The coronavirus pandemic has tampered with a lot of things, including sports.
However, with the English Premier League returning on June 17th, there is light at the end of the tunnel. The opening of the summer transfer window remains unseen and we look at the odds of several Premier League targets making the move to England this summer.
Despite a shareholders’ meeting between Premier League clubs in February that decided the transfer window will shut at the end of August/early September after two seasons where it closed on the eve of the campaign, the window in England is still set to open on June 10; a week before the league resumes.
The Telegraph says that teams could be able to bolster their squads during the campaign to help aid the problems that the pandemic has dealt out. According to TalkSport, it has also been claimed FIFA is holding talks with clubs about keeping the next transfer window open for longer to help out football financially.
Today, we are eight days away from that date and whether that remains the case is yet to be seen, but that won’t stop us from assessing Premier League transfer targets and whether they’ll be able to make the high profile moves we thought they would before the beginning of this ungodly virus.
The Top Five Most Interesting Transfer Odds in the EPL Market
- Jadon Sancho to Manchester United (-167)
Quite possibly the best young player in the world, Jadon Sancho has lit up the German Bundesliga since the moment he signed for Borussia Dortmund. This season he leads the team in both goals (17) and assists (16) at just 20 years of age. It’s no surprise he’s been linked with every top team in the world including English giants, Manchester United.
Sancho’s desire to return to England alongside his close friendship with fellow English national teammate Marcus Rashford makes a move to Manchester United viable. United, by far lead as the team most likely to acquire Sancho with sportsbooks odds opening at -167.
- Timo Werner to Liverpool (+163)
The Bundesliga is just filled with talent, isn’t it? RB Leipzig striker Timo Werner has long been linked with a move away from his current club due to his goalscoring exploits.
A move to European champions Liverpool has been brewing for quite some time and has been further exacerbated by Werner’s kind comments about Liverpool in the past as well as recent virtual meetings taking place between him and Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp, according to German journalist Raphael Honingstein.
Werner is currently on 24 goals in the Bundesliga, second only to Robert Lewandowski, and had racked four goals in the Champions League before the competition’s suspension. Sportsbooks odds on Werner making the move to Anfield opens at +163.
- Leroy Sane to Bayern Munich (-333)
The most likely transfer to occur on this list, Manchester City winger Leroy Sane looks poised to return to his home country by signing for Bayern Munich. The German star has been sidelined for much of the season after an ACL injury put him on the sidelines early on.
City’s impressive depth in attack meant that Sane didn’t start as many games last year as he’s been accustomed to and after the departures of Arjen Robben and Frank Ribery last year, Sane has the opportunity to make his mark at Bayern.
City might be crazy to let him go but sportsbooks odds of -333 means they may be resigned to losing him anyway.
- Kai Havertz to Bayern Munich (+100)
I promise you; I wasn’t planning on making this article as a homage to the Premier League and Bundesliga, it just kind of turned out that way.
Kai Havertz is the golden child of German football. At just 19 years old, the Bayer Leverkusen attacking midfielder burst onto the scene last year after scoring 17 goals while leading his club to the Champions League. While he suffered a dip in form this season, he’s been on fire since the restart of the Bundesliga, scoring five goals in their first four games back.
Like Sancho, Havertz has been linked with every big club you can think of but Bayern Munich, a club that’s been criticized for preying on their fellow German clubs and snatching their biggest talents (e.g. Lewandowski, Götze, Hummels, Goretzka, Gnabry), well you see my point and it looks like they’re about to do it again.
Sportsbooks odds on Havertz making the step up to Bayern Munich opens at +100 evens.
- Philippe Coutinho to Chelsea (+110)
The former Liverpool man has seen his career dwindle since leaving Liverpool for Barcelona in a £142m move. The Brazilian failed to hold down a starting spot in Barcelona’s midfield before they loaned him out to Bayern Munich this season and despite scoring nine league goals, he has again, failed to establish in the midfield ahead of the likes of Thiago Alcantara and a resurgent Thomas Muller.
At 27 years of age, Coutinho is set to hit his prime and it will be a genuine shame to see someone who had bundles of talent fail to achieve the potential that was once shined so bright.
However, a return to the Premier League seems likely according to the sportsbooks who have him making the move to Chelsea at odds of +110.
