IT’S hard to believe we are just over two months away from the opening kick off of the English Premier League’s 25th season.
And the transfer rumours are beginning to heat up.
Manchester City, as always, is set to re-load and is the $3 favourite to take out the title.
Just up the road, the men from Old Trafford Manchester United are second on the line of betting at $5 – probably due to the Jose Mourinho effect.
Mourinho has already begun work on the Red Devils’ squad, targeting gun Villarreal striker Eric Bailly in a reported 30 million pound deal.
But the biggest name on the list is the Zlatan.
Ibrahimovic, one of the most charismatic, if not most talented, strikers in history, might finally be ready to cross the final frontier and suit up in the Premier League.
He has already told his fans that he has a “big announcement” on the way and it is understood he is on the way to Old Trafford on a free transfer.
How capable he is of impacting on the toughest league in the world is still up in the air, but it would be a foolish man to write off the larger-than-life star.
Remarkably, the 2015/16 title winner, Leicester City, is just seventh on the line of betting at a gaudy $23.
That might be because one of the key figures in the Foxes’ fairy tale championship run may be on his way to mighty Arsenal, which is a $6 third favourite.
Arsenal has a 20 million pound move on the table for the Foxes’ gun striker Jamie Vardy, but Leicester is desperate to keep him – and he is in no hurry to make a decision.
Vardy had a remarkable season, slotting 24 goals to finish just behind Tottenham wunderkind Harry Kane in the golden boot race.
He adds pace and finishing ability to an Arsenal side that has been crying out for a first class striker (apologies to Olivier Giroud) since Thierry Henry was working his magic.
But Giroud – who has been both maligned and worshiped in his time at Arsenal – has welcomed news that Vardy could be his competition.
“I have been told that Jamie wants to join us and it’s very good news for us. I think we can be complementary and that’s all I can say,” Giroud said.
“He’s a fantastic player, so it’s good news for us.
“As I said in the past I am happy with competition. We have always had fantastic strikers at Arsenal and I want the best for this club. Hopefully he is going to help us win this title.
“The boss wanted to sign at least one or two strikers, so I expected a top striker and I think it will benefit the club and hopefully he is going to score a lot of goals like he did at Leicester.”
And he would be just the fourth man to command that figure from Arsenal in the past 12 years.
The Gooners are ready to spend big though, with a massive 30 million pound deal for Granit Xhaka already sealed from Borussia Monchengladbach, the 23 year old perhaps the biggest signing in the Premier League so far.
And Riyad Marrez is another man on Arsene Wenger’s radar.
If Vardy was the finisher, Mahrez was the architect for Leicester City.
Mahrez is as good as, if not better, than any attacking midfielder in England at the moment and if that pair was to cross to Arsenal to join the likes of Mesut Ozil and Alexis Sanchez, surely the Gunners would be the side to chase.
Favourite City might be chasing the title with two Arsenal men in their line up, with new hero Pep Guardiola setting his sights on talented, but oft injured Gunner Jack Wilshere and star wing back Hector Bellerin. Ilkay Gundogan is already signed, sealed delivered and Guardiola is also having a red hot crack at Bilbao’s Aymeric Laporte.
But the reports are that Bellerin and Wilshere are also on the radar.
Chelsea, despite a putrid 2015-16 season, are next on the line of betting at $7, with Tottenham at $8 – but you can just about rule them out, because the soccer gods have made it is physically impossible for Spurs to finish above Arsenal.
Liverpool is the only other team in single figures at $9.
The Kop has also been linked with a couple of Foxes players as the big clubs attempt to swoop, with Ben Chigwell in manager Jurgen Klopp’s sights.
Perhaps the Leicester City effect has taken its toll on the bookies, with no team offered up as a $5000 to one chance, like the Foxes were at the start of the season.
If you think, by some act of fantasy, another team can somehow emulate what Leicester City did last season – winning the title as rank outsider – then newly promoted Middlesbrough, Bournemouth and Burnley are all $1001 chances.
2016 English Premier League odds
Manchester City ($3)
Arsenal ($6)
Chelsea ($7)
Tottenham ($8)
Liverpool ($9)
Leicester City ($23)
West Ham ($81)
Southampton ($151)
Everton ($201)
Stoke ($401)
West Bromwich ($501)
Watford ($501)
Hull ($751)
Swansea ($751)
Sunderland ($751)
Crystal Palace ($751)
Burnley ($1001)
Bournemouth ($1001)
Middlesbrough ($1001)
Odds provided by WilliamHill.com.au