Best Of Bets

Tag: Football

  • The 20 Best Premier League Bets Strikers

    The 20 Best Premier League Bets Strikers

    Check out our list of The 20 Best Premier League Bets – Strikers Edition from Best Of Bets.

    If you wanted to place football bets on goal scorers in the Premier League, then look no further than this list of Premier League greats who we loved to place first goal scored bets on, from Best Of Bets.

    We don’t know exactly how much you would have made or lost if you bet on all of these Premiership strikers and attackers to score first in every game they played; however, it certainly would have been entertaining given how many Premiership goals they scored between them.

    Here is our list of our favourite and best first goal scorers from the Premier League regarded as The 20 Best Premier Leagues Bets our Strikers Edition from Best Of Bets betting tips, insights and free bets comparison site.

    Our List of the Best First Goal Scorers for Premier League Football Bets:

    1. Alan Shearer – 260
      Alan Shearer is the Premier League’s all-time top scorer, renowned for his powerful finishing, leadership, and consistency. If only you could wind back time and bet on Shearer to score 260 Premier League goals at the start of his career, that would be an amazing bet.
    2. Harry Kane – 213
      Harry Kane is a prolific and complete striker, known for his clinical finishing, playmaking ability, and record-breaking goal tallies. Kane often played the full 90 minutes, so was reliable for first goal scorer bets and last goal scorer bets, especially when Kane was on a hot scoring streak.
    3. Wayne Rooney – 208
      Wayne Rooney was a dynamic and versatile forward, combining lethal finishing with creativity, work rate, and a record-breaking goal haul for Manchester United. Often favourite first goal scorer.
    4. Andrew Cole – 187
      Andy Cole was a prolific goal scorer with lightning pace and intelligent movement, playing a key role in Manchester United’s treble-winning season. Usually favourite first goal scorer.
    5. Sergio Agüero – 184
      Sergio Agüero was a clinical and explosive striker, best known for his record-breaking goal tally at Manchester City and his iconic title-winning strike in 2012. Almost always the favourite to score first at the bookies.
    6. Mohamed Salah – 178
      Since the Egyptian King first turned up at Liverpool, it’s tough to bet against him to score in any game. Possibly the best goal-scoring winger ever seen in the Premier League.
    7. Thierry Henry – 175
      Henry was often the bookies’ favourite to score first, as he was such a prolific goal scorer.
    8. Robbie Fowler – 163
      Fowler was an absolute goal machine in his younger days, and betting on him as the first goal scorer would often come in. Was often tough to get good first goal scorer odds on Fowler is his Liverpool prime.
    9. Jermain Defoe – 162
      Throughout his whole career, Jermain Defoe was a regular goal scorer and a good bet at the bookies to score first.
    10. Michael Owen – 150
      In his younger days, Michael Owen was almost always the bookies’ favourite to score first. He slowed down a bit in his latter years but was often people’s favourite bet to score first. Tough to get good first goal scorer odds with sometimes.
    11. Les Ferdinand – 149
      Les Ferdinand was a powerful and athletic striker, known for his aerial dominance, clinical finishing, and consistency across multiple Premier League clubs. It was never an outside bet to bet on Ferdinand to score first when he was in the starting 11.
    12. Teddy Sheringham – 146
      Teddy Sheringham was a highly intelligent and creative striker, known for his exceptional link-up play, vision, and longevity in the Premier League. For many years, football betting fans would bet on Sheringham to score first.
    13. Robin van Persie – 144
      An absolute goal monster, who swapped London for Manchester then won the Premiership in his first year. Van Persie was the bookies’ favourite to win the golden boot when he first turned up at Man Utd, and he didn’t disappoint.
    14. Jamie Vardy – 143
      Jamie Vardy is a relentless and pacey striker, known for his lethal finishing, incredible work rate, and key role in Leicester City’s historic Premier League title win. Leicester fans are still placing bets on him in 2025.
    15. Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink – 127
      Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink was a powerful and prolific striker, known for his thunderous shots that made you think he might rip the net one day. Often a first goal scorer favourite with Chelsea fans.
    16. Son Heung-min – 126
      Known for his blistering pace, two-footed finishing, and crucial goals for Spurs, Son is the model professional and often a popular first or last goal scorer bet for Spurs fans.
    17. Cristiano Ronaldo – 103
      Ballon D’Or winner Cristiano was an absolute monster before he left for Real Madrid, a bookies’ nightmare when it came to first goal scoring that season.
    18. Ruud van Nistelrooy – 95
      The Dutch goal-scoring machine was unstoppable for a few seasons at Man Utd. He was often a bookies’ nightmare when it came to paying out first goal scorer bets to Man Utd fans.
    19. Eric Cantona – 70
      The French football magician was often 2nd or 3rd favourite to score first, as he was not as prolific as other strikers and attackers at Man Utd. Cantona scored lots of important goals that were either the last or first goal in that match.
    20. Luis Suárez – 69
      Luis Suárez was expensive for the bookies for a few years when he would often score the first or last goal in a match.

    Our The 20 Best Premier League Bets Review

    This list showcases some of the best first goal scorers in Premier League bets history, making them favourites for goal-scoring bets at various points in their careers. We rate these Premier League bets as the best to place on strikers, as these attackers scored so many goals, you would have got paid on one your bets more than betting on most other players to score first.

    These Premier League strikers above often had the lowest odds, which as the favourites some bettors consider them to offer the best first goal scorer bets and last goal scorer bets with the best first goal scorer odds.

    You might also like our lists of Betting Tips, Betting Insights and Free Bets.

  • Bundesliga Freiburg v Holstein Kiel Betting

    Bundesliga Freiburg v Holstein Kiel Betting

    The Bundesliga returns on Saturday after their Christmas break. The pause at the midway point of the season may have come at a bad time for relegation threatened Holstein Kiel who had picked up just their 2nd win of the season in an emphatic 5-1 win against Augsburg. The hosts Freiburg have had a decent season by their standards as they occupy ninth spot. However, it would be wrong to think they were rooted mid table as they are just three points away from third place as the table tightens. In this clash, I’m tipping Both Teams To Score at 1.80.

    Freiburg

    The hosts have a strong record at home this season with five wins from seven. However they have only been able to keep one clean sheet in those games showing they are liable to poor defensive qualities at the back. Backing this up is their most recent result which was a 5-1 thrashing away to last season’s winners Bayer Leverkusen and shipping four goals to Borussia Dortmund earlier in the season. Freiburg have scored 21 goals in 15 league games this season averaging 2.00 goals at home. They also produce the 7th highest expected goals in the league with 1.41 xGF a game on average.

    Whilst Freiburg may have their sights on European places, they need to be wary of their opposition who are fighting for their lives at the bottom of the table, they are not to be overlooked with their stats this season.

    Holstein Kiel

    The visitors have had a tricky season after being promoted from the 2. Bundesliga last season as they sit in 17th spot of the table with just 8 points. Kiel have won two games, drawn two and lost 11 times which has positioned them six points from safety. Away from home, Kiel are BTTS kings with all seven of their games on the road seeing this tip land. In fact they have seen BTTS in 57% of all league games despite having the lowest xG (1.17). Their games see plenty of goals with an average of 3.80 goals a game.

    However, their last game will give them hope that they can turn their season around in the 2nd half of the campaign and climb up the table. At 1.80 for a tip that has landed in 7/7 of Kiel’s away games, BTTS is great value!

    Click Here and Get £20 in bonuses when you spend £10 with BetVictor

  • Premier League 2023/24 | Game of the Week betting

    Premier League 2023/24 | Game of the Week betting

    Opening day was full of controversy and entertainment. So, what does Gameweek 2 have in store for us?

    The Premier League is back and the sporting world is all the better for it.

    Each week of the season, BestofBets will showcase the pick of the crop each weekend, so what takes top billing this time around? And what are the latest Premier League betting odds?

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    Manchester City vs Newcastle United, Etihad Stadium, Saturday (8pm BST)

    It’s two from two for Newcastle in BestofBets’ game of the week.

    Last time out they delivered a statement of intent to thrash Aston Villa 5-1 – in what many thought would be a closely-fought contest.

    Eddie Howe has added some serious firepower to one of the league’s meanest defences. Alexander Isak was razor-sharp last week, notching two goals, while Sandro ‘Toonali’ got the dream debut after his arrival from AC Milan, scoring inside six minutes.

    Can the Magpies inflict an early dent into Manchester City’s hopes of a fourth straight title?

    Haaland v Botman

    The league’s premier striker against one of its most underrated, yet effective, centre-backs should be a battle for the ages.

    Botman has the size and strength to contend with Haaland, and in the past year he’s taken to the Premier League like a duck to water.

    Yet, the Norwegian goal machine started the season in ominous form last weekend, bagging a brace to see off Burnley. And he looks hungry for more.

     

    Grealish v Trippier

    The all-England battle on City’s left, and Newcastle’s right, should be good to watch.

    Trippier is the Geordies’ Mr. Dependable. Hardly anything gets past him – except £100m Grealish might.

    The low-socked, slaloming City No.10 is now at home in sky blue and doing Pep Guardiola’s bidding with delight. Trippier will have to be on his mettle to keep Grealish at bay on Saturday night.

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    Changing the record

    The one thing standing in Newcastle’s way this weekend is their appalling record at Eastlands.

    City have won the past eight home matches against the men in black and white, by an aggregate score of 30 goals to three. The Magpies have been walloped on almost every visit down the M1 and M62.

    Even their sole victory was in the League Cup. You have to go back to September 2000 for Newcastle’s most recent league win away at City; the Etihad wasn’t even built.

    But things are different now, under Howe. Last season’s 3-3 draw at home to City will breathe confidence into the Toon Army, who will travel down in numbers on a balmy Saturday evening in Manchester.

    Premier League betting: No value in City win

    A City win is 4/6 with bookmakers Bet365, which represents little to no value.

    Far more interesting are the odds of a Newcastle win (4/1) or a draw (3/1).

    It’s always hazardous betting against City at the Etihad Stadium, but if they’re ever going to slip up, it could be in an early season clash against in-form Newcastle.

    Find more Premier League betting odds here.

  • Fantasy Premier League 2023/24: Five bargains for your FPL team

    Fantasy Premier League 2023/24: Five bargains for your FPL team

     

    Time is running out to pick a Fantasy Premier League team ahead of Friday’s deadline.

    But selecting Erling Haaland up front, or Trent Alexander-Arnold at the back is the easy bit. Balancing a budget is trickier.

    So who are the FPL bargains to consider snapping up for the 2023/24 season?

    Allow BestofBets to run through some underrated and underpriced buys for this season’s FPL…

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    FPL bargains – Defenders

    Tariq Lamptey (£4.0) – Lamptey has endured a torrid time with injuries in the past year or so and, as such, he only played 438 minutes in the Premier League last season.

    Roberto De Zerbi has primarily used him as a substitute.

    However, when fit and firing, he’s a flying full-back with immense assist potential in FPL. If he can break back into the Brighton team, his value will soar.

    Amari’i Bell (£4.0) – Those unfamiliar with the Championship may not be aware of the Luton left-back.

    Bell was a regular for the Hatters in a very solid defence last season, making 44 appearances and helping Luton keep 20 clean sheets.

    Only champions Burnley kept more clean sheets and Bell was a major part of that. The Jamaican international is worth a punt.

    Midfielders

    Carney Chukwuemeka (£4.5) – Bargain midfielders on FPL are as rare as hen’s teeth, but this Chelsea youngster may just be worth a shot to supplement any squad. He’s been heavily involved in pre-season and, now approaching his 20th birthday, the winger is ready to burst onto the big stage.

    We know that Mauricio Pochettino likes to put faith in youth, so Chukwuemeka could be a huge beneficiary of the new manager, especially now, with the hammer blow of losing Christopher Nkunku until November.

    Shandon Baptiste (£4.5) – The 25-year-old Grenadian is one of the cheapest midfielders in the game, yet he remains a semi-regular starter for Brentford.

    He appeared 23 times last season and while he’s not hot on goals or assists, the Bees are superb at keeping clean sheets. Baptiste will pick up a few points every gameweek.

    Forwards

    Jean-Philippe Mateta (£5.0) – Finally, there’s virtually no value in going for a bargain striker on FPL but Crystal Palace forward Mateta is cheap as chips. He’s scored eight Premier League goals in 58 appearances and has 24 in 67 in the Bundesliga for Mainz.

    They aren’t stunning stats, but neither are Palace stacked with forward option;.The Frenchman may get plenty of game time.

  • Premier League 2023/24: FPL template team to pick this season

    Premier League 2023/24: FPL template team to pick this season

     

    Dust off the spreadsheets, ready the stats and start telling your mates how much money you’re going to win off them this season.

    That’s right, it’s time to pick your Fantasy Premier League team for 2023/24!

    The start of any season can make or break your FPL hopes, but fear not, BestofBets are here to ease your worries.

    Our resident footie nuts, Dominic Booth and Neil Leverett have put their heads together – laying their necks on the block – and come up with a starter FPL template squad.

    With a transfer fund of 100m, here is what they’ve come up with…

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    Goalkeepers

    Andre Onana – Is the new Man United goalkeeper a risk? Definitely. Is he more suited to Erik ten Hag’s style of play than David de Gea? Absolutely. So, is he worth picking as your No.1 in FPL this season? Another yes. Protected by an improving United defence that should collect numerous clean sheets, Onana is a good buy at £5.0.

    Daniel Bentley – Your reserve ‘keeper should at least have an outside chance of playing. And former Bristol City and Brentford No.1 Bentley finished as Wolves’ main custodian at the end of last season. At £4.0, he’s worth a shot.

    Defenders

    Reece James – Let’s start with an obvious pick. When fully fit and firing, James is arguably the best right-back in the league and he should be emboldened under new boss Mauricio Pochettino. At £5.5 (way cheaper than a certain Liverpool right-back), James could be an assist machine for your FPL side this term. FPL template gold.

    Luke Shaw – Another must-have, especially at £5.5. He’s a guaranteed started under Ten Hag and should be good value for assists and clean sheets. Like James, he needs to remain injury-free, which has been an issue in the past. But Shaw is now 28 and at the peak of his powers.

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    Pervis Estupiñán – The Brighton left-back will be a popular selection this season, given his powerhouse form at the tail end of last term. He’s got an eye for goal and storms into very attacking positions for assists. Still only £5.0, the Ecuadorian is a no-brainer.

    Matty Cash – At £4.5, the Poland international is a steal. He’s another guaranteed starter, occasional set-piece taker, assist-maker and bombs on in attack. He’s got to be in your squad; whether he fits into the XI or sits on the bench, Cash is worth a place.

    Malo Gusto – A bit of a punt, here. While it seems counter-intuitive to select both James and Gusto – realistically competing for the same place in Pochettino’s Chelsea side – the new signing from Lyon has bags of potential. He’s only £4.0 right now and could easily rise in value if he breaks into the Blues’ XI.

     

    Midfielders

    Bruno Fernandes – Still perhaps overlooked by many, since the departure of Cristiano Ronaldo and now with the competition of Marcus Rashford, the Portuguese could have another stellar campaign. Penalty duties remain his, and scoring against Arsenal in New Jersey showed his class.

    Martin Ødegaard – The Gunners are flush with attacking options, but the most likely to play most minutes is the skipper. Now in his third full season, the Norwegian was in the top 15 last term for xG at just under 10. With 15 goals and 8 assists last season, Odegaard could become gold again; for both Arsenal and FPL managers.

    Bryan Mbeumo – No Ivan Toney for the first half of the campaign means collective worries for Brentford fans, but Mbeumo ought to provide enough goals and assists to keep Thomas Frank’s side competitive. As a midfielder according to FPL, he’s a superb purchase for just £6.5 and will keep your team competitive, too.

    Kaoru Mitoma – By the back-end of 22/23, he was in everyone’s FPL teams and we see no reason to start the new campaign without the Brighton flyer. Manchester City’s recent interest shows just how high his ceiling is. He’ll be central to Roberto De Zerbi’s hopes of building on last season’s immense success at the AMEX.

    Leandro Trossard – There was much FPL template discussion, but eventually, the tricksy Belgian gets the final nod. A second inclusion from Mikel Arteta’s brood, Trossard has been electric in pre-season and the catalyst for the Gunners late, late show in the Community Shield. May have to fight for his place, but at 7.0 could become a bargain.

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    Forwards

    Alexander Isak – With Callum Wilson surprisingly short of minutes in pre-season and the Swede’s blockbuster form towards the end of last season, this is a straightforward selection. Isak should play in the majority of games and improve on his tally of 10 Premier League strikes in 22/23.

    Darwin Núñez – Will this season see the evolution of Darwin at Anfield? The stats nerds liked his output last season, despite a habit of missing big chances. The sense is that Liverpool will get their No.9 to come good sooner rather than later. At an appealing price of £7.5, it’s worth finding out.

    Erling Haaland – We kept you hanging didn’t we? Despite a price tag of £14.0 – making him the most expensive player in the game by a distance – you simply have to pick the City hitman to complete the FPL template. Another Golden Boot-worthy goal haul seems inevitable, with the supply line coming in from De Bruyne, Bernardo and company.

     

    Good luck to all FPL managers, both the long-suffering devotees and the ones fresh off the boat…its going to be a fun season.

  • Women’s World Cup 2023 | Matildas breaking ground on home soil

     

    Ahead of the Women’s World Cup 2023, BestofBets profiles host nation Australia, AKA the Matildas, and examines how they are set to break new ground at the tournament.

     

    Golden era

    The phrase ‘golden generation’ with regard to a certain country’s much-heralded batch of players can often end in anti-climax.

    Think England’s vaunted men’s side of the 2000s; David Beckham, Paul Scholes and company. Think Belgium’s recent underperformers under Roberto Martinez.

    However, might it be the Matildas to buck that trend in their home World Cup?

    Under pressure to finally deliver, manager Tony Gustavsson is tasked with getting the best from a talent pool that is among the strongest in the tournament.

    Previous efforts at the Tokyo 2020 and the 2022 Asia Cup saw Australia fall short.

    “Sometimes you’re not as bad as people say you are when you lose, but you’re not as good as people say you are when you win, either,” Gustavsson said after his side broke England’s incredible 30-game unbeaten run in April.

    It reflected his phlegmatic approach, but that won’t hold muster if Gustavsson’s side don’t reach at least a semi-final this summer (or winter, as it is down under).

    That 2-0 win over the Lionesses, and recent sparkling form, has proven the Matildas are as good as anyone on their day.

     

    Waltzing Matildas

    In recent weeks, Gustavsson has been keen to move away from an approach that basically amounts to ‘give it to Sam Kerr’.

    The Chelsea player might be the Matildas’ best player – she’s certainly the most recognisable and widely acclaimed – but they have quality elsewhere.

    The emphasis must be on the team rather than basing their philosophy around the striker.

    Cortnee Vine who, at 25, is peaking at the right time to have a major impact on the right wing, deserves a mention. As does the defensive excellence of Ellie Carpenter.

    Kerr does, however, hold the Australian record for international goals and is coming off a sensational individual and team season in the WSL with Chelsea.

    “Even more valuable to this team is what she gives as a person and how she carries them,” Gustavsson said of Kerr’s off-field impact, which he says is “amazing”.

    If Kerr leads Australian glory on home soil, world fame as a sportsperson beckons.

    Having been former finalists but never hosts, the Matildas, in 2023, could be on the verge of something very special.

     

    Women’s World Cup 2023 betting odds

    So, can the Matildas actually win the World Cup?

    The bookies don’t believe so.

    Australia are down as fifth or sixth favourites with most bookmakers, at 10/1 to win the tournament outright.

    Three-peat-chasing USA are leading the pack (inevitably) at 5/2 with most bookies, with England, Spain and Germany considered the greatest threats to American dominance.

  • European summer exodus as Saudi Pro League weighs in

    European summer exodus as Saudi Pro League weighs in

     

    If the football world has learned anything in the past few months, it’s that the Saudi Pro League is serious. Very serious.

    In a year that has proven neither Cristiano Ronaldo or Lionel Messi have lost their allure, both continue to blaze a trail.

    Despite both being well into their senior years, after holding an almost exclusive 15-year monopoly over the Ballon d’Or, the duo now tread differing paths.

    In the case of Messi, having finally got his hands on a World Cup winners medal, the Argentine is now set to form a new era at Inter Miami in Major League Soccer.

    Ronaldo meanwhile, wends a more unfamiliar journey after his move to the Saudi Pro League last January.

    It is that move however, that has now set the wheels in motion in laying a new landscape in football.

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    The Saudi path

    As Kylian Mbappe and Erling Haaland perched at the very summit of the world game, Ronaldo’s transfer to Al Nassr at the end of 2022 was derided by many.

    Viewed by critics as the former Manchester United striker’s admission of his own decline, the move was nothing more than a pre-retirement switch motivated by money.

    Cynics however, did not factor in that the Portuguese could be a trailblazer.

    As Ronaldo said himself of the move last winter:

     

    ”In my opinion if they continue to do the work that they want to do here, for the next five years, I think the Saudi league can be a top five league in the world.”

     

    Messi may have opted against a switch himself, but reports this week in the New York Times reveal an agreed contract worth around £20million over three years to be a commercial pitchman for The Kingdom.

    Not bad money for a few social media posts, the odd advertisement and a positive word here or there.

     

    Lure of riches

    The fact the powers-that-be in Saudi Arabia are willing to part with such sums simply for Messi’s commercial pull speaks volumes about their ambitions.

    But not Messi exclusively.

    Throw in the signings of Karim Benzema and N’Golo Kante for Al Ittihad and likely a gamut of other top stars from Europe’s top clubs, and you have the makings of a movement.

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    Not content with their purchase of Newcastle United, interest in Formula 1 or the creation of LIV Golf, Saudi investment in elite sport shows no signs of slowing.

    But it is those transfers to the Saudi Pro League that are dominating the newspaper columns around Europe this summer.

    Ronaldo’s move alone has prompted a massive hike in broadcasting revenue and social media interest for Al Nassr.

    Now many of their rivals want a piece of the action.

     

    Who next?

    In the past week alone, Ruben Neves, Son Heung-Min, Edouard Mendy, Hakim Ziyech, Kalidou Koulibaly, Bernardo Silva and Matt Doherty were all linked with Saudi clubs.

    All players ready to swap one of Europe’s top five leagues for Middle Eastern riches.

    Allegations of sports washing are unlikely to go away with every big-money transfer that goes through, while some will point to the example of the Chinese Super League in the previous decade as a flash-in-the-pan.

    Whatever opinion might be, the Saudi League is serious in its goal.

    A league spoiled with wealth will always appeal and elite-level footballers could now form a steady queue to join.

    Bernardo could be next.

     

    Bernardo Silva next club odds

    • Any Saudi Club – 8/11
    • PSG – 5/2
    • Barcelona – 16/1
  • Worst transfers in football history

    Worst transfers in football history

    The world has seen its share of massive transfers over the years, however, some of them won trophies and broke world records, whereas others turned out to be some of the worst transfers in football history.

    Although this may be true, clubs spend huge amounts of money in their quest to sign the best and top talent in the land.

    As a matter of fact, no matter how individually perfect a player may be, if he doesn’t seem to adjust to the club’s footballing philosophy, he’s a flop!

    For this purpose, we at BestofBets give out our opinion on 30 such footballers along with their transfer cost who we think are the worst transfers in football history!

    30 worst transfers in football history and their cost

    30. Nicolas Pepe – Lille to Arsenal, 2019 – €80 million

    29. Ricardo Quaresma – Porto to Inter, 2008 – €24.60 million

    28. Harry Maguire – Leicester City to Manchester United, 2019 – €87 million

    27. Kaka – Milan to Real Madrid, 2009 – €67 million

    26. Jonathan Woodgate – Newcastle United to Real Madrid, 2004 – €18.30 million

    25. Jackson Martinez – FC Porto to Atletico Madrid, 2015 – €35 million

    24. Jese Rodriguez – Real Madrid to PSG, 2016 – €25 million

    23. Leonardo Bonucci – Juventus to Milan, 2017 – €42 million

    22. Eliaquim Mangala – Porto to Manchester City, 2014 – €45 million

    21. Massimo Taibi – Venezia to Manchester United, 1999 – Free transfer

    20. Kaka – Milan to Real Madrid, 2009 – €67 million

    19. Harry Maguire – Leicester City to Manchester United, 2019 – €87 million

    18. Luka Jovic – Eintracht Frankfurt to Real Madrid, 2019 – €63 million

    17. Mario Balotelli – Milan to Liverpool, 2014 – €20 million

    16. Lazar Markovic – Benfica to Liverpool, 2014 – €25 million

    15. Shkodran Mustafi – Valencia to Arsenal, 2016 – €41 million

    14. Andriy Shevchenko – Milan to Chelsea, 2006 – €43.88 million

    13. Kepa – Athletic Club to Chelsea, 2018 – €80 million

    12. Ousmane Dembele – Borussia Dortmund to Barcelona, 2017 – €140 million

    11. Bebe – Vitoria de Guimaraes to Manchester United, 2010 – €8.80 million

    10. Fernando Torres – Liverpool to Chelsea, 2011 – €58.50 million

    9. Andy Carroll – Newcastle United to Liverpool, 2011 – €41 million

    8. Zlatan Ibrahimovic – Inter to Barcelona, 2010 – €69.50 million

    7. Angel Di Maria – Real Madrid to Manchester United, 2014 – €75 million

    6. Paul Pogba – Juventus to Manchester United, 2016 – €105 million

    5. Alexis Sanchez – Arsenal to Manchester United, 2018 – €34 million (exchange with Henrikh Mkhitaryan moving to Arsenal at the same cost)

    4. Romelu Lukaku – Inter to Chelsea, 2021 – €113 million

    3. Philippe Coutinho – Liverpool to Barcelona, 2018 – €135 million

    2. Eden Hazard – Chelsea to Real Madrid, 2019 – €115 million

    1. Antoine Griezmann – Atletico Madrid to Barcelona, 2021 – €120 million

    *All transfer figures courtesy of Transfermarkt

    30 worst transfers in football history and their cost

    Although these players may not have succeeded in their big money failed transfers to their new clubs, most of them indeed left those clubs to either return back to their old clubs, or start a new challenge elsewhere.

    They may be mentioned time to time in discussions of them being flops at those clubs, but there is no doubt a redemption arc follows sooner rather than later.

    You can check more of our content like this on BestofBets’ football section.

  • Footballers whose families placed long term bets on their career

    Footballers whose families placed long term bets on their career

    In the United Kingdom, it is every parents’ dream to see their child make it big as a footballer. As a matter of fact, it is pretty common for them to take a punt on their children with the odds of them making it to club football or even the national team. Ladbrokes, an online bookmaker revealed in 2012 that they receive thousands of requests each year, while they offer fixed odds on any child under six to the count of 1000-1 to play for England and 500-1 to play in the Premier League. BestofBets takes a look at 5 such footballers whose families placed long-term bets on their career.

    5 footballers whose families placed long-term bets on their career

    1. Kai Fifield:
      Northampton based youngster Kai Fifield was on holiday in Barcelona in 2011 when he came across an academy game after his tour of the Camp Nou and asked to join in.
      He was given the chance out of the blue and he went on to play alongside Barcelona youngsters before being offered a trial.
      Bookies immediately took notice of this instance and slashed odds of the seven-year-old playing for England to as low as 50/1. Bookies also offered odds of 250/1 to play for Spain.
    2. Ryan Tunnicliffe:
      English midfielder Ryan Tunnicliffe was playing for Manchester United’s youth team. His dad managed to place a bet with odds of 100/1 on his son featuring for the first team. The bet earned him £10,000 in 2012.
      His dad played an additional bet of £100 on him playing for the England national team at 350/1, although we’re not sure that would happen.
    3. Chris Kirkland:
      Former Liverpool goalkeeper Chris Kirkland‘s father placed a collective bet of £98.10 with a few people claiming that his son will play for England before the age of 30.
      12 years later, Kirkland played the second half of a friendly for England against Greece. As a result, his father’s group won just short of £10,000. That was his one and only appearance for his country.
    4. Harry Wilson:
      Former Liverpool youngster Harry Wilson helped his grandfather earn an incredible £125,000. This happened when he became Wales’ youngest ever international on his national team debut in 2013.
      Odds of 2500/1 were given on Wilson playing international football and his old man bet £50 on his grandson.
      Wilson now remains an integral part of the Welsh national team and plays club football for Fulham.
    5. Lewis Cook:
      Cook was plying his trade at Leeds in 2014. His grandad Trevor Burlingham was offered odds of 33/1 on the Bournemouth midfielder playing a senior game for England’s national team. He bet £500.
      In March 2018, Cook made his England debut against Italy at Wembley. His grandfather won a very impressive £17,000.All things considered, we hope you liked our list of 5 footballers whose families placed long-term bets on their career!
      You can check more of our content like this on BestofBets’ football section.
  • Most controversial football transfers of all time

    Most controversial football transfers of all time

    What would it take for a move to make it to the most controversial football transfers of all time? – A move to direct rivals or ditching a club after agreeing a transfers only to move to their rivals instead? – There have been many instances of such controversies in football’s unique history. Make sure you check out my previous article on the greatest premier league XI who never played in the Champions League.

    Most controversial football transfers of all time

    12. Carlos Tevez – Manchester United to Manchester City
    Argentine striker Carlos Tevez was on loan at Manchester United from Media Sports Investment, agent Kia Joorabchian’s company for two years between 2007 and 2009.
    The Red Devils are alleged to have told Tevez they would sign him permanently, but never actually went ahead with the deal, allowing City to swoop for him and sign him on a free transfer.

    11. Ashley Cole – Arsenal to Chelsea
    A classic example of “tapping up” a player saw Jose Mourinho meet Arsenal‘s defender Ashley Cole at a restaurant to convince him to move to Chelsea.
    This meeting was declared an illegal approach by the Premier League. Cole was fined £1000,000, reduced to £75,000 appeal, Mourinho was fined £200,000 and Chelsea were fined £300,000.
    However, Chelsea did end up getting their man the following summer in a swap deal for William Gallas.

    10. Jon Obi Mikel – Manchester United to Chelsea
    Probably the weirdest transfer in modern day, something even Jon Obi Mikel doesn’t understand to this date!
    In January 2005, Manchester United officially announced they had an agreement to sign Obi Mikel in January 2005, only for Chelsea to claim they had an agreement with the player too.
    FIFA had to intervene between the clubs with the decision resting on the player and Obi Mikel chose Chelsea. The Blues had to pay £12 million to Manchester United for a player the Red Devils never actually signed.
    Speaking of the whole saga, Obi Mikel said, “It was really confusing, and I was a kid, you know?”

    9. Giuseppe Meazza – Inter to AC Milan
    Widely believed to be the greatest Italian footballer of all time, Giuseppe Meazza was a revolutionary player who almost bridged the intense rivalry between two greatest Italian clubs, Inter and AC Milan.
    Meazza had already attained legendary status at Inter, becoming their greatest ever player and goalscorer before he controversially decided to move to AC Milan. In doing so, he stamped his legacy throughout the iconic city.
    In 1979, a year after Meazza’s death, the San Siro was renamed in memory of the two-time world cup winner.

    8. Johan Cruyff – Ajax to Feyenoord
    The inventor of “Total Football”, legendary Johan Cruyff is till date one of the greatest footballers ever to grace the game.
    He spent much of his career’s prime at Ajax before moving to Barcelona. Cruyff moved to the MLS and later returned back to the Netherlands with Ajax, enjoying another two successful years with his boyhood club.
    Cruyff was then refused a contract extension by Ajax. This angered him and he chose to join their arch rivals Feyenoord, leading them to the KNVB cup and league title, their first for a decade! Weird way of flexing, but if someone could do it, it was Johan Cruyff!

    7. Roberto Baggio – Fiorentina to Juventus
    Roberto Baggio moved for a record transfer deal in 1990 to Juventus, which ended up triggering riots in the city of Florence, resulting in injuries to 50 protestors.
    In his first game against Fiorentina for Juventus, Baggio refused to take a penalty, leading to him being substituted.
    When he was substituted, a Fiorentina scarf was thrown at Baggio, which he picked up and kissed.

    6. Sol Campbell – Tottenham to Arsenal
    One of the greatest footballers in Tottenham Hotspur history, Sol Campbell never actually won a trophy with the club despite playing for close to a decade.
    In the summer of 2001, when his contract at White Hart Lane expired, the Spurs fan favourite and club captain decided to move to Arsenal despite repeatedly promising fans he wouldn’t.
    He became a hated figure at Spurs.

    5. Denis Law – Manchester United to Manchester City
    Part of Manchester United’s holy trinity “Best-Law-Charlton”, Denis Law actually played one season for Manchester City in 1960-61 before moving to Torino for the 1961-62 season.
    In 1962, he joined Manchester United and went on to play over 300 games for the Red Devils, winning numerous titles and a Ballon d’Or in 1964.
    In 1972, he returned back to Manchester City. In the penultimate clash of the 1972-73 season, what became the last club match of his career, Law scored a back heel against Manchester United to defeat them 1-0, thus relegating the Red Devils from the English first division.

    4. Eric Cantona – Leeds United to Manchester United
    A transfer forever remembered when it comes to controversial transfers in football history, Leeds began the saga by trying to sign United full-back Denis Irwin in 1992, but were rejected by Sir Alex Ferguson, who wanted to keep the then future club legend in Manchester.
    What Sir Alex did next was quite a masterstroke. During the time Leeds enquired about Irwin, the Scottish manager sent in an offer worth £1.2 million for a striker named Eric Cantona.
    Cantona went on to create a legacy at United, winning four Premier League titles and two FA Cups.

    3. Mo Johnston – Celtic to Nantes to Rangers
    With so many big names discussed earlier, with all due respect, one wouldn’t expect Mo Johnston to be number three in this list. But, here he is!
    In 1989, Johnston was expected to be returning to Celtic after his two year spell in France with Nantes. He even publicly said, “There’s only one team I want to play for and that’s Celtic.”
    But, in came Graeme Souness and swooped for Johnstone in what led to sectarian violence between the two clubs’ supporters and he became equally unpopular with Rangers’ fans as it was Celtic supporters.
    Celtic fans termed Johnston as “Judas” and even threw a pie in his face after he scored against them in the Old Firm derby.
    Rangers fans too did not want a Catholic playing for their team and burned scarves outside Ibrox in protest. Even the Rangers’ kit man joined protests by refusing to arrange his kit. Johnston left Rangers after just two seasons.

    2. Robin van Persie – Arsenal to Manchester United
    Arsenal have faced a fair share of their legends leaving the club for better projects in order to win silverware. Legends like Patrick Vieira, Thierry Henry and stars like Samir Nasri and Emmanuel Adebayor had left the club in the past, but Robin Van Persie’s £24m departure to Manchester United took Arsenal fans’ anger to another level and he is hated by them to this day!
    Fair to say Van Persie achieved what he set out to as he won the Premier League title in his first season at Old Trafford with 26 goals in 38 games.

    1. Luis Figo – Barcelona to Real Madrid
    The transfer of Luis Figo from Barcelona to Real Madrid actually became a national event in Spain.

    In the year 2000, Los Blancos president Fiorentino Perez was trailing in the election polls and he knew that he needed to create an incident of seismic proportions to win the elections, and he did so by offering Luis Figo an agreement guaranteeing him around £1.6m: if Perez lost, Figo would keep the money, but if Perez won, Figo would either have to move to Real or pay Perez around £19m in compensation.
    Figo felt it is a bet he would definitely win, but Perez won the elections in incredible fashion and paid his release clause of £38m, concluding a transfer that shocked the world.
    When the Portuguese legend returned back to Barcelona for the first time since the transfer, he was hurled by fans with various objects from the stands, including a pig’s head.

    You can check more of our content like this on BestofBets’ football section.