What do Newcastle United need in the transfer market?

As one of the most long-suffering fans in the Premier League, Newcastle United fans need to get used to another year of deals and relative austerity. The transfer of ownership to Saudi Arabian backers looks dead in the water, and it could mean that the Toon need to look to a more realistic market for signings. Gone are the likes of Edinson Cavani and in their place come players like Rob Holding, Ryan Fraser, and Tom Davies.

The majority of signings are being linked are domestic talents who either play in the second tier or are out of the picture with other Premier League sides. The decision of youth prospect Matt Longstaff to sign a new deal, though, might limit the need for a central midfielder.

Forward is the most obvious starting place, with Bournemouth striker Callum Wilson heavily linked. Other names include Ryan Fraser, who is on a free, and Jamal Lewis of Norwich City. Every name being linked with the Toon – across various positions – are value signings that could offer them a player with resale value in the years to come.

However, for Newcastle, tying down a key position to fill is proving tough. Defence looks quite thin, and central midfield has good quality but low numbers. Pace is a major issue in the Newcastle team, too, with their wide players and full-backs lacking either attacking flair or pace. Only really Allan Saint-Maximin could realistically say he’s done the job to the expected standard.

This leaves the Magpies shopping around for a fair amount of talent in a short amount of time. So far, the club has also been linked with trying to find a suitor for Premier League flop Joelinton, hoping to use any funds gained to buy a more suitable forward option.

Expect loans for lower priority areas like central defence and midfield, with most finances going on a forward and adding to the wide areas.

What do Leicester City need in the transfer market?

Having enjoyed a good season last year, Leicester City fans could be forgiven for being a little disappointed. The last-day missing out of the UEFA Champions League was a massive blow, with the Foxes throwing away a definitive lead over Manchester United to give the Red Devils a chance to return to the top football of European football.

It was a major blunder on the Foxes part, and has surely hampered their ability to both keep stars and sign new talent. With the Premier League just a few short weeks away from a return, then, what can we expect to see from Brendan Rodgers in the transfer market?

Where do the Foxes need their investment most?

Having scored an ample amount of goals in the 2019-20 season with 67 in the league, Leicester probably aren’t short of goals. With an average of 14 shots per game, too, they do create enough chances to keep growing. It’s defensively, though, that they tend to have issues. This has been a focus for years with Rodgers teams, especially in European football with Glasgow Celtic, but some smart decisions in the transfer market could solve that.

The biggest gap in the team is now at left-back, with Ben Chilwell making a move to Chelsea for around £50m. Expect a signing at left-back, as well as another competitive central defender to arrive in the near future. Another place where a signing may be needed is in nets; Kasper Schmeichel is not getting any younger, and has lost some of the verve that made him such a standout in previous seasons.

While a new keeper might not take his place immediately, expect a more Rodgers-friendly, ball-playing keeper to arrive this summer to add more competition in defence. Overall, though, for the Foxes, a bit of stability at the back should be enough to give their young midfield and excellent attack a better platform to play from.

Grand National memories: 100/1 outsider

Reality TV Betting Guide

Since the emergence of Big Brother back in the year 2000, reality television has been increasingly popular, with this show being followed by other popular series’ such Love Island, I’m a Celebrity and The Only Way is Essex.

It didn’t take long for the bookies to figure out that not only did people like watching reality TV, they also wanted to bet on who would win each competition, with betting odds available on the first ever Big Brother series and an increasing number of markets were made available for later versions.

TV betting has now become a huge market for bookmakers and there’s nearly always something TV-related to bet on. I’m a Celebrity Get Me Out of Here has been a popular ITV series for several years and there’s the opportunity to bet on Overall Winner, King of the Jungle, Queen of the Jungle, Top Three Finish and Next Celebrity to be Evicted.

When it comes to Love Island betting, viewers love to place a few side bets on the winning male, female and overall couple. You can also bet on the next contestants to leave the island which is usually down to a public vote.

Another popular TV betting show is X Factor, where the betting markets open as soon as the first auditions start to be shown. You can bet on the X Factor winner from the moment that you see them appear on this ITV programme, while the betting really hots up once we know which acts are through to the live finals phase.

There is also betting available on Strictly Come Dancing, the BBC dancing show where a celebrity is partnered with a professional dancer. You can bet on the Winner market throughout the series and the odds frequently change according to how many points each couple receive from the judges.

Reality TV betting tends to be seasonal according to what shows are appearing on our screens at the moment. Dancing On Ice is similar to Strictly Come Dancing and viewers can bet on the outcome here, while there is also betting available for events like the Eurovision Song Contest which retains a strange popularity despite the songs being poor quality.

Many successful TV betting punters actually study the latest opinion polls and try to get an idea of the voting before going ahead with their wagers. It’s good to try and gain an edge over the bookies where possible.

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