After a fun European Championships in Germany, the focus switches back onto club Football and with that, the return of the Premier League! Manchester City are looking to make it an unprecedented 5-straight Premier League Titles whilst Arsenal will be trying to finally go one step further! Liverpool and Chelsea enter the new season with new managers whilst Aston Villa will have to balance out their ambitions with the return of Champions League Football! There’s also quick returns for both Leicester and Southampton whilst Ipswich return to the Top Flight for the first time in 22 years! All of this and more to look forward to as I Preview all 20 teams down below!
Arsenal
Arsenal enter the 2024/25 Season hoping that this will finally be the year where they win the Premier League again! Arsenal had another strong season last year to finish second again, but being just 2 points off winning the Title definitely hurt them! The big question surrounding Arsenal heading into the new campaign is whether they have what it takes to just get themselves over the line as the Champions! When it comes to improving their team, The Gunners made sure to permanently sign Goalkeeper David Raya for a pretty good £27m and they’ve also spent £42 million on defender Riccardo Calafiori! In terms of people that have left, Emile Smith Rowe is the big exit as he’s left to go to Fulham for £34m! When it comes to their squad, Arsenal are so strong, with William Saliba at the back, Declan Rice and Martin Odegaard in midfield, and Bukayo Saka and Gabriel Martinelli on the wings! At the end of the day, Arsenal are a very strong side that will not accept anything other than a Premier League Title come May!
Aston Villa
After their best season in 28 years, Aston Villa are raring to go with both Premier League and Champions League Football to contend with! Aston Villa were absolutely superb at the start of last season and that form ultimately guided them to a Top 4 finish for the first time since 1996 (in the Prem)! The big question surrounding Aston Villa heading into the new campaign is whether or not they’re good enough to keep flying high given they’re now in the Champions League too. When it comes to improving their team, Villa have spent nearly £150m to bring in the likes of Cameron Archer, Ian Maatsen, Ross Barkley, Amadou Onana, and more! It’s actually a statement of intent from Aston Villa to go out and buy these players, and I think it’s a very exciting time for them! In terms of people that have left, Moussa Diaby, Douglas Luiz, and Omari Kellyman are definitely the 3 biggest names, but Villa have sold those 3 for a combined total of around £112m! When it comes to their squad, Aston Villa are still pretty strong, with Emiliano Martinez in goal, John McGinn and Youri Tielemans in midfield, and superstar striker Ollie Watkins up top (with Leon Bailey on the wing)! At the end of the day, Aston Villa are a really good team, and I’m intrigued to see if Unai Emery can guide them to back-to-back Top 4 finishes!
Bournemouth
AFC Bournemouth enter the new campaign hoping to build on a positive first year under Andoni Iraola. Bournemouth played well last year after initially struggling, and they ultimately came home to finish 12th, just a point off 10th! The big question surrounding Bournemouth heading into the new campaign is whether or not they’re capable of pushing on and ending the year with a Top 10 finish? When it comes to improving the team, The Cherries have permanently signed Enes Unal for £13m whilst they’ve also permanently brought in Luis Sinisterra from Leeds for £20m. In terms of people that have left, Kieffer Moore is definitely the biggest name (and they only sold him for £2m). When it comes to their squad, Bournemouth’s best players include Philip Billing, Alex Scott, Marcus Tavernier, and Dominic Solanke. At the end of the day, AFC Bournemouth are a decent side, but it’s important for them to bring in some more quality before the end of the Transfer Window.
Brentford
Brentford are hoping that this season goes a lot better than last year. Brentford struggled a bit last year to a 16th-place finish, even though it’s worth mentioning that they still finished some 13 points above the Relegation Zone! The big question surrounding Brentford heading into the new campaign is if they’re good enough to climb back into the fight for a Top Half finish? When it comes to improving the team, The Bees have brought in forward Igor Thiago for a club-record £30m! In terms of people that have left, Goalkeeper Thomas Strakosha has left whilst David Raya has completed a permanent move to Arsenal. When it comes to their squad, Bryan Mbeumo, Ivan Toney, and Yoane Wissa remain their best 3 players! At the end of the day, Brentford have a good manager in Thomas Frank with a great home crowd so they will always have a chance!
Brighton
Brighton and Hove Albion are looking to return to the Top 10 with a new Manager in charge! Brighton did alright last year, but they massively ran out of steam towards the end of the year and ultimately finished 11th whilst Roberto De Zerbi also exited the club. The big question surrounding Brighton heading into the new campaign is is new Manager Fabian Hurzeler ready for a Premier League job? When it comes to improving the team, The Seagulls have spent a good £70 million on bringing in players such as Ibrahim Osman, Yankuba Minteh, Mats Weiffer, and Malick Yalcouye. It’s very much worth remembering that Brighton have a strong track record of bringing in young talent and making them into stars! In terms of people that have left, Adam Lallana has returned to Southampton for free, but the big one is star player Pascal Gross has left and gone to Borussia Dortmund for just £10 million! When it comes to their squad, Lewis Dunk, Carlos Baleba, Kaoru Mitoma, and Evan Ferguson are their best and most crucial players! At the end of the day, it’s hard to fully know what you’re going to get with Brighton and Hove Albion this year given some of the changes, but I’m certain they’ll still be entertaining to watch!
Chelsea
It’s another season with a new manager for Chelsea as Enzo Maresca takes the helm! Chelsea were pretty poor for the most part last year, but they did find some pretty good form towards the end of the year which ultimately earned them a spot in this year’s UEFA Europa Conference League. The big question surrounding Chelsea heading into the new campaign is how ready is Enzo Maresca to manage a club this size given his relative inexperience in Club Football? When it comes to improving the team, The Blues have spent £95 million to bring in 7 players, with Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall being the pick of the bunch for £30m (from Maresca’s former club Leicester). In terms of people that have left, Thiago Silva is the main name, but they have managed to gain quite a lot of money back by selling players that were on loan last year! When it comes to their squad, it’s pretty young, but Ben Chilwell and Reece James in the fullback roles, and Cole Palmer and Christopher Nkunku in the attacking roles are Chelsea’s best. At the end of the day, Chelsea have a young hungry squad that can go places, but to do that, Enzo Maresca needs to get the players to play in harmony as a team.
Crystal Palace
Crystal Palace are hoping to kick on after a positive second half of last season! Crystal Palace struggled in the early stages of the 2023/24 Season, but they really kicked on towards the end of the year to secure a Top 10 finish! The big question surrounding Crystal Palace heading into the new campaign is whether the board share the same ambition as manager Oliver Glasner? When it comes to improving the team, The Eagles have brought in Chadi Riad (Defender) for £14m, Ismaila Sarr (Winger) for £12m, and Attacking Midfielder Daichi Kamada for free! In terms of the people that have left, Michael Olise is by far the biggest name, and whilst he will be a massive loss for the club, they have managed to make £50m from him! When it comes to their squad, Palace still have some strong players in the form of Marc Guehi, Adam Wharton, Eberechi Eze, and Jean-Philippe Mateta. At the end of the day, Crystal Palace can do something great this season because Oliver Glasner is a very talented Head Coach, but it’s up to them to deliver!
Everton
Everton head into the new campaign knowing this will be their final year at Goodison Park! Everton actually did alright last year as they managed to finish 15th and steer well clear of Relegation threat despite having an 8-point deduction. The big question surrounding Everton heading into the new campaign is whether or not they can kick on from here, or if they’ll just drop back into another Relegation scrap? When it comes to improving the team, The Toffees have spent £40 million to bring in Tim Iroegbunam, Iliman Ndiaye, and Jake O’Brien whilst they’ve also loaned in Midfielder Jesper Lindstrom from Napoli! In terms of people that have left, Ben Godfrey has gone to Atalanta for £11 million whilst Amadou Onana is their big loss, but they have made £50m from him! When it comes to their squad, it’s fine, it’s nothing special, but they do have Jordan Pickford, Abdoulaye Doucoure, Dwight McNeil, and Dominic Calvert-Lewin. At the end of the day, this is going to be a historic and pretty emotional season for Everton so they need to make sure they play well on the pitch!
Fulham
Fulham will be hoping for a lot more consistency after an up-and-down 2023/24 campaign. Fulham were really strong at parts last year, but they were also pretty weak in others which is why they ultimately finished 13th. The big question surrounding Fulham heading into the new campaign is whether or not they’ll be able to find consistency, and if not, how good or how bad will they actually be? When it comes to improving the team, Ryan Sessegnon has returned, Jorge Cuenca has arrived from Villarreal, and The Cottagers have also brought in Emile Smith Rowe for a club-record £34 million! In terms of people that have left, star man Joao Palhinha exited the club for £42m+ whilst both Tosin Adarabioyo and Bobby Decordova-Reid left for free! When it comes to their squad, it’s not amazing, but Fulham still have players like Andreas Pereira, Harry Wilson, Raul Jimenez, and Willian who can with them games whilst Bernd Leno is still one of the best Goalies in the league! At the end of the day, Fulham aren’t a team that will be thinking much about Relegation (certainly not heading into the season), but how far forward they can push is another thing entirely!
Ipswich
For the first time in my lifetime, Ipswich Town are a Premier League club! Ipswich were absolutely brilliant last year as they scored 96 points (to finish 2nd) and pick up their second-successive Promotion! The big question surrounding Ipswich heading into the new campaign is whether or not they have a big and good enough squad to avoid the drop? When it comes to improving the team, The Tractor Boys have made plenty of signings, including Omari Hutchinson from Chelsea for £20 million and Liam Delap (from Manchester City) for a similar fee. In terms of people that have left, there’s quite a few, but not many notable names that I know of. When it comes to their squad, it’s obviously not that strong, but Axel Tuanzebe, Massimo Luongo, and Conor Chaplin are all recognisable names! At the end of the day, there’s no denying that this is going to be a tough year for Ipswich Town, but given their momentum and Kieran McKenna at the helm, there’s no reason why this season can’t be a successful one!
Leicester
Leicester City return to the Premier League with a different Manager than who brought them up! Leicester played a very interesting style of Football last year that saw them suffer plenty of losses, but it also guided them to a Championship Title so you can’t really complain about that! The big question surrounding Leicester heading into the new campaign is will they eventually receive a points deduction, and if so, what fight will that put them in? When it comes to improving the team, The Foxes have brought in 4 players so far, including winger Abdul Fatawu and defender Caleb Okoli. In terms of people that have left, Marc Albrighton, Dennis Praet, and Kelechi Iheanacho have all left for free whilst Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall has moved to Chelsea for £30m! When it comes to their squad, it’s clear it’s too good for the Championship, with Ricardo Pereira, Wilfred Ndidi, and Patson Daka being their standout names (and you can’t forget about Jamie Vardy)! At the end of the day, Leicester City were too strong to go down last year and that’s why they came straight back up as Championship Champions! However, with Steve Cooper now in charge and the likelihood of a points deduction hanging over their heads, it’s unclear how well this season’s going to go for The Foxes!
Liverpool
It’s all new for Liverpool heading into the 2024/2025 campaign as Arne Slot takes charge of one of the biggest Football Clubs in the world! Liverpool were much better last year, winning the Carabao Cup in Jurgen Klopp’s final year whilst also finishing third in the league (even though they did drop off a little towards the end of the campaign). The big question surrounding Liverpool heading into the new campaign is how well will the players and fans adapt to Arne Slot’s style of play? When it comes to improving the team, The Reds have literally brought in no one so far which is an interesting strategy (that I’m sure will change before the window closes). In terms of people that have left, Joel Matip is the main name that stands out whilst Thiago has also retired. When it comes to their squad, Liverpool are of course incredibly strong with Alisson in goal, Virgil van Dijk and Trent Alexander-Arnold in defence, Dominik Szoboszlai in midfield, and then Diogo Jota, Cody Gakpo, and Mohamed Salah up top. At the end of the day, Liverpool are definitely one of the strongest and best teams in the Premier League, but how well Arne Slot does as a Manager will ultimately steer their season’s direction!
Manchester City
After a record-breaking 4th-successive Premier League Title, can Manchester City go and get their 5th? Manchester City were super impressive towards the end of last season and that ultimately resulted in them picking up yet another Premier League Title! The big question surrounding Manchester City heading into the new campaign is can they keep this incredible level of success going, or will this finally be the year where they drop off a bit? When it comes to improving the team, young Brazilian winger Savionho is City’s newest star, arriving for around £30 million! In terms of people that have left, Sergio Gomez is the only name that really had an impact on the team last year, but they’ve made a good amount of profit due to the sales of both Liam Delap and Taylor Harwood-Bellis. When it comes to their squad, we know how strong Manchester City’s team is, with Ruben Dias, Rodri, Bernardo Silva, Kevin De Bruyne, Phil Foden, and Erling Haaland just some of their top stars! At the end of the day, we all know how great Manchester City are, and if they’re at their best this year, they’re going to be pretty difficult to stop (again)!
Manchester United
Despite a really challenging year, Eric Ten Hag is back to try and return Manchester United back to the Top 4! Last year didn’t go very well for Manchester United as they finished 8th and some 31 points off 1st, but an FA Cup Final win ultimately resulted in a place in Europe and some more time for Eric Ten Hag. The big question surrounding Manchester United heading into the new campaign is are they good enough to climb back into the Top 4, or even the Top 6? When it comes to improving the team, United have spent over £50 million to bring in (former) Lille defender Leny Yoro whilst they’ve also signed Joshua Zirkzee from Bologna for £36.5m! In terms of people that have left, Anthony Martial and Raphael Varane have left for free whilst they’ve managed to sell Mason Greenwood and Donny van de Beek. When it comes to their squad, Manchester United have some great talent, with Andre Onana, Lisandro Martinez, Casemiro, and Bruno Fernandes being their big name players. At the end of the day, Manchester United can be good, they could even be great, but it will be interesting to see whether them winning the FA Cup last year ultimately ends up being a good thing or not!
Newcastle
After an incredible 2022/23 campaign, last year served as a bit of a “back down to earth” season for Newcastle United! Things didn’t go to plan last year for Newcastle as they dropped from 4th to 7th (which ultimately wasn’t good enough for Europe) whilst they also got knocked out in the Group Stage of the UEFA Champions League! The big question surrounding Newcastle heading into the new campaign is whether they can get back rolling and push for those higher league positions? When it comes to improving the team, The Magpies have permanently signed full-back Lewis Hall from Chelsea for £28 million! In terms of people that have left, Elliot Anderson has gone for £35 mil whilst they’ve managed to sell Yankuba Minteh for £33m (he didn’t even play a single game for them)! When it comes to their squad, there’s no denying that it’s strong, with Nick Pope, Sven Botman, Kieran Trippier, Bruno Guimaraes, Callum Wilson, and Alexander Isak showcasing that! At the end of the day, Newcastle United are a really strong team, and if they get everything to click, they can be a serious threat again!
Nottingham Forest
After avoiding the drop last year, Nottingham Forest are ready to go again without a points deduction this time! Nottingham Forest weren’t particually great last year, but staying up despite having a 4-point deduction is a good accomplishment! The big question surrounding Nottingham Forest heading into the new campaign is will they improve, or will they find themselves in yet another Relegation scrap? When it comes to improving the team, Forest have brought in Elliot Anderson for £35 million, Nikola Milenkovic for £12m (that’s a good signing), and Portugal’s Jota Silva for £10m! In terms of people that have left, both Orel Mangala and Moussa Niakhate have gone to Lyon for a combined total of £47 million! When it comes to their squad, Nottingham Forest definitely don’t have the strongest, but Morgan Gibbs-White, Nicolas Dominguez, Anthony Elanga, and Taiwo Awoniyi are definitely good enough to win them matches. At the end of the day, Nottingham Forest have a good Manager in Nuno Espirito Santo, but just how well they’ll be able to perform is still unclear!
Southampton
A Playoff Final win was enough for Southampton to return straight back to the Premier League! Southampton were really strong towards the end of the season and that confidence ultimately helped them beat Leeds in the Championship Playoff Final! The big question surrounding Southampton heading into the new campaign is can they survive this year given how terrible they were when they last appeared in the Prem? When it comes to improving the team, The Saints have brought in a ton of players including Flynn Downes, Ben Brereton Diaz, the returning Adam Lallana, and they’ve also permanently signed Taylor Harwood-Bellis from Manchester City for £20 million! In terms of people that have left, Stuart Armstrong has left for free whilst they’ve also sold defenders Lyanco and Duje Caleta-Car. When it comes to their squad, it’s definitely not the best, but Joe Aribo, Samuel Edozie, Carlos Alcaraz, and Adam Armstrong are all match-winners! At the end of the day, it’s not going to be easy for Southampton to stay up at all, but it’s worth mentioning that they’ve never been relegated in their first season back in a league ever!
Tottenham
Tottenham Hotspur are hoping to build on a good first season under Ange Postecoglou. Tottenham did well last year and ultimately surprised a lot of people with their entertaining style of Football that ultimately guided them to a 5th-place finish. The big question surrounding Tottenham heading into the new season is whether they can build on that or if they’ll be overtaken by the team’s behind? When it comes to improving their team, Spurs have spent 8 and a half million pounds on Swedish midfielder Lucas Bergvall whilst they’ve also signed young superstar Archie Gray from Leeds for £40m! In terms of people that have left, Joe Rodon and Ivan Perisic are probably the biggest names whilst Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg has also left on loan! When it comes to their squad, Tottenham definitely have some quality players, with Cristian Romero, James Maddison, Dejan Kulusevski, and Heung-Min Son proving to be their best! At the end of the day, Tottenham Hotspur are a good team that can challenge for a Top 4 spot this season if things click for them. However, if things don’t click, Spurs could drop a few places!
West Ham
It’s a new era for West Ham United as Julen Lopetegui takes charge of the club! West Ham did a decent job in their final year under David Moyes as they got to another European Quarter-Final whilst also finishing 9th in the league! The big question surrounding West Ham heading into the new season is can they push on for Europe again given they’ve now got Julen Lopetegui at the helm? When it comes to improving the team, The Hammers have brought in Crysencio Summerville from Leeds, Luis Guilherme from Palmerias for £25m, and centre-back Max Kilman from Wolves for a massive 40 million pounds! In terms of people that have left, Said Benrahma has gone to Lyon for £13m and Thilo Kehrer has gone to Monaco for just under £10 million! When it comes to their squad, West Ham have some good players in the form of Alphonse Areola, James Ward-Prowse, Tomas Soucek, Mohammed Kudus, and Jarrod Bowen! At the end of the day, West Ham United are a good tea, and given they won’t have to tackle the distraction of European Football this season, they could be in for a good year!
Wolves
And finally, let’s talk about Wolverhampton Wanderers! Wolves defied a lot of odds last year to easily steer clear of the drop, but it has to be said that they did end the season pretty poorly! The big question surrounding Wolves heading into the new campaign is can they find some consistency that can help push them up the Table? When it comes to improving the team, Wolves have brought in full-backs Rodrigo Gomes and Pedro Lima for a combined total of just over £21 million whilst they’ve also loaned in Celta Vigo striker Jorgen Strand Larsen (who scored 13 goals in LaLiga last season)! In terms of people that have left, Captain Max Kilman is the only one of note, but they have managed to sell him to West Ham for £40 million! When it comes to their squad, it’s not amazing, but it’s decent, and their best players include (new Captain) Mario Lemina, Joao Gomes, Matheus Cuhna, Hwang Hee-Chan, and Pedro Neto! At the end of the day, Wolverhampton Wanderers should be good enough to not get involved in a Relegation scrap, but it’s important for them to start the season well!
An excellent article Linus, really enjoyed reading it