Arsenal
Manager: Mikel Arteta
Player to watch: Bukayo Saka
Transfers in: Kepa Arrizabalaga (Chelsea), Martin Zubimendi (Real Sociedad), Christian Norgaard (Brentford), Noni Madueke (Chelsea), Viktor Gyökeres (Sporting Lisbon), Cristhian Mosquera (Valencia)
Is Viktor Gyökeres the final piece of the puzzle for Arsenal? Mikel Arteta has built a strong defensive side that is difficult to beat, led by the outstanding William Saliba, but they struggled for goals last season with midfielder Mikel Merino having to deputise upfront after injuries. In steps new signing Gyökeres, who scored 97 goals in 102 games for Sporting Lisbon, and he makes them serious title contenders, although they may need Martin Odegaard back in top form to unleash the beast up front.
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Prospects: Title challenge
Aston Villa
Manager: Unai Emery
Player to watch: Youri Tielemans
Transfers in: Yasin Ozcan (Kasimpasa), Zepiqueno Redmond (Feyenoord), Marco Bizot (Brest), Modou Keba Cisse (LASK)
Aston Villa put their eggs in the Champions League basket last season, reaching the quarter-finals and had a chance to qualify for the competition again until the last day. The repercussions of failing that objective, after taking on highly paid loans of Marcus Rashford and Marco Asensio, have been seen in their quiet transfer activity this summer, with concerns over breaching Financial Fair Play rules. The Villains are a settled side under Unai Emery, but may struggle to reach the heights of previous seasons with others improving around them.
Prospects: Challenge for Europa League
Bournemouth
Manager: Andoni Iraola
Player to Watch: Antoine Semenyo
Transfers in: Eli Junior Kroupi (Lorien), Adrien Truffert (Rennes), Djordje Petrovic (Chelsea)
The biggest positive for Bournemouth was keeping their coveted manager Iraola, who was linked with a move to Tottenham. His high-intensity pressing style has made them a difficult outfit to play against. Losing young stars Dean Huijsen to Real Madrid and Milos Kerkez to Liverpool were big blows, but the quality of clubs they went to is a testament to the quality of the Cherries’ scouting team.
Prospects: Mid-table
Brentford
Manager: Keith Andrews
Player to watch: Caoimhín Kelleher
Transfers in: Michael Kayode (Fiorentina), Romelle Donovan (Birmingham City), Caoimhín Kelleher (Liverpool), Antoni Milambo (Feyenoord), Jordan Henderson (Ajax), Kyrie Pierre (Aston Villa)
More Irish attention than ever will be on Brentford as Keith Andrews takes over as manager from Thomas Frank, and Caoimhín Kelleher joins captain Nathan Collins in the first team. Unfortunately, it will be a tricky assignment for Andrews with their star forward Bryan Mbeumo joining Manchester United, Christian Norgaard moving to Arsenal and Yoane Wissa linked with a move away. Frank’s departure leaves big shoes to fill and Andrews would be happy with mid-table consolidation.
Prospects: Battling relegation
Brighton and Hove Albion
Manager: Fabian Hürzeler
Player to watch: Kaoru Mitoma
Transfers in: Tommy Watson (Sunderland), Yun Do-Young (Daejeon Hana Citizen), Charalampos Kostoulas (Olympiacos), Diego Coppola (Verona), Nils Ramming (Eintracht Frankfurt), Olivier Boscagli (PSV), Maxim De Cuyper (Club Brugge), Sean Keogh (Dundalk), Kofi Shaw (Bristol Rovers)
Brighton have created an effective model of selling on their stars for big money to richer clubs and then signing the next big thing to replace them, allowing them to move to bigger teams again. If you haven’t heard of a new Brighton signing, assume they were signed for a good reason. Sadly, it looks like the club is moving on from Evan Ferguson, who departs on loan to AS Roma.
Prospects: Mid-table
Burnley
Manager: Scott Parker
Player to watch: Kyle Walker
Transfers in: Bashir Humphreys (Chelsea), Jaidon Anthony (Bournemouth), Marcus Edwards (Sporting Lisbon), Zian Flemming (Millwall), Max Weiss (Karlsruher SC), Quilindschy Hartman (Feyenoord), Axel Tuanzebe (Ipswich), Loum Tchaouna (Lazio), Kyle Walker (Manchester City), Jacob Bruun Larsen (VfB Stuttgart), Lesley Ugochukwu (Chelsea), Martin Dubravka (Newcastle)
Burnley were remarkably good defensively in the Championship last season, conceding just 16 goals in 46 games. That is the sort of grit that makes them more likely to stay up than recently promoted teams. A lot of that though was based on outstanding young goalkeeper James Trafford, who has left for Manchester City, which is a huge blow to survival. Irish interest will be on captain Josh Cullen in midfield on his return to the Premier League.
Prospects: Battling relegation
Chelsea
Manager: Enzo Maresca
Player to watch: Cole Palmer
Transfers in: Dario Essugo (Sporting Lisbon), Estevao Willian (Palmeiras), Liam Delap (Ipswich Town), Mamadou Sarr (RC Strasbourg), João Pedro (Brighton), Jamie Gittens (Dortmund), Jesse Derry (Crystal Palace), Jorrel Hato (Ajax)
Chelsea are the recently crowned champions of the world, which despite the cynicism for the Club World Cup was no mean feat, comfortably beating Champions League winners Paris Saint-Germain in the final. It showed the ceiling for a team on which owner Todd Boehly has spent more than a billion euro since arriving. Cole Palmer was outstanding in that final and the arrival of João Pedro from Brighton looked to have unlocked extra possibilities in attack. Maresca’s side are surely looking to progress to a title challenge but may find it tough with the top three teams all strengthening.
Prospects: Champions League places
Crystal Palace
Manager: Oliver Glasner
Player to watch: Eberechi Eze
Transfers in: Walter Benitez (PSV Eindhoven), Borna Sosa (Ajax)
Crystal Palace finished in their favourite league position, a cosy 12th without threatening relegation or the upper echelons of the league, but more importantly won the FA Cup, the first major trophy in their history. The gloss from that cup win will sustain for a long time and another comfortable mid-table finish would be acceptable, although if they keep players such as Adam Wharton and Eberechi Eze, they might have ambitions of more.
Prospects: Mid-table
Everton
Manager: David Moyes
Player to watch: Jake O’Brien
Transfers in: Charly Alcaraz (Flamengo), Thierno Barry (Villarreal), Mark Travers (Bournemouth), Adam Aznou (Bayern Munich), Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall (Chelsea)
Everton went back to their roots last season in hiring Moyes, their most successful manager this century, and he proved to be a hit, easily avoiding relegation. It was important, too, as it meant they will be in the Premier League for their first season at a new ground, the Hill Dickinson Stadium, replacing Goodison Park. Moyes is good at getting the best out of average players, but mid-table would be a good showing again for the Toffees, where Irish goalkeeper Mark Travers joins Séamus Coleman and Jake O’Brien at the club.
Prospects: Mid-table
Fulham
Manager: Marco Silva
Player to watch: Alex Iwobi
Transfers in: Benjamin Lecomte (Montpellier)
Fulham have been quiet in the transfer market this summer, with backup goalkeeper Benjamin Lecomte the only arrival. It is not as though significant changes were needed, as they proved to be a solid side last season, threatening to finish higher than 11th. They will be happy Liverpool went for Milos Kerkez for left-back instead of their player of the season Antonee Robinson, but fans of the club with the most expensive season ticket in the league, at £3,084 (€3,556), would prefer to see a few new faces.
Prospects: Mid-table
Leeds United
Manager: Daniel Farke
Player to watch: Daniel James
Transfers in: Lukas Nmecha (Wolfsburg), Sebastiaan Bornauw (Wolfsburg), Jaka Bijol (Udinese), Gabriel Gudmundsson (Lille), Louis Enahoro-Marcus (Liverpool), Sean Longstaff (Newcastle), Anton Stach (Hoffenheim), Lucas Perri (Lyon)
The last six promoted teams to the Premier League have got comfortably relegated and it is a while since a promoted team made the noise that Leeds did in 2020/21 under Marcelo Bielsa, when they finished ninth on 59 points. Despite winning the Championship last season, it is hard to see Leeds making anywhere near the same impact this time and they will struggle to stay up, although the pace and trickery of Daniel James and Wilfried Gnonto will give defences something to think about.
Prospects: Battling relegation
Liverpool
Manager: Arne Slot
Player to watch: Mohamed Salah
Transfers in: Jeremie Frimpong (Leverkusen), Florian Wirtz (Leverkusen), Giorgi Mamardashvili (Valencia), Milos Kerkez (Bournemouth), Freddie Woodman (Preston), Hugo Ekitike (Eintracht Frankfurt), Will Wright (Salford)
Liverpool have flashed the cash this summer from a position of strength as champions, with several arrivals, most notably young German star Florian Wirtz from Bayer Leverkusen in a club record transfer, where the hope is he will replace the creativity of the departing Trent Alexander-Arnold. Mohamed Salah and Virgil van Dijk have signed new contracts, and if they manage to sign Alexander Isak from Newcastle, the possibilities are endless. But on a human level, the impact of the tragic death last month of Diogo Jota on a grieving squad cannot be known.
Prospects: Title challenge
Manchester City
Manager: Pep Guardiola
Player to watch: Erling Haaland
Transfers in: Rayan Ait-Nouri (Wolves), Marcus Bettinelli (Chelsea), Rayan Cherki (Lyon), Tijjani Reijnders (AC Milan), Sverre Nypan (Rosenborg), James Trafford (Burnley)
Uncertainty has reigned over Manchester City for a while now with the 115 charges for financial breaches from the Premier League looming large. Spending has continued, however, for the Abu Dhabi-owned club, with talented new signing Rayan Cherki hoped to be the next Kevin De Bruyne. Last season, they fell apart when Ballon d’Or winner Rodri ruptured his cruciate ligament. If he can get back to full fitness and form then they should be in the mix for the title.
Prospects: Title challenge
Manchester United
Manager: Ruben Amorim
Player to watch: Bruno Fernandes
Transfers in: Matheus Cunha (Wolves), Diego Leon (Cerro Porteno), Bryan Mbeumo (Brentford), Benjamin Sesko (RB Leipzig)
It is hard to imagine how it could get any worse for Manchester United in the Premier League than last season, where they had their fewest points in a top-flight season since relegation in 1973/74. Erik ten Hag was sacked early on and results didn’t improve under Ruben Amorim, who is on borrowed time to make a bright start this season. The Red Devils’ response has been to overhaul a malfunctioning attack this summer, with Matheus Cunha and Bryan Mbeumo signed up and Benjamin Šeško joining as their latest big-money number nine.
Prospects: Challenging for Europa League
Newcastle United
Manager: Eddie Howe
Player to watch: Sandro Tonali
Transfers in: Antonio Cordero (Malaga), Anthony Elanga (Nottingham Forest), Seung-soo Park (Suwon Bluewings), Aaron Ramsdale (on loan from Southampton)
Newcastle are back in the Champions League, but the last time they combined European football with the Premier League they finished seventh. Howe’s style requires hard running, which he will get from Anthony Elanga, who should fit in well after his move from Nottingham Forest. But their feeling about the upcoming season will be dependent on what happens with wantaway star striker Alexander Isak, who is crucial for adding finesse to their physical intensity and almost impossible to replace.
Prospects: Challenging for Europa League
Nottingham Forest
Manager: Nuno Espírito Santo
Player to watch: Murillo
Transfers in: Igor Jesus (Botafogo), Cherif Yaya (Rio Ave), Jair Cunha (Botafogo), Dan Ndoye (Bologna), Angus Gunn (unattached)
Nottingham Forest upset the odds last season, sitting in third place for more than three months, before fading badly with two wins in their last eight games to finish seventh. It was still good enough for European football qualification for the first time in 29 years, but it would not be a surprise to see them regress to the mean, even if they have fended off interest from Spurs for Morgan Gibbs-White. New Brazilian signing Igor Jesus should suit Espírito Santo’s style and provide competition for striker Chris Wood.
Prospects: Mid-table
Sunderland
Manager: Régis Le Bris
Player to watch: Granit Xhaka
Transfers in: Enzo Le Fee (Roma), Habib Diarra (Strasbourg), Noah Sadiki (Union Saint-Gilloise), Reinildo Mandava (Atletico Madrid), Chemsdine Taibi (Club Brugge), Simon Adingra (Brighton), Granit Xhaka (Bayer Leverkusen), Robin Roefs (Sunderland), Marc Guiu (on loan from Chelsea)
Sunderland’s glorious return to the Premier League was supposed to be broadcast by the Netflix documentary Sunderland ‘Til I Die in 2018, but instead it ended up showing their relegation to League One. The Black Cats have battled back, which is the least the fans deserve, with more than 30,000 attending matches in the third tier. The signing of outstanding Switzerland midfielder Granit Xhaka gives them a far greater chance of survival.
Prospects: Battling relegation
Tottenham Hotspur
Manager: Thomas Frank
Player to watch: Micky van de Ven
Transfers in: Luka Vuskovic (Hajduk Split), Kevin Danso (RC Lens), Mathys Tel (Bayern Munich), Max McFadden (Leeds), Kota Takai (Kawasaki Frontale), Mohammed Kudus (West Ham), João Palhinha (on loan from Bayern Munich)
Tottenham are a difficult team to judge after they finished an abject 17th in the Premier League last season but managed to win the Europa League and get into the Champions League as a result. The poor league form cost Ange Postecoglou his job, and it is up to new manager Thomas Frank to bring the European form to the league. Mohammed Kudus has arrived from West Ham and has potential to go to the next level, while Irish interest will be piqued when St Patrick’s Athletic’s 17-year-old star Mason Melia joins the club in January.
Prospects: Challenging for Champions League places
West Ham United
Manager: Graham Potter
Player to watch: Jarrod Bowen
Transfers in: Jean-Clair Todibo (OGC Nice), Daniel Cummings (Celtic), El Hadji Malick Diouf (Slavia Prague), Kyle Walker-Peters (Southampton), Callum Wilson (unattached)
West Ham were mediocre last season, with Julen Lopetegui losing his job with the Hammers in 14th place, and Potter arriving to limited impact, finishing in that same position. Their transfer activity so far has done little to suggest they will do any better than mid-table. They have been boosted by the not-guilty verdict on their prized asset Lucas Paquetá for a long-running spot-fixing case. With him and forward Jarrod Bowen firing, they should be too good to get dragged into a relegation battle.
Prospects: Mid-table
Wolverhampton Wanderers
Manager: Vitor Pereira
Player to watch: Jorgen Strand Larsen
Transfers in: Fer Lopez (Celta Vigo), Jorgen Strand Larsen (Celta Vigo), Jhon Arias (Fluminense), David Moller Wolfe (AZ Alkmaar)
Wolves recovered from a horrible start last season to finish well clear of the drop, a recovery which included an important six-game winning streak where Jorgen Strand Larsen on loan scored six goals. The run earned him a permanent move and manager Pereira will hope his goals will be enough to avoid a relegation battle as the club deal with losing two key players – Matheus Cunha and Rayan Ait-Nouri. Ireland defender Matt Doherty is there for his 13th season at the club.
Prospects: Battling relegation
