EPL Futures Tracker, 2023/24 Champions
Manchester City
$1.72
It’s hard to go past the undisputed reigning champions as they vie for their fourth consecutive title, but at $1.72, we’d need to be sure. Really sure.
Pep Guardiola’s outrageously talented unit won 28 of their 38 matches last season and finished at the top of the standings ahead of Arsenal and their great rivals at United. Such was their dominance; City finished first for goals scored (94) and equal-first for goals against (33).
While they’ve lost key role players Riyad Mahrez (Al-Ahli) and Ilkay Gundogan (Barcelona) over the off-season, they’ve added Josko Gvardiol (RB Leipzig) and Mateo Kovacic (Chelsea).
Most importantly, City’s key attacking pieces are intact, with Erling Haaland, Kevin De Bruyne, Jack Grealish, Phil Foden, Julian Alvarez, and Bernardo Silva all going around for another chance at the title.
It’s hard to imagine Guardiola’s side can get much better after winning five of the past six championships. However, the unrivalled ceiling on Haaland’s potential means they could be as dominant as ever.
Arsenal
$6.00
After finishing fifth two seasons ago, the Gunners improved significantly in 2022/23 and ended their year in second spot and just five points behind City.
The powerbrokers have gone all-out to ensure an equally as good, if not better, season with the signings of Declan Rice (West Ham) and Kai Havertz (Chelsea) on very healthy contracts – almost €200m between them.
Consistency was the key to Mikel Arteta’s success last season, with the Gunners relying on the smallest group of players on a game-to-game basis. Their 87% consistency helped them to lead the Premier League for 75% of the season, even if they did fall away towards the back end.
History says Arsenal won’t have the same luck with injury throughout the season, so they will need to rely on a greater number of players if they are to bring home their first title since 2003/04.
Manchester United
$10.00
It’s now been over a decade since Manchester United last tasted success under Sir Alex, but can that change this season?
The Red Devils were seven wins better in 2022/23 than the previous season (23-16), launching them into third spot on the ladder and four points clear of Newcastle in fourth.
While they gave up 43 goals with the ‘wrong kind of goalkeeper’, Erik Ten Hag will be buoyed by the acquisition of Inter Milan’s possession-friendly keeper, Andre Onana.
With Marcus Rashford, Bruno Fernandes and the like spending another season together, it’s easy to see how the $10 quote could get the Red Devil blood pumping through punters’ veins.
Tottenham Hotspur
$41
We can’t put an EPL futures article together without including Aussie Ange and his Tottenham Hotspur.
After being wooed away from Celtic for the top job at the Spurs, Ange Postecoglou will become the first Australian to manage an EPL team when they kick their season off against Brentford on Sunday.
He will have his work cut out for him, however, with the Spurs finishing eighth last season and potentially losing their star striker, Harry Kane, in the coming weeks. Kane, who has scored 43% of the Spurs’ goals over the past eight years, will either leave for Bayern Munich or via free transfer. Still, it will leave a massive hole in Postecoglou’s front half.
We know Ange can turn a team’s fortunes around sooner rather than later – think Celtic and Yokohama F. Marinos – so we’re confident he can successfully take his high-possession and attacking game plan to Tottenham.
