Alan Shearer joins Gary Lineker and Ian Wright for Match of the Day this Saturday at 22:20 BST on BBC One and the BBC Sport web site for highlights of seven Premier League video games.
Becoming a member of Manchester Metropolis can be an excellent transfer for Harry Kane, but when it occurs I do not assume it means the Premier League title race is throughout.
It is not going to be as easy as that for Metropolis, particularly with Chelsea signing Romelu Lukaku.
Chelsea had all the pieces aside from a goalscorer final season and there have been too many instances the place they created probabilities and did not put the ball at the back of the online.
Lukaku adjustments that as a result of we all know he’ll rating targets. He ensures a lot of them truly, which is why they’ve gone all out to get him and have been keen to spend a lot to carry him again to Stamford Bridge.
He’s going to be an enormous signing for them. Put it this manner, he might be the distinction between them being champions or not. That is how vital he’s.
We’re speaking about the most effective strikers on the earth – that is how good Lukaku is. At 28, he’s at his peak and I feel he has improved so much since he left Manchester United for Inter Milan in 2019 due to the expertise he has had in Serie A.
He’s a greater all-round participant now, plus he’s hungry and has bought one thing to show at Chelsea after he was allowed to go away when he was youthful.
Lukaku is arriving at a membership that has all the pieces else in place to win the title, though there are a number of sides who could have one thing to say about that.
Lukaku performed 10 Premier League video games for Chelsea at first of his profession with out scoring. His Premier League targets got here for West Brom (17 in 35 video games), Everton (68 in 141) and Manchester United (28 in 66)
4 groups have an opportunity of being champions
It has been a brief break from soccer for everybody this summer time however after such an satisfying Euros I can not watch for the Premier League to get began once more.
There’s a lot to stay up for within the coming season, together with seeing among the main signings which have already occurred – and there are extra to return.
I am anticipating it to be a lot tighter on the prime than final time, with 4 groups in with an opportunity of being champions, not simply Metropolis and Chelsea. I am solely going with Thomas Tuchel’s facet to win it as a result of they bought Lukaku in.
Manchester United lacked consistency final season however have most likely had the most effective switch window to date, bringing in France defender Raphael Varane and Jadon Sancho, who’s a extremely thrilling expertise. They could even get another person in too.
Liverpool have solely introduced in RB Leipzig centre-half Ibrahima Konate this summer time, however in any case their issues on the again prior to now few months they’re properly coated in that space now. It was an entire freak they’d so many accidents in that one division anyway.
Liverpool purchased French centre-back Ibrahima Konate from RB Leipzig for £36m in June
I haven’t got any worries for them up entrance as a result of you realize Mohamed Salah and Sadio Mane will get them targets when the crew is about up correctly.
The one space they could have to take a look at earlier than the window shuts is midfield as a result of they’ve misplaced Georginio Wijnaldum to Paris St-Germain, however I’ve little question they’re going to do significantly better than final 12 months, when so many issues went incorrect for them.
1st. Chelsea2nd. Man Metropolisthird. Man Utd4th. Liverpool
‘I might be stunned if Kane continues to be at Spurs in September’
Because the defending champions, Metropolis are the crew to beat they usually have already strengthened by bringing in Jack Grealish from Aston Villa.
At £100m and a brand new British switch file, Grealish has price them some huge cash however he’ll solely improve Pep Guardiola’s crew.
I do surprise, although, if they could must sacrifice somebody from their squad as a result of they’ve him in. Bernardo Silva seems to be the midfielder probably to make method and, if Kane comes too, it would imply one other first-team participant leaving.
We’re all ready to see what occurs subsequent with Kane. It is clear he desires to go away Tottenham however proper now we do not know whether or not Spurs are even keen to barter, or if Metropolis pays the asking value if he’s on the market.
I can see why Kane would wish to go to Metropolis, although, as a result of he has made it clear he desires to win trophies. He would have an enormous alternative to try this on the Etihad.
In addition to profitable issues, he would rating much more targets than he has managed for Spurs. If you consider the inventive gamers he can be enjoying alongside at Metropolis, it’s mouth-watering for any striker to consider the variety of probabilities they’d get.
Kane has averaged simply over 23 league targets a season throughout the previous seven campaigns. His greatest league tally in a single season is the 30 he managed in 2017-18 and has received the golden boot as the highest scorer on three events, together with in 2020-21
It is a transfer that additionally makes excellent sense for Metropolis. I do know they performed with out a recognised striker in lots of video games final season and nonetheless received the league, however it might be unusual in the event that they went into September with simply Gabriel Jesus as their solely senior centre-forward.
They need Kane, however Spurs know that too, which is why they’re holding out.
Protecting Kane would clearly be an enormous constructive for them, as a result of I do not assume he would sulk and let his efficiency ranges drop if he needed to keep. He’ll at all times put the performances in.
Even so, trying on the scenario now I might be very stunned if he’s nonetheless a Tottenham participant come the tip of the switch window.
Why Vardy is the important thing to Leicester’s hopes
I do not see anybody else being title contenders however Leicester must be within the dialog once we speak concerning the prime 4.
They’ve come so shut prior to now two campaigns, dropping out late on and ending fifth every time, however on prime of that they’re the FA Cup holders and have overwhelmed Manchester Metropolis already this season within the Group Defend.
Shedding defender Wesley Fofana in pre-season to a severe harm is an enormous blow, however I nonetheless assume they are going to be in and across the Champions League locations once more.
To really make it this time continues to be an enormous ask nonetheless. For starters, they’ll want one of many 4 groups I’ve talked about to have a poor season and go away the door open for them.
They may also want Jamie Vardy to maintain scoring too. He turns 35 in January and the query shouldn’t be provided that Vardy can keep harm free, but in addition whether or not he has one and even two extra seasons left in him within the prime flight.
The older you get, the harder it’s to make an impression – I do know that myself – however I feel he has bought a lot left to supply, which is why the Foxes will not be distant.
Alan Shearer was chatting with BBC Sport’s Chris Bevan.
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