LATEST BETTING PREDICTIONS FOR JULY 19: COLE TO LIVERPOOL AND CESC FABREGAS TO STAY AT ARSENAL

Liverpool have won the race to sign the much sought after England midfielder Joe Cole. Cole was released by Premier League champions Chelsea at the end of last season after his contract expired, and has been looking for a new club ever since returning from the World Cup.

Arsenal, Tottenham and Liverpool had all held talks with the out-of-contract midfielder as Cole looked to have the choice of the Premier League’s elite clubs. However, he has decided to join Liverpool on a four-year contract and will become Roy Hodgson’s first major signing since joining the club.
Liverpool are 15/8 with Coral to break back into the top four this season, but with Manchester City splashing the cash and Fernando Torres still possibly on his way out of Anfield Hodgson will need to call on all his years of experience if he is to turn around the clubs fortunes.
In the summer’s other major transfer saga it looks as though Cesc Fabregas may not be moving to Barcelona after all. Fabregas and Barcelona have made no secret of their desire for the transfer to go through, but Arsenal remain stubbornly reluctant to let their captain leave the club.
Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger had earlier in the week called for an end to the speculation linking the player with a move to his boyhood club. Now Pep Guardiola has admitted that Arsenal’s unwillingness is likely to kill the deal, for the time being at least.
Fabregas is now a 1.5 (1/2) chance to stay at Arsenal in Betfair’s ‘Fabregas to Stay?’ market.
In the World Matchplay Darts Raymond van Barneveld marked his comeback with a blistering performance against Dennis Ovens on Saturday. The five-time World Champion breezed past his first round opponent with a 10-1 victory, hitting a nine darter in the tenth leg of the match.
Barney had taken a break from the game following the conclusion of a disappointing Premier League campaign sighting that he had lost the desire which had seen him be so successful in the past. However, the extended break seems to have done the trick with the Dutchman claiming that he now has the fire back in his belly.
Van Barneveld is in the opposite side of the draw to tournament favourite Phil Taylor and can be backed at 10/1 with Bet365 to win the World Matchplay in Blackpool.