A new domestic football season is almost upon us! It’s always an exciting time of the year so we organised a catch up with our Global Football Ambassador Sergio Agüero .
Here, we discuss all the ongoings in the off season, and what to look out for during the new campaign to help you place your football bets on Stake Sportsbook .
Manchester City
It's the start of the season – you'll always want to start it on the right foot. It's a major cup, and we always treated it like a big deal, a trophy we all wanted to win. The fact that this year's final will be a derby makes it twice as important. I'd acknowledge that their side has a lot of injuries and City doesn't have as much training time with the full squad.
Kevin De Bruyne has been linked with Saudi clubs. When he eventually does leave Manchester City, where do you think he will rank in their best ever players?
There's been a lot of chatter lately about Kevin leaving. But he remains at City. He's a key player, and, each season, he's been a deciding factor to aid the team in winning over new accolades. I think he's written his own chapter in the history of the club, and that Kevin has been one of the most important players in the past few years.
Oscar Bobb has looked incredible in the pre-season friendlies, will he have a breakout season? Is there anyone you can compare his talent to?
From what I saw him play last season, he's proven that he's got talent. He's very good on one-on-ones. I remember a match that he got to score on a crowded box by improvising a finish that nobody expected. I'm sure we'll see him evolve this year and give the team a lot of new reasons to celebrate.
How big of a loss would Ederson be if he decides to leave? Where does he rank amongst Premier League goalkeeping legends?
Just like Kevin, Ederson is still part of the team – so I'd rather not go on and on about what kind of loss it'd be for us not to have him between the goalposts. It's tough to rank players historically, but Ederson's trophy tally says it all: he's won many Premier League titles (six, I believe), two FA cups , four EFL Cups , all while maintaining his place in the main squad.
Have you seen much of Savinho? He’s compared himself to Mahrez and said he’s his idol, he’s also taken his 26 shirt number. Can he equal or surpass Mahrez’s impact at Man City?
It's hard to overstate how many moments of joy Mahrez's dribbles and kicks gave us – they were major to swing deadlocked games in City's favour. Hope that serves as motivation for Savinho, the better if it does. I haven't seen him play much, but he did seem like a bold player with the ability to throw the opposition off-balance – that's a good thing. It'd be up to him to adapt to a new country, a new club, and a new league... we'll be able to enjoy his talent at his fullest if he does.
Julian Alvarez had a long season with Manchester City, and now with Copa America and the Olympics is set to play more football. Are you concerned with how little rest he is getting?
He's young, he'll likely recover well. I played the Olympics too, and it was a wonderful experience. I think it'll let him keep growing as a player, and it'll be a motivating factor for the rest of his career.
Arsenal are continuing to sign top players and improve their squad. Do you think they will be Manchester City’s biggest rivals this upcoming EPL season?
Yes, I have no doubt. There's more than one reason, though. They've been getting stronger by the season, during each trade window, by getting the types of players they need. Now, Arsenal have a very deep bench, so they'll be able to have many options to play every competition. Arteta has also promoted a process to congeal his playing style – he knows what type of game he wants his side to play, and the players are able to materialise it better by the day. The last two seasons were proof of that. Lest we forget – Arsenal also has a very young team that's picking up experience quickly. I think they'll be the team to beat this season if City want to win the title.
Spanish Clubs
Nico Williams looks set to join Barcelona. Do you think by signing him, they will be able to challenge Real Madrid for the La Liga title next season?
Barca will always be one of the top contenders, regardless of who's coming on or off the roster. It's true that players with very solid Euro performance like Nico will make the team better. It'll be a tough competition though. Madrid will have a deadly offensive line with Mbappe and a well-adapted Bellingham on his second season. But Barca still has teeth, Madrid won't have an easy time either.
There’s rumours that Man City and Barcelona are battling for Dani Olmo’s signature, would he be a good signing for either team?
Of course, he had a major role for Spain in the Euro, and, while he's young, he's got a lot of experience in German football. I think he's tailor-made for Barca's style.
Argentina
You recently were part of the ‘Goats Have Arrived’ campaign for Stake. Do you think that following their Copa America heroics, this Argentina team is the greatest ever international team?
Argentina's is certainly the best national squad of present times. Any doubts should be dispelled by their reigning titles at the World Cup and Copa America . But going as far as calling it the best ever... those are usually unhappy comparisons. Same happens when people ask me about so-called "best ever players". Times change, and it's hard to be so definitive. I'll go as far as to rank this national team among the best there's been, and let the trophies do the rest of the talking.
Messi had another impressive tournament. Do you think he will feature at the 2026 World Cup?
I'll say it as many times as I need to: Leo will get to decide that, and his decision will be just fine by me, whatever it is. I'd love to see him play forever, but that's sadly impossible. He's earned the right to say for how long he'll play for the national team, and how long he'll play professional football for that matter.
Do you think Scaloni gets the credit he deserves as a coach?
Most certainly. He's still young and he's achieved many great things in a short span of the time. I think the whole world of football recognises his achievements, and to top that off – he deserves it very much.
Which player were you most impressed by at Copa America?
Argentina had amazing performances like Cuti Romero, Dibu, and Lautaro with his knack for scoring key goals... but besides Argentina, I enjoyed seeing Colombia play, with established players like Luis Diaz, and breakthrough performances from Muñoz and Richard Rios.
Who is one youngster in the Argentina Olympics team for fans to look out for?
I really like Medina, the Boca Junior midfielder. Equi Fernandez had good showings too. Etcheverry was able to make good work when he had time on the pitch. And Thiago Almada - clearly the most deciding player among them.
Other Player & Team Predictions
There have been reports that England want Pep Guardiola to be their next manager. Do you think he would be able to implement his style on England’s players?
I think I've said my piece about this before – I'm not sure whether Pep would enjoy training a national team. But if he does, I couldn't imagine a reason why he wouldn't be successful at it. With quality players, his style is easy to implement. England has the ingredients needed for that recipe.
You have spoken highly of Darwin Nunez in the past. Do you see him having a good season under Arne Slot?
Credit where credit's due - I do. He's a dangerous player that's always prowling the goalposts. Each season, he refines his game... and as long as he doesn't let the anxiety of a dry spell get to him, Darwin will be a prolific goal scorer in due time. Darwin needs time to solidify, and sooner or later, he'll get there.
Rasmus Hojlund has suffered an injury in a friendly against Arsenal in a pre-season friendly, as a fellow striker, do you have any advice for him?
"Be patient." These things happen. Nobody enjoys being sidelined, and even less so when a season begins. But he'll bounce back and there'll be a place in the main squad for him.
Enzo Maresca has said his players are still adapting to his style, hence why they’re suffering embarrassing losses in pre-season. Can you compare this to when Guardiola first joined Man City? How long did it take for the whole team to adapt to his way of thinking?
Well, to start off... those pre-season friendlies had a lot of players fresh from the youth teams. The main squad had more time to rest, coming off the back from many competitions. But once the team gets back together, it'll be simpler. Regardless, it takes time to adapt to a new manager. I remember the first year of Pep's tenure at City, we had a hard time understanding what he wanted from us in full. We had some solid matches, and some matches that didn't pan out too. It was only during the second season that stuff began to click. And the rest is history.
EPL Quickfire Predictions & Picks to Win
Premier League Winner: Manchester City
Runner up: Arsenal
Surprise package: Aston Villa
Golden Boot: Haaland
Player of the Year: Phil Foden
Young Player of the Year: Cole Palmer
Check out the latest Premier League odds .
La Liga Quickfire Predictions & Picks to Win
La Liga Winner: Barcelona
Runner up: Real Madrid
Surprise package: Real Sociedad
Pachichi: Mbappé
Player of the Year: Lamine Yamal
Young Player of the Year: Nico Williams
Discover the latest La Liga odds and markets .
Now that you've heard all the news and predictions from the expert himself, you're ready to get amongst the action! Watch free live streams of all the major games right here on Stake.com .
