The 2019 Africa Cup of Nations gets underway on 21st June, running for just shy of a month, with the final being played on 19th July. Hosts Egypt are the 9/2 favourites in 888sport’s football odds to lift the trophy for an eighth time in 2019.

This year’s edition of Africa’s footballing showpiece was due to be held in Cameroon, who are the current title holders.

The decision was made in November 2018 to strip Cameroon of hosting the tournament, and in January 2019 Egypt were awarded the competition. This will be the fifth time Egypt have hosted the Africa Cup of Nations.

Some of the world’s best players will take part in the tournament. We have picked out five of the very best for this piece.

 

Mohamed Salah (Egypt)

Mohamed Salah comes into the AFCON on the highest of highs, having lifted the Champions League with Liverpool in Madrid earlier this month.

Despite not being quite as good as he was in 2017/18, Egypt’s superstar had a stellar 2018/19, cementing his place among the best goal scorers on the planet.

Playing half-fit last summer, Salah struggled in the World Cup as Egypt left the tournament with a whimper in the group stage.

They are 2/5 favourites in 888’s sports betting to progress out of their group this time round, which includes DR Congo, Uganda and Zimbabwe.

With 39 international goals to his name at just 27, Salah is on course to pass Didier Drogba and Samuel Eto’o’s international totals. He could take a big step towards that in this summer.

 

Wilfred Ndidi (Nigeria)

Leicester midfielder Wilfred Ndidi is a key part of Nigeria’s talented midfield, joining Arsenal’s Alex Iwobi, John Obi Mikel and Peter Etebo.

Nigeria arguably have the best midfield in the tournament and could boss matches from there, giving them a platform to unleash the electric pace of Ahmed Musa in the final third.

Ndidi is a special player and could attract the attention of Champions League clubs this summer.

Pairing plenty of tackles and interceptions with the ability to carry the ball past opponents in the middle third, he is a great player in transition who can catch the opposition off-guard and act as a springboard for attacks.

Nigeria are out at 15/2 to lift the trophy – they will need Ndidi to be at his dominant best if they are to go all the way.

 

Naby Keita (Guinea)

Liverpool’s Naby Keita didn’t have the best of first seasons in the Premier League and missed the final few weeks of the campaign with an injury that put his AFCON campaign in doubt.

He’s fit enough to take part, but it remains to be seen if he can perform near his top form. The former RB Leipzig midfielder is the undisputed star of this Guinea side, who are 9/4 to win Group B.

Progressing from the group, which includes Madagascar and Burundi, is possible even if Keita struggles, but getting any further will likely be a step too far.

Jurgen Klopp will be crossing his fingers as he watches Keita this summer, hoping his big-money acquisition from 12 months ago finds some form and, most importantly, avoids injury.

Klopp, in fact, is as invested in this tournament as any club manager in the world.

 

Sadio Mane (Senegal)

The third Liverpool player on this list, Sadio Mane comes into the Africa Cup of Nations in the form of his life.

Mane finished the club season playing as well as any forward in the Premier League, earning himself a share of the Golden Boot with teammate Salah and Arsenal striker Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang.

Senegal have talent and experience aplenty. Idrissa Gueye, Badou Ndiaye and Keita Balde are all fine international footballers, but none are quite at Mane’s level.

He is the key for Senegal as they pursue their first AFCON trophy. Mane is 19/4 to lift the trophy in mid-July.

 

Hakim Ziyech (Morocco)

Ajax’s Hakim Ziyech is one of many players looking for a move in the transfer window. As a crucial member of the thrilling Ajax side this season, Ziyech is expected to be on a different team come the start of 2019/20.

Tottenham, Liverpool, Arsenal and Manchester United have all been linked with the Moroccan attacking midfielder.

Ziyech was the joint-leader in assists in the Eredivisie, sharing the top spot with teammate Dusan Tadic. His 3.7 key passes, per 90 per WhoScored.com, was way ahead of any player in Europe’s top five leagues.

Sure, some of this is a result of Ajax’s dominance, but this also speaks volumes for Ziyech’s ability as a creator.

Morocco have lots of experience in their squad – 11 players have more caps than Ziyech – but no player more important than the 26-year-old midfielder.

 

*Odds subject to change - correct at time of writing*

June 16, 2019
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Sam is a sports tipster, specialising in the Premier League and Champions League.

He covers most sports, including cricket and Formula One. Sam particularly enjoys those on the other side of the Atlantic Ocean – notably MLB and NBA.

Watching, writing and talking about sports betting takes up most of his time, whether that is for a day out at T20 Finals Day or a long night of basketball.

Having been writing for several years, Sam has been working with 888Sport since 2016, contributing multiple articles per week to the blog.

Sam Cox
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Few teams are mentioned in transfer window news and tips as frequently as Manchester United. This summer will be no different, with Ole Gunnar Solskjaer set to rebuild a squad that underachieved once again in 2018/19.

United have already signed Danny James, a young winger from Swansea City, but are expected to make several more notable additions before the window shuts in August.

This piece looks at FIVE players Manchester United should be targeting this summer.

 

Jadon Sancho (Borussia Dortmund)

Jadon Sancho exploded onto the scene this season, creating chances at an elite rate for Borussia Dortmund. His decision to leave Manchester City has been more than justified and he has already made himself a fixture in the England side.

He, like everyone on this list, will not be cheap. But that’s what you would expect for a teenager performing at the standard Sancho has. He’s only 19 years old, and the sky really is the limit.

Pairing Sancho with Marcus Rashford and Anthony Martial – who both are several years from their peaks – is a fearsome prospect for Premier League defences.

888sport's latest transfer betting odds show United at 6/1 to complete a deal for Sancho this summer.

 

Kalidou Koulibaly (Napoli)

Along with Leicester City's Harry Maguire, Napoli’s Kalidou Koulibaly has been a staple of Manchester United transfer rumour columns.

Koulibaly has been linked with a move to the Premier League for several years and has built a reputation as one of the best defenders on the planet.

Eric Bailly, Chris Smalling, Victor Lindelof and Phil Jones have all had their chances at the heart of United’s defence. One, or maybe two, central defenders are a must for Solskjaer.

Koulibaly will not come cheaply, however. He has a release clause of around £130 million in his Napoli contract, and even United could wince at that sort of fee.

Though he’s 3/10 to remain in Naples, United are the favourites to sign the towering centre-back should he depart. They are 3/1 to sign Koulibaly this summer in 888sport’s football betting markets.

 

Jan Oblak (Atletico Madrid)

David De Gea’s future is uncertain once again. The Spanish shot-stopper had a difficult second half of the 2018/19 campaign, making several high-profile errors.

Jan Oblak has as good a claim as anyone as the best goalkeeper in the world right now. He benefits from a steely Atletico Madrid defence, sure, but he combines command of his area with spectacular reflex saves.

De Gea isn’t on the pedestal he once was, and while losing him would still be a blow for Solskjaer, an upgrade in the form of Oblak is possible.

It’ll cost the kitchen sink and more, but if De Gea is lured elsewhere (perhaps to Paris Saint-Germain), it will be worth every penny. A good Director of Football appointment will help United's chances of success in the transfer market.

 

Tanguy Ndombele (Lyon)

Tanguy Ndombele is one of the most sought-after players in Europe this season after a stellar campaign with Lyon. The 22-year-old can do it all, contributing all over the pitch; winning the ball, picking a pass who beating players in the middle third.

He has a game that would be perfectly suited to the electric pace of the Premier League.

Manchester United would face plenty of competition for his signature, and not being in the Champions League would make it an even greater challenge, but this is not someone they can afford to let slip.

With Ander Herrera departing and the midfield still a mess, Solskjaer needs reinforcements regardless of what happens with Pogba. Ndombele might be the best central midfielder on the market.

With Tottenham interested in Ndombele too, there’s the added bonus of stopping them making a major upgrade in midfield.

 

Aaron Wan-Bissaka (Crystal Palace)

Aside from James, Aaron Wan-Bissaka has been the player most frequently linked with Manchester United. He’s 7/20 to join United in 888sport’s transfer betting odds.

As reported by Sky Sports, Crystal Palace want £50 million for their star right-back. While that may seem a steep price, it’s nothing to a club with United’s revenue and we know they’re not afraid to splash that kind of cash.

Right-back has been a long-running issue for United. Ashley Young got the majority of starts there last season and, while Diogo Dalot has shown promise, it’s an obvious weakness for Solskjaer’s side heading into 2019/20.

Wan-Bissaka has the potential to go to the very top of the game and is already a superb defender.

Going forward there are concerns, however, and he’d be required to play a different role at United than he is at Palace, where opportunities to get forward are comparatively limited.

This is the sort of move Manchester United should be making, signing young players is their best route to becoming a genuine contender again.

 

*Odds subject to change - correct at time of writing*

June 14, 2019
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Sam is a sports tipster, specialising in the Premier League and Champions League.

He covers most sports, including cricket and Formula One. Sam particularly enjoys those on the other side of the Atlantic Ocean – notably MLB and NBA.

Watching, writing and talking about sports betting takes up most of his time, whether that is for a day out at T20 Finals Day or a long night of basketball.

Having been writing for several years, Sam has been working with 888Sport since 2016, contributing multiple articles per week to the blog.

Sam Cox
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