-3-8) had not dropped a league match since losing 3-2 at Orlando City on April 8. The 15-match streak was the longest in MLS this season and equaled a franchise record for Portland.
The Whitecaps (9-9-6) were without 17-year-old midfielder Alphonso Davies because of a groin injury. Bayern Munich acquired Davies last month for a transfer fee that could, with bonuses, total an MLS record of $22 million. He’ll move to the German team after Vancouver’s season.
Diego Valeri scored on a second-half penalty kick for the Timbers, who lost at home for the first time this season.
Kamara gave the Whitecaps the early lead with a header off a free kick in the 14th minute. He celebrated his team-leading 10th goal of the season by doing a little dance in front of the Timbers Army supporters’ section with teammate Kendall Waston.
The Timbers had a good opportunity to pull even in the 41st minute, but Valeri’s penalty kick went just wide. The reigning league MVP and Portland’s top scorer buried his head in his hands after missing the shot.
In the 43rd minute, Techera scored from close range in his 100th MLS appearance to put the Whitecaps up 2-0.
Valeri got another chance in the 71st minute, this time scoring on a penalty kick against Stefan Marinovic for his ninth goal of the season. His free kick in the 89th minute was slapped away by Marinovic.
Portland was coming off a 3-0 victory over the Philadelphia Union last weekend that gave the Timbers their longest MLS undefeated streak since they also went a record 15 games without a loss in 2013. Portland is the only team with two streaks that long. The longest unbeaten streak is 19 games, set in 2010 by Dallas.
The Timbers had not lost at home in 16 regular-season matches dating back to last season.
Earlier this week, the Timbers acquired defender Jorge Villafana from Santos Laguna of Liga MX. The team also saw the return of forward Lucas Melano from loan to Argentina club Estudiantes. Neither player was available for the match.
The Cascadia Cup is the three-way rivalry between the Timbers, Whitecaps and Seattle Sounders that was started by rivalry groups before the teams joined MLS. It was the first meeting between the Timbers and Whitecaps this season.
The Whitecaps were coming off a 2-2 road draw to NYCFC in MLS play. Vancouver played Toronto FC to a 2-2 draw for the first leg of the Canadian Championship final on Wednesday night. The final moves to Toronto next week.
FIFA 19 is full of new features – but one’s so subtle it risks going under the radar.
It’s all to do with the crowd, which seems to be have been improved yet again in this year’s game.
YouTuber Vapexkarma noticed that in FIFA 18, flags just appear randomly in the stands – and are not held by any of the crowd members.
Flags just float in the stands
However, this year, EA has now added fully animated members of the crowd – tasked with waving team flags.
It’s a small detail, but one that – come replays and cut-aways – really helps the package come together.
It’s such a small detail but one that will be welcome
You’ll be able to get your hands on the FIFA 19 demo two weeks or so before launch.
What will be in the demo?
If E3 code is anything to go by, there will be nine playable teams in the demo.
These are as follows:
Bayern Munich Juventus PSG Man City Man United Borussia Dortmund Real Madrid Atletico Madrid Tottenham HotspurWho’s the best player on the demo?
Ratings have not been revealed but Cristiano Ronaldo will likely be the highest rated star on the demo.
Control and realism are set to be big features of career mode this year
Will The Journey be in the demo?
This has not been confirmed.
Will FIFA 19 have the Champions League?
Yes. FIFA 19 will feature the Champions and Europa Leagues.
The Premier League’s summer transfer window has slammed shut, which means the new season is officially upon us.
A few sides made a huge impact, namely two of the newly promoted clubs. Meanwhile, a couple of marquee sides had a less-than-stellar window and might regret their inactivity.
Here are the five biggest winners and losers of the Premier League’s transfer window.
WINNERS LiverpoolNotable signings: Naby Keita, Fabinho, Alisson, Xherdan Shaqiri
Notable departures: Emre Can
Not only did Liverpool complete its business early in the window, the Reds addressed all of their glaring needs.
Snapping up Alisson gives Liverpool the stalwart goalkeeper its lacked for years while the acquisitions of Naby Keita and Fabinho are nothing to sneeze at either.
Even Xherdan Shaqiri is an excellent signing, be it as a backup or as a No. 10, for just £13.5 million ($22.9 million).
There was significant expenditure, so manager Jurgen Klopp has few excuses this season. He now has a squad that’s capable of mounting serious challenges for both the Premier League and Champions League.
EvertonNotable signings: Yerry Mina, Andre Gomes (loan), Richarlison, Lucas Digne, Bernard
Notable departures: Wayne Rooney, Kevin Mirallas, Ashley Williams, Ramiro Funes Mori
Everton’s summer window last year was an outright disaster. Signing multiple No. 10s was not a wise transfer strategy, to say the least.
This year, the club has learned some valuable lessons. Yerry Mina – coming off an excellent World Cup with Colombia – is a huge upgrade on the departing Ashley Williams. Mina sorely lacked consistent minutes at Barcelona, which clearly won’t be the case at Everton.
Andre Gomes, also from Barca, is a low-risk loan signing who’s in serious need of a confidence boost. Marco Silva is the perfect manager for Gomes, who can easily help the midfielder rekindle his form.
Richarlison and Bernard inject some dynamism and improvisation out wide, while Lucas Digne addresses a serious need at left-back as Leighton Baines is turning 34 later this year.
Striker Cenk Tosun will now be under pressure to deliver the goals up front, which shouldn’t be an issue with the litany of creative wingers in the squad.
Wolverhampton WanderersNotable signings: Adama Traore, Rui Patricio, Raul Jimenez (loan), Joao Moutinho, Leander Dendoncker (loan)
Notable departures: Barry Douglas
Wolverhampton has a serious advantage in the transfer market thanks to super-agent Jorge Mendes. However, the business conducted by Wolves has been fantastic.
Rui Patricio is a big upgrade at the goalkeeper position. Joao Moutinho and Leander Dendoncker are outstanding additions for the midfield, which was significantly lower in quality before the window opened.
Raul Jimenez, acquired on loan with an option to buy, should also provide an injection of goals up front. His Benfica stint was marred by inconsistent minutes, so the Mexican international needs regular playing time.
It’s arguable that Wolves’ Championship-winning squad last year was strong enough to stay in the Premier League. This group of players may now be capable of a top-10 finish.
FulhamNotable signings: Maxime Le Marchand, Jean Michael Seri, Fabri, Andre Schurrle (loan), Alfie Mawson, Andre-Frank Zambo Anguissa, Luciano Vietto (loan)
Notable departures: None
Fulham became the highest-spending newly promoted Premier League club in the summer transfer window, but the London side got great value.
Jean Michael Seri, who was linked to Barcelona last year, signed for a fee of £25 million ($41.8 million). That’s arguably the coup of the summer in England. Seri’s passing range and defensive prowess in the heart of midfield will certainly be crucial in Fulham’s bid to stay in the Premier League this season.
Andre-Frank Zambo Anguissa is an up-and-coming midfielder who is similar to Seri, but is still just 22-years-old. A midfield trio along with Tom Cairney will be quite formidable.
Between them in Ligue 1 last season, Jean Michael Seri and André-Frank Zambo Anguissa averaged:
146 complete passes per match
3.5 chances created per match
A pass completion of 90%
3.1 interceptions per game
#FFC pic.twitter.com/OZ9j8KDXGa
— bet365 (@bet365) August 9, 2018
Alfie Mawson and Maxime Le Marchand help solidify centre-back and left-back, respectively. Winger Andre Schurrle and striker Luciano Vietto, even on loan, should be stupendous for the attack as well. Vietto is more of a project, although manager Slavisa Jokanovic can help the Argentine reach his potential.
Leicester CityNotable signings: James Madisson, Ricardo Pereira, Jonny Evans, Rachid Ghezzal, Filip Benkovic, Caglar Soyuncu
Notable departures: Riyad Mahrez, Ahmed Musa, Robert Huth
Fewer clubs had as impressive a window as Leicester City. The sale of Riyad Mahrez helped finance moves for James Madisson, one of the young players to watch this season, along with the defence.
Ricardo Pereira will certainly be Portugal’s next starting right-back, plus Jonny Evans is an experienced centre-back who’ll be a solid partner for Harry Maguire. Turkish wonderkid Caglar Soyuncu – linked to Arsenal earlier this summer – was a savvy addition as well.
Keeping Maguire, especially on the back of his World Cup performance, was probably the most important move for Leicester, though.
Notable signings: Josh Murphy, Victor Camarasa (loan), Harry Arter (loan)
Notable departures: None
There’s a reason why Cardiff City is a favourite for relegation, and they didn’t exactly bolster their odds of staying up.
It’s unfair to compare Cardiff to the other promoted sides, given their financial muscle and, in Wolves’ case, their “relationship” with Mendes. However, the Welsh outfit needed to bolster its squad in most areas and failed to do so.
In total, Cardiff City spent around $50 million on transfers. Even Huddersfield Town ($71.9 million) and Bournemouth ($79.8 million) outspent Cardiff.
None of the club’s marquee signings have a lot of Premier League experience. Victor Camarasa earned rave reviews in La Liga last season, but will that translate in a club fighting for survival?
TottenhamNotable signings: None
Notable departures: None
On one hand, Tottenham has a consistent and settled squad. But it wouldn’t have hurt to make another signing or two for squad depth.
Keeping Toby Alderweireld is a slight surprise, especially considering Manchester United’s desire to bring him the Belgian centre-back over.
However, given the fixture congestion in the English game, coupled with Champions League, the Spurs squad may be stretched to the maximum this season.
SouthamptonNotable signings: Mohamed Elyounoussi, Jannik Vestergaard, Danny Ings, Stuart Armstrong
Notable departures: Dusan Tadic, Jordy Clasie (loan), Sofiane Boufal (loan)
When Danny Ings costs around $33 million, that’s usually an indication that the purchasing club was likely desperate.
Ings was plagued by injuries at Liverpool and it’s unknown if he’ll be able to deliver double-digit goals for a team that will be battling relegation.
Mohamed Elyounoussi will have high expectations as he’ll be replacing the outgoing Dusan Tadic. He was a promising player at Basel, although this will be a significant challenge.
Jannik Vestergaard was a solid centre-back with Borussia Monchengladbach. It was an astute signing and Vestergaard should solidify that back line.
However, that was not a problem area for Southampton. It was No. 9 and there are still question marks surrounding the position.
WatfordNotable signings: Marc Navarro, Ben Foster, Domingos Quina
Notable departures: Richarlison, Mauro Zarate, Nordin Amrabat
The Richarlison money could’ve been put to better use for Watford. Unfortunately for the club, that was not the case.
Gerard Deulofeu was signed permanently, but that is a lot of pressure for one player in an attack that was one of the patchiest in the league last season.
There is a fair amount of mediocrity in the bottom half of the table, so Watford might steer clear of trouble, but one poor run of form could see them struggle, especially without a bolstered attack.
Manchester UnitedNotable signings: Fred, Diogo Dalot
Notable departures: Michael Carrick (retired), Daley Blind
Many have blasted Manchester United’s business over the summer, so some perspective is necessary.
Fred is a tremendous signing for United’s midfield. His box-to-box presence is what the Red Devils have lacked for a while. Diogo Dalot is a project at right-back, although Jose Mourinho has improved most of the defenders at the club.
However, the defence is still low on quality. Other than Eric Bailly, there is no other stalwart centre-back. United pushed hard for every central defender from Harry Maguire to Diego Godin, but couldn’t complete a deal.
It’s also likely that Ashley Young and Antonio Valencia – two converted wingers – will be United’s starting full-backs again. For a club that prides itself on winning titles, it’s quite embarrassing that those are their primary options out wide.
