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Everton's financial concerns will have major effects on the club if they are to be relegated this season amid the construction of their new stadium.

What's the latest in Everton's believed FFP breach?

On Friday, Everton were told of the news they were being passed on to an independent commission amid their alleged breach of the Financial Fair Play regulations.

The breach in question covers the 2021/2022 campaign where complaints were lodged by Leeds United and Burnley over Everton's financial state.

Rules state Premier League clubs are able to make losses of up to £105m across a three-year period, however, between 2018 and 2021, the Toffees recorded a staggering £370m loss.

And with the prospect of points deductions and relegation looming over the club, insider Graeme Bailey has suggested it could prove disastrous for the club amid their new stadium development:

"Yeah, it's a bit of a mess. I'm being told, you know, if Everton go down, there could be some serious, serious ramifications.

"There's serious issues at Everton. There really is, they're in a lot of debt. This stadium is costing a lot of money. And they will finish it, there's no suggestion they won't finish it or anything.

"But if they're playing in that stadium in the Championship, who knows? Who knows? I don't want to speculate about administration or whatever. But I'm told if Everton goes down, there's a lot of pain to follow that."

What could this mean for Everton?

Everton have plans to grow their club with a new stadium offering a significantly increased capacity of over 52,000 which will provide them with an increase in matchday revenue.

However, relegation will mean the club would see their revenue decrease dramatically with the Premier League the place to be for financial reasons.

The difference in playing in the Championship instead of the top flight is believed to be worth in the hundreds of millions.

Everton's owners are said to be on the hunt for some new investment to help push the club forward, however, if the Toffees are to go down then their attractiveness to potential investors will likely diminish.

Relegation to the Championship could see some of their big players depart which will likely have an effect on their ability to bounce straight back to the top flight.

And when the club are needing to start the repayments on their new shiny home, Championship revenue is the last thing the club needs for one season never mind multiple.

The Toffees have been able to pull themselves out of the relegation zone for the time being with Sean Dyche at the helm, however, it is still incredibly tight.

Only two points separate them from the drop zone and only three points from the side rock bottom of the Premier League table, Southampton.

And given it is so tight, the prospect of a potential points deduction will be a real concern for the Blues with that potentially sealing their faith in the second tier of English football.

Crystal Palace are keen on a move to bring Steve Biko FC striker Adama Bojang to the Premier League, according to reports.

Who is Adama Bojang?

The Gambian is an exciting, up-and-coming talent who has worked his way through the ranks to become a regular feature for his current club. The £650k-valued forward has also started making a name for himself on the international stage, having recently represented his country at the AFCON U20s tournament and is expected to feature at the U20 World Cup later this year.

Recent reports have suggested that the 18-year-old is hoping to put himself in the shop window by delivering a consistent run of strong performances for Gambia’s youth side, and it would appear that his hard work has already paid off, having caught the eye of the Eagles.

According to the Daily Mail, Crystal Palace and Chelsea are the latest clubs to “register an interest” in securing the services of Bojang ahead of the 2023/24 term. Tottenham Hotspur and Nottingham Forest are also name-checked as teams “monitoring” the teenager’s development. The Premier League sides are all “considering” purchasing the striker and sending him straight back out on loan as a result of potential issues arising when it comes to arranging a work permit. Meanwhile, Marseille, Ajax, Royal Antwerp and Napoli are also “in the mix”.

Would Bojang be a good signing for Palace?

Bojang is still very much in the early stages of his development and career as a whole, and would need to gain more senior experience before being considered a member of the first team, but he would almost certainly be an exciting signing for the long-term future at Palace.

The SPOCS Global Sports client scored four goals and provided one assist in six appearances at the AFCON tournament in Egypt where he significantly contributed to his side making it all the way to the final back in March, as per Transfermarkt. Standing at 6 foot 3, the youngster could also be an ideal target man, with his height making him a useful option and focal point to have in the final third when it comes to getting on the end of long balls and set pieces.

Finally, Bojang has been likened to AS Roma and former Chelsea striker Tammy Abraham by talent scout Jacek Kulig, so should he possess similar qualities, he could yet be an extremely positive acquisition at Selhurst Park.

Liverpool will continue to monitor the market as manager Jurgen Klopp looks to rebuild after a challenging campaign, and Bayern Munich's Ryan Gravenberch is one young talent who they are 'pushing' to sign.

What's the latest on Ryan Gravenberch to Liverpool?

That's according to the Mirror, who state that Klopp has received the green light to complete a move for the Dutchman, who has endured a frustrating maiden term in the German Bundesliga with the formidable champions.

The player is said to be 'keen' on a move to Anfield and, while in an ideal world he would remain at the club he chose to kickstart his career one year ago, a lack of minutes and the offer of prominence at Liverpool could result in a transfer, with a fee of around £25m enough to prise him away.

Especially considering that James Milner, Naby Keita and Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain all left the club; Alexis Mac Allister has been signed for £35m but the robust Gravenberch could be new sporting director Jorg Schmadtke's masterstroke this summer.

Should Liverpool sign Ryan Gravenberch?

Gravenberch forged 103 appearances for Ajax and was a key component of an outfit that gleaned the Eredivisie thrice and the KNVB Cup twice across three campaigns, catching the eye of many an outfit across Europe and subsequently earning a €24m (£20m) transfer to Bavaria.

However, five starts from 33 matches across all competitions in Germany this season will do little to convince the precocious talent of committing his future to the club despite winning the title this year, with Joshua Kimmich and Leon Goretzka unlikely to fall out of favour any time soon.

Previously hailed as the Netherlands' "greatest talent" by ex-Ajax ace Wim Kieft, the £152k-per-week machine ranks among the top 7% of midfielders across Europe's top five leagues over the past year for shot-creating actions, the top 23% for progressive passes, the top 19% for successful take-ons and the top 27% for tackles per 90, as per FBref, which emphasises the dynamism of his trade and hints at a future as one of Europe's most destructive conductors.

If Klopp succeeds in signing the 21-year-old, he will strengthen the Dutch spine Anfield currently boasts, with Virgil van Dijk and Cody Gakpo occupying prominent roles either side of the centre of the park, where Gravenberch could pull the strings and inject the unrelenting intensity to send the Kop into rapture.

He could forge a distinctively slick partnership with Gakpo, who has impressed since signing from PSV for an initial £35m last winter and scored seven goals and three assists as he ostensibly slots into the departing and iconic Roberto Firmino's all-encompassing frontal role.

Adept and weaving the threads of Klopp's hundred-hued tapestry together with his creative ingenuity, Gakpo ranks among the top 10% of forwards for rate of assists, the top 17% for shot-creating actions, the top 8% for progressive passes and the top 1% for tackles per 90.

Such metrics play into Gravenberch's favour – and indeed vice versa – because of his role in tethering the midfield to the attack, opening space for the inversions of wide forwards such as Mohamed Salah and Darwin Nunez, and keeping the robustness intact with his multi-faceted approach.

Lauded for his "dominant" demeanour on the pitch by his former youth coach Brian Tevreden, the confidence that exudes from Gravenberch's tenacity in the middle will keep the system ticking, and the countrymen could play significant roles in the next phase of Klopp's dynasty in Liverpool.

Arsenal's deal for West Ham United midfielder Declan Rice is "almost there", with talks progressing on payment terms and the structure of the deal, according to transfer expert Fabrizio Romano.

Is Declan Rice signing for Arsenal?

With Manchester City dropping out of the race for Rice earlier this week, Arsenal seemingly have a clear run at the West Ham captain, and they have finalised an agreement in principle over a move totalling £105m, including add-ons.

However, the intricacies of the deal still need to be sorted out, with West Ham eager to receive the initial £100m lump sum before 2025, while the Gunners would prefer to stagger the payments over a period of five years.

The same report details that personal terms have already been agreed, meaning the last remaining hurdle is agreeing on a payment structure with the Hammers, and a new update from Romano appears to indicate progress has been made in that regard.

Taking to Twitter, the transfer expert has now claimed the deal is "almost there", with Arsenal and West Ham "progressing in talks" to agree on payment terms and the structure of the move.

"Talks will continue" to get the deal done, however, it is now "close", with a £105m package having already been agreed.

"Declan Rice deal, almost there! Arsenal and West Ham are progressing in talks to agree on payment terms/structure of the deal — it’s really, finally close now. Talks will continue to get it done… and then, here we go. £105m package/fee agreed two days ago."

Is Declan Rice a defensive midfielder?

The 24-year-old has most commonly been deployed in a defensive midfield role throughout his career, but he has also been utilised at centre-back on 52 occasions, displaying his versatility.

It is clear the England international is most comfortable in a deeper role, ranking in the 95th percentile for interceptions per 90, and in the 83rd for clearances over the past year, when compared to his positional peers.

However, the central midfielder, dubbed "fantastic" in the media, does also manage to get on the scoresheet from time to time, netting five goals in all competitions last season, including a brilliant solo goal in the Europa Conference League quarter-final against Gent.

That said, if the Englishman is to fulfill his £105m price tag at Arsenal truly, then he probably does need to add a few more goals to his game, and there are indications he will be able to do so, having previously been hailed as West Ham's "best finisher" by Jack Wilshere.

It is exciting news that Arsenal's deal for Rice is edging closer to completion, as he could play a huge role in helping Mikel Arteta's side bridge the gap to Man City next season.

Brighton & Hove Albion and West Ham United have a long history that stretches back to their first encounter in October 1903 – a game the south coast club won 3-2.

Football FanCast has everything you need to know about the Premier League fixture before the two sides clash at the Amex on Saturday.

While it's hard to extrapolate too much in terms of form from just two league games, both sides should be going into the contest feeling confident.

The Hammers come into the game fresh from a brilliant 3-1 home win over Chelsea, while the Seagulls bagged a 4-1 away victory over Wolverhampton Wanderers.

Brighton vs West Ham: What's their head-to-head record?

Despite first meeting in 1903, the two sides have only played one another 32 times in all competitions in the intervening 120 years.

This lack of games is partly due to the massive 45-year gap between their clashes in 1933 and 1978 and a 13-year break between 1991 and 2004 without a match-up.

Indeed, made their way up and down the English football pyramid before breaking back into the top two tiers in the late 1970s.

By the late 80s, they were back in Division Three, and after another relegation to the third tier in 1992, the sides didn't meet again until they were both Championship sides.

The Seagulls took the long way back to the big time via League One, and are now a fixture of the top flight alongside West Ham after over three decades out.

When they have played each other, it has generally been a closely fought affair, with Brighton just edging it in terms of overall wins at 11, while their east London competition have won ten, leaving 11 encounters as draws.

Brighton wins: 11 Draws: 11 West Ham wins: 10 Brighton vs West Ham: What's their record on the south coast?

15 of the 32 fixtures have come at Brighton's various home grounds, and have unsurprisingly been where the Seagulls have had the most amount of luck. They've won eight games when playing as hosts – more than double what they've managed in the capital.

There have been five draws along the way, and perhaps most impressively, just two defeats.

Brighton wins: 8 Draws: 5 West Ham wins: 2 Brighton vs West Ham: What's their record at Upton Park/London Stadium?

This fixture has been played at Upton Park or the London Stadium 17 times since 1903, and the results are pretty much just a reverse of the ones on the south coast.

The Hammers have come out on top in eight of their matches against Brighton in east London, drawing six and losing just three – although that is still one more loss than Brighton have suffered at home.

West Ham wins: 8 Draws: 6 Brighton wins: 3 Brighton vs West Ham: What's their Premier League record?

While the overall picture between these two sides is one of balance in terms of results, that certainly hasn't been the case in the Premier League, as since Brighton won promotion to the top flight in 2017, it has very much been one-way traffic.

In their 12 league meetings since that promotion, Brighton have found themselves on the winning side six times, drawing the other six games – meaning their claret and blue opponents have yet to beat them in the league since their return six years ago.

Interestingly, the six draws all came consecutively between August 2019 and December 2021, suggesting that there has still been some competition, there. However, the last three games have all been convincing wins for Brighton.

Brighton wins: 6 Draws: 6 West Ham wins: 0 Brighton vs West Ham: Which team has the most goals?

With the two sides being pretty even over the last century, with periods of dominance for both teams, it's not all that surprising to see that their goalscoring records are also incredibly similar.

When Brighton play host, they have scored 27 goals across all competitions, conceding just 13. West Ham have scored one more when hosting at 28, but have also conceded more, letting in 18 as being the home team.

Brighton vs West Ham: What happened in last season's fixtures?

Brighton came away with six out of six points last season, edging out West Ham early on in the season at the London Stadium and completely blowing them away at the Amex seven months later.

In the first encounter, Alexis Mac Allister gave the visitors the lead from the spot in the 22nd minute following a foul on Danny Welbeck from Thilo Kehrer. They doubled their lead in the 66th minute thanks to a brilliant strike from Leandro Trossard.

The reverse fixture was a demolition job by the Seagulls, becoming their biggest-ever win against the Hammers.

Brighton vs West Ham: What is Danny Welbeck's record?

Welbeck tends to excel against West Ham, regardless of who he is playing for. In total, the former Arsenal man has come up against the east London outfit on 21 occasions – the most he has faced any team other than Tottenham Hotspur – and has been on the victorious side 13 times.

The Hammers are also the team that Welbeck has scored the most goals against in his career, finding the back of the net seven times and providing four assists for his teammates.

The Irons might be hoping Roberto De Zerbi opts for Evan Ferguson or Joao Pedro up top for this one.

Brighton vs West Ham: What is Michail Antonio's record?

Michail Antonio has played Brighton more than any other side in his career, but probably doesn't look forward to the fixture too much considering he has been on the victorious side just three times out of a possible 19.

The other 16 fixtures have resulted in eight defeats and eight ties, with the Jamaica international scoring just two goals and providing another two assists over that period.

Brighton vs West Ham: What is Brighton's biggest win?

As alluded to above, the Seagulls' biggest win over their east London opponents came earlier this year when they won 4-0 at home in early March.

Mac Allister opened the scoring in the 18th minute, converting from the penalty spot for a second time against the Hammers last term after Jarrod Bowen bundled over Kaoru Mitoma.

Fans had to wait until the 51st minute for another goal, but once Joel Veltman doubled his side's lead, it was plain sailing, with Mitoma and Welbeck also getting involved in the action to complete a comprehensive win.

David Moyes' team will have to forget about that performance if they want to get anything out of the game this weekend.

Brighton vs West Ham: What is West Ham's biggest win?

While Brighton's 4-0 win is undoubtedly impressive, the Hammers have been able to go two better in the past, smashing six past Peter Brezovan in April 2012 to win 6-0 in the Championship.

The scoring was opened by Ricardo Vaz Te in the third minute, with the tricky winger going on to add another in the eighth minute and a third in the 62nd minute, with the rout rounded off with a Gary Dicker own goal in the 78th minute.

Kevin Nolan and Carlton Cole were the other goalscorers on the day, with the Hammers boosting their promotion bid, which was eventually successfully achieved through the play-offs.

Brighton vs West Ham: What are the recent results?

It's pretty clear that between these two teams, Brighton have pretty much dominated the Premier League era, and that is clearly reflected in the recent results between the sides.

The most recent game – in March – ended 4-0. The two preceding results finished 2-0, and 3-1, both in Brighton's favour – with West Ham only able to score a single goal in reply to the Seagulls' nine across those three games.

The six matches before that run of Brighton victories were all score draws; however, the three before which preceded that were also all Brighton wins – leaving the Hammers winless in the last 12.

Brighton vs West Ham: When is it?

Brighton & Hove Albion host West Ham United on Saturday 26th August at 5.30pm (UK time), and will be broadcast on Sky Sports.

It may not be one of the marquee matchups in the Premier League, but it's a tie that has served up plenty of goals and action in the past, and both teams have a lot to play for this season.

Brighton are still under the guidance of the charismatic and intriguing De Zerbi, who is tasked with taking them on a European journey this year without their midfield stalwart from last season, Moises Caicedo.

However, the arrival of Joao Pedro promises to add even more attacking threat to one of the league's most entertaining sides to watch.

On the other hand, West Ham will also have a European journey of their own to contend without last season's midfield general, this time Declan Rice.

That said, when it comes to their league campaign, Moyes' men will likely be aiming to simply avoid another relegation battle this season and to bed in their new talent.

The arrivals of James Ward-Prowse and Edson Alvarez have given many fans reason to be excited, and after the side's excellent performance against the free-spending Chelsea last weekend, there is no reason not to be.

Glasgow Rangers reporter for The Athletic Jordan Campbell was left fuming over the ‘farcical’ decision to give a penalty for a handball by Antonio Colak.

The Lowdown: Penalty given

Partick Thistle were awarded a penalty in their Scottish Cup tie at Ibrox on Sunday afternoon, as Colak was adjudged to have deliberately handballed in the box, which led to Kevin Holt putting the visitors in front from the spot before half-time.

The decision stirred up plenty of controversy, with pundits Alan Hutton and Martin Bartley both disagreeing with it arguing that Colak needed his arms up for balance, and the latter calling it ‘mind-boggling’ after the referee was sent to the monitor by VAR to look at it.

The Latest: Campbell reaction

Taking to Twitter, Campbell called the decision ‘farcical’ after watching it back:

“First time I’ve seen this back. Deary me. That might be the most farcical one yet, although I’m not even sure the vague wording of the rule can be blamed here. He’s literally turned as he’s landing from a jump!”

The Verdict: Bad weekend for VAR

This incident was not the first that VAR got badly wrong over the weekend, with the PGMOL confirming that Chief Refereeing Officer Howard Webb contacted both Arsenal and Brighton and Hove Albion in the English Premier League to acknowledge ‘significant errors’ made in respective games they were involved in.

VAR was introduced in Scottish football in October, but already there are seemingly problems with those operating it trying to re-referee games and giving poor advice to officials on the pitch.

Of course, VAR can also help referees get to correct decisions as well, but too many times are mistakes being made when the technology is there.

Luckily, this particular incident did not cost Rangers, as they won 3-2 in the end, but they will be wary going into their next set of fixtures.

Negotiations are "ongoing" over a contract extension for Newcastle United midfielder Bruno Guimaraes, according to an encouraging update from journalist Fabrizio Romano.

How good is Bruno Guimaraes?

The Brazilian moved to St James' Park back in January 2022, and it's fair to say that he has made an enormous impact since arriving at the club. He has added a huge amount of quality in the middle of the park, but also brought fight and team spirit to the team, immediately becoming one of the most popular players among the fanbase.

Last season, Bruno scored four goals and registered five assists in the Premier League, with his influential box-to-box performances playing a huge role in Newcastle finishing fourth in the table and securing a return to the Champions League.

Read the latest Newcastle transfer news HERE…

The 25-year-old's importance is going to be just as great in 2023/24, and he goes into the campaign as arguably one of the standout midfielders in the country. That means that there is always going to be potential interest in him from big clubs around the world, and while his current Magpies deal doesn't expire until 2026, those high up at the club will want to retain his services for as long as possible into the future.

Will Bruno Guimaraes sign new Newcastle deal?

Speaking to Caught Offside, Romano claimed that talks over a new deal for Bruno are progressing well, with an extension looking likely currently:

"Negotiations are ongoing at Newcastle over the new contract of star midfielder Bruno Guimaraes. The club are confident of reaching an agreement with the player, as their first proposal in terms of salary was not at the level Bruno expected, but talks continue.

"For Newcastle, the Brazilian’s contract is a priority; therefore, they are not currently searching the market for replacements should Guimaraes decide not to sign a new deal."

This is great news for Newcastle, with Bruno's long-term future being tied down arguably as important as any new signing through the door this summer, whether it be Sandro Tonali, Harvey Barnes or a potential new arrival between now and the end of the transfer window.

The Brazil international has been such a fantastic addition to Eddie Howe's side – Alan Shearer has hailed him as "superb" – proving to be a footballer who shines in all facets of his games, and he has been a major reason for the Magpies' recent resurgence and top-four finish last season.

Bruno certainly appears to be happy at Newcastle, and there is no reason why any player would want to leave at the moment, given their upward trajectory as a club, but a new contract would just give the club that extra security when it comes to the bargaining position they are in, should a club like Real Madrid tempt him in the future.

At this point, though, it would be a major surprise if Bruno moved away from St James' Park any time soon, as he continues to be one of the poster boys for this exciting new era, preparing for what will hopefully be his best season yet in a Magpies shirt.

Fabrizio Romano has revealed that Arsenal are eyeing up midfield sensation Romeo Lavia ahead of a potential summer move.

What's the latest on Arsenal's transfer targets?

Mikel Arteta is clearly in hot pursuit of a central midfielder this summer, with reports that Declan Rice is the club's top target, and this follows a January window where large bids were made for Moises Caicedo.

The league leaders are now also keeping an eye on 19-year-old Lavia, who has impressed for Southampton in his 24 appearances this season.

A young option who can rotate with Thomas Partey, Jorginho and Granit Xhaka is seemingly on the wishlist, and Lavia has earned plaudits from his peers, with ex-teammate Kevin de Bruyne previously describing the Belgian as "very good".

Speaking on his YouTube channel, Romano revealed that whilst Arsenal are keeping an eye on the £25k-per-week star, there is nothing concrete in terms of a move just yet.

He said: "Arsenal are keeping an eye on the player.

"Arsenal are following Romeo Lavia, but at the moment, [there is] still nothing advanced. Arsenal have many options."

Why do Arsenal want a midfielder?

Three of Arsenal's main central midfielders in Xhaka, Partey and Jorginho are all aged 29 or older, and Partey's fitness record is particularly inconsistent.

Arsenal are often reliant on Partey at the base of the Arsenal midfield, with Xhaka and Martin Odegaard pushing forward. Whilst Jorginho has stepped in to great effect at times since his January arrival – including a performance against Aston Villa where he helped create the winning goal – a longer-term rotation option could be of great use.

This could explain the interest in younger talents such as Rice and Caicedo, and Lavia may be viewed as an alternative option to the pair.

However, it remains unclear if Lavia can step into Partey's shoes, even as a rotational option. Partey ranks in the top 5% of midfielders in Europe's top competitions over the past year for progressive passes, with the Ghanaian helping Arsenal build attacks from deep, while Lavia ranks in the bottom 29% in this regard, as per FBref.

Although he is still young, the experience Partey and Jorginho bring to the team may be lacking in someone as raw as Lavia. With just 26 senior appearances to his name in his career, it may be a tough task for him to step into a midfield which could potentially compete for the league title again next season.

Declan Rice, in contrast, is West Ham's captain, and has experience domestically, in Europe and on the international stage. Arsenal may have more confidence in the Englishman's ability to step in and perform when needed given the vast difference in pedigree between him and Lavia.

The relationship between football and betting has always been a very close one in the UK. Decades of football has shown that where there is a football game, there is betting.

In the UK, the relationship between sports and betting has become even stronger in recent years with the introduction of online gambling and the constant increase of online casino sponsorships in professional football.

It is somewhat hard to see football without sports betting and vice versa as many see them as almost inseparable and fully intertwined. In this guide, we are going through the most important aspects of gambling sponsors in English football. We will do so by looking at it from different perspectives as some might call it harmful while others see it as harmless.

Gambling Sponsorships: Controversial

The first ever recorded deal of official betting sponsorship in English football goes back to the year 1902 when Stoke City were the first team to be sponsored by the Betting and Racing Exchange. Back then, gambling was still illegal in many other countries, making it a very controversial move at the time. Since then, betting sponsorships have been banned and found their way back to all leagues in English professional football. Although a partial ban on gambling sponsorships seems to be in the making, online casino websites are still very active in the market, in all tiers of English football divisions. Of the 44 teams active in all professional divisions, 14 now have an official betting partner as their main sponsor. It is nonetheless very clear that gambling and football are very closely interconnected in this country, but it remains to be seen how long this will continue on the front side of the shirts.

Harmful or Harmless?

This brings us to the question whether gambling sponsors have a negative impact on fans or not as the debate seems far from over. According to industry experts, fans have always had mixed reactions when it comes to casino sponsored clubs. The morality debate on gambling sponsor deals in sports remains fierce, and gambling addiction experts are warning of the associated dangers, even leading to political debate in the Parliament. At the same time, every team with ambitions depends on sources of income, with a grand portion of it coming from the gambling industry. Casinos and bookies tend to award a lot more money than sponsors in other industries explaining the popularity of these operators.

Normalisation of Gambling

Gambling sponsorship in football is debatable for many reasons. According to those against gambling, the association of football clubs with online casinos and bookmakers seems to send out the message that gambling is safe and synonymous to the activity of watching sports games. Similar to what happens when celebrities act as brand ambassadors, the image transfer can also occur in the domain of professional football or other sports. Fans may link logos of gambling companies to shirts of teams like Everton, seeing their daily business as a normal activity. It should not be forgotten that gambling should not be a daily activity due to the risks. It is also prohibited for underage players.

Risk of Problem Gambling

According to data from the Gambling Commission, there are now more than 400,000 people in the country affected by problem gambling. The study also suggests that a further 2 million are considered part of a risk group. Despite those in favour of gambling sponsorships state that the involvement of betting companies does not influence their perception of betting companies, it is expected that a lot of people will show some sort of interest in the company seen on the front of the shirt, possibly leading to gambling activities and running the risk of getting into problem gambling. Most of the betting companies that have deals with football clubs have a website and/or a mobile app, facilitating access to their platforms where the betting activities can be performed.

Exposure to Minors

In an article by the Guardian, the medium refers to a report that shows that 25,000 children in Britain are problem gamblers. According to the data, 370,000 children in the ages between 11 and 16 years participate in some sort of betting activity at least once a week. With betting ads littered all over football fields, the numbers of young people exposed to the betting culture seem to expose everybody to bookmakers and other online betting platforms, including those that are underage. Minors have also shown to be able to link the logo of a gambling company to the shirt of their favourite football team, proving that people from all ages capture the messages by gambling companies promoting their brands via football.

The Commercial Impact

Online casinos and football clubs share a relationship where they seem to feed one another. In professional football, a solid financial situation is one of the requirements to be successful in the long term. Betting companies invest millions of pounds in the clubs, as a platform to reach their target audience. Apart from via shirts and other sports wear, online casinos can sponsor in the stadium, and via social media as well. The combination of all the sponsored activities will add millions of pounds to the clubs budget which can be spent on transfers, stadium, training facilities, youth teams, and whatever it deems necessary.

As competition in the Premier League continues to increase, clubs need to do everything they can to get and to remain on top. Betting sponsors not only invest money in the clubs to increase brand awareness, they also help to improve the training facilities, and support the local community. According to Daily Mail, the deals in the Premier League are estimated to be worth a combined £ 100 million a year. This is an astonishing number, but it becomes much easier to understand it when you know that about half of all teams in the EPL have betting companies as their main kit sponsor. In such a betting dominated setting, it is now very hard to imagine the football industry without the gambling industry. Although not all betting companies are originally UK based, it is estimated that the turnover for online gambling in the UK is around £5 billion a year, explaining why this industry has so much money to spend on promoting their websites. It also explains why football teams would rather team up with a bookie or online casino rather than with other companies.

Why Do Betting Companies Team Up With Football Teams?

The most obvious reason is that it gives bookies and casinos a lot of exposure to potential customers. A casino that sponsors a football club will have its logo on the team’s shirt, which means that it will be seen by millions of people around the world. The Premier League is the most popular football competition in the world with followers living in all continents. Within a rather short time frame, a brand can gain global exposure. With more than two billion people watching football (of all competitions) on a regular basis, it becomes very clear why betting companies are willing to pay huge sums of money to sponsor clubs.

Part of the Audience

Also, football fans are part of the same audience that betting companies want to target. Most fans in the stadiums or in front of the screen at home or at the pub are adult men who have an interest in sport. With ticket prices and season tickets skyrocketing year after year, most of the people in the stadiums have an income as well. The people watching the football games are also the ones that are most likely to gamble. As most bookmakers, they are able to reach their target audience, which isn’t always obvious as they are mainly active on the internet and some would call them a “faceless” company. Sponsor deals help them shape their brand image, with a logo, slogan, and url being the most important.

Changing Perceptions

Additionally, sponsoring a football club can help to change people’s perceptions of the online casino industry. Often seen as a harmful activity, online casinos want to change the perception of their company, underline the importance of responsible gambling and contributing to social programmes for local communities. A betting company can use its sponsorship of a football club to enhance its brand image and maybe even that of the industry on the whole. It wants to position itself as a responsible player on the market.

What Are The Risks For Football Clubs?

Despite the benefits, there are also some risks that football clubs need to be aware of before they team up with betting companies. As not everybody is in favour of gambling and some might have a certain level of aversion towards it, it may damage the club’s reputation. Here is what football clubs should be aware of:

Negative response: every club signing a deal with a casino initially receives hate mail because of the company’s background. This is particularly true for conservative fans or those that have been affected by problematic behaviour. Scandals: although less common today, thanks to regulation and licensing, gambling companies can still get into scandals which could reflect badly on the club. This, however, is not unique for the gambling industry and can affect whatever type of company. Associations with gambling: then there is also a danger that the club could become too closely associated with gambling activities and problem gambling. This could lead to a negative perspective of the club, especially if a club partners with different brands that are active in the field of (online) gambling.

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Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta is looking at signing a new striker in the January transfer window, with a report revealing one of the main targets he has in mind…

What's the latest Arsenal transfer news?

The Gunners are already running the rule over potential targets ahead of the January transfer window, with it recently emerging they have set their sights on Real Sociedad's Igor Zubimendi, who could be brought in to refresh Arteta's midfield options.

Not only is a new midfielder of interest to the north Londoners, but they could also look at signing a new winger, and Club Brugge's Antonio Nusa has now been named as a target, with contact already being made by Arteta to discuss a deal.

However, a report from TEAMtalk has now revealed that Arsenal's priority in the January transfer window could be signing a new striker, depending on how the season is going, with Arteta keen on adding some more versatile players to his squad.

The manager already has Gabriel Jesus and Eddie Nketiah at his disposal in attack, but they are similar players, and Charles Watts believes a more physical option could be looked at in January or next summer.

Brentford's Ivan Toney is named as a potential target by Watts, who believes the Englishman could take the Gunners "to another level", with the journalist also highlighting Victor Osimhen as an option, as there has been interest in the Napoli striker for some time.

Talks have previously been held over a deal for the Nigerian, whose agent has been over at the training ground, and Watts has revealed he will still be on Arsenal's list of targets, simply because of how good he is.

However, there is likely to be fierce competition for the forward, as he is going to be at the top of pretty much every club's list, and he will command a huge fee, indicating that a deal may be difficult to orchestrate.

The 24-year-old is set to put pen to paper on a new contract with Napoli, but Watts believes there will be an agreement in the deal allowing him to leave if a certain fee is met.

How good is Victor Osimhen?

The Lagos-born striker played a vital role in Napoli's title-winning 2022-23 season, weighing in with 26 goals and five assists in 32 league games, while he also showcased his ability in the Champions League, scoring five in six matches.

Hailed as "world class" by members of the media, the Napoli star has made the perfect start to the current campaign, scoring three goals in as many games, and he ranks in the 99th percentile for non-penalty goals per 90 in the past year, when compared to his positional peers.

It is still very early days in the Premier League season, but Manchester City have made a perfect start, winning their opening four games to cement their place at the top of the table.

As such, Arsenal may be in need of a signing to help bridge the gap in January, and Osimhen is a top-level striker, who could take them to the next level.