The Premier League returns on Friday evening and football has barely paused for breath this summer. A World Cup, a wave of managerial changes, record-breaking transfers and pre-season results that have thrown up more questions than answers across the division. Here is the complete club-by-club breakdown of how every Premier League side is shaping up for the new campaign.
Arsenal: Tzolis Could Prove a £34m Bargain
Much of Arsenal’s summer transfer conversation has swirled around Vinicius Junior and Bradley Barcola but while those pursuits generated headlines, a quieter signing may have delivered the most immediate impact. Christos Tzolis, who arrived from Club Brugge for £34 million with relatively little fanfare, has been outstanding throughout pre-season.
In six matches, the Greek winger has contributed six assists and one goal including two assists in the Community Shield victory over Manchester City. He is not flashy he completed none of his dribbles in the Cardiff win but he is extraordinarily effective, combining relentless movement with precise final deliveries. His Club Brugge record of 51 goal contributions in 52 games last season suggests this level of output is not an aberration.
Pre-season results: MK Dons 0-3 Arsenal, Girona 1-4 Arsenal, Arsenal 1-3 Real Betis, Arsenal 2-3 Borussia Dortmund, Arsenal 1-1 Como (4-3 pens), Arsenal 3-0 Man City (Community Shield)
If Tzolis replicates even two-thirds of his Belgian form in the Premier League, Arsenal will have found one of the window’s genuine bargains. Mikel Arteta may not need Barcola after all.
Aston Villa: Turbulent Summer Overshadows European Promise
The summer at Villa Park has been one of significant disruption. The departures of Morgan Rogers sold to Chelsea for a British-record £117 million and Youri Tielemans left a creative void that Unai Emery has been working urgently to fill. New signing Joao Gomes and the extraordinary 17-year-old Brian Madjo provided genuine excitement against PSG in the UEFA Super Cup with Madjo scoring on that stage suggesting Villa have unearthed something special.
However, injuries to both Gomes and Madjo heading into the season opener against Brighton have compounded a difficult summer. They join Amadou Onana and club-record signing Johan Manzambi on the injury list a significant blow before a ball has been kicked competitively. The absences of Ezri Konsa and Ollie Watkins from pre-season due to their extended World Cup campaigns add further uncertainty to Emery’s available options.
Pre-season results: Walsall 0-5 Aston Villa, Porto 2-1 Aston Villa, Aston Villa 2-4 Real Sociedad, Indonesia All-Stars 1-3 Aston Villa, BG Pathum United 1-3 Aston Villa, Aston Villa 1-2 Bayern Munich, PSG 2-1 Aston Villa (UEFA Super Cup), Borussia Monchengladbach 2-1 Aston Villa
The Super Cup final appearance confirms Villa’s status as a genuine European force. The injury chaos heading into the season opener against Brighton suggests their early form may not reflect their true ceiling.
Bournemouth: Settled Summer Offers Promise for Biggest-Ever Season
New head coach Marco Rose recruited from RB Leipzig arrives at a club that has handled a managerial transition with impressive composure. Rather than overhauling Andoni Iraola’s work, Rose is tinkering with a system that already functioned well and getting transfer business done early has allowed the squad to settle heading into Bournemouth’s most historic season: their first-ever European campaign.
A spectacular 10-1 training-ground win over Genoa and a free-scoring run through a Saalfelden training camp including a 5-4 win over Augsburg suggests the goals will continue to flow. Summer arrival Alvaro Rodriguez from Elche is already generating intrigue as a Kroupi alternative.
The concerns: a foot injury to Eli Kroupi Junior removes their most dynamic attacker for the foreseeable future, and central defensive depth is a genuine worry with 22-year-old Antonio Silva expected to step directly into Marcos Senesi’s boots. The Portuguese international has Champions League experience and 20 Portugal caps, which provides some comfort but asking him to anchor a defence in a debut Premier League season alongside a Europa League campaign is a significant ask.
Pre-season results: St Pauli 1-4 Bournemouth, Augsburg 2-5 Bournemouth, Bournemouth 10-1 Genoa (behind closed doors), Real Betis 2-2 Bournemouth, Mainz 2-1 Bournemouth
Brentford: Ready to Go One Better After European Near-Miss
Goal difference alone denied Brentford a European spot last May and Keith Andrews’ side have used the disappointment as motivation for a summer of genuine investment. Over £60 million spent represents a significant statement from a club that has historically operated in the market with more caution than their rivals.
Mali international midfielder Mamadou Sangare from Lens breaks their transfer record, while Callum Wilson and Jaidon Anthony provide proven Premier League quality in the attack. The 7-0 demolition of Eintracht Frankfurt in their final friendly played at the Gtech Community Stadium has generated real excitement about what this side can produce when fully fit and firing.
Europe is the stated ambition. Based on the evidence of pre-season, it is not an unrealistic one.
Pre-season results: Brentford 3-2 AFC Wimbledon (behind closed doors), Rennes 2-4 Brentford, Brentford 7-0 Eintracht Frankfurt
Brighton: Conference League or Bust
Brighton go into the new season having sold Danny Welbeck, Jan Paul van Hecke and Carl Rushworth three contributors who gave the club significant service but having done so at strong prices that allow Fabian Hurzeler’s recruitment team to reinvest. The trust placed in Brighton’s process by supporters is not blind faith it is informed by a hit rate of player identification that remains among the best in European football.
Georginio Rutter and Kostoulas are expected to step into the void left by the departures. New goalkeeper signing Carl Rushworth who joined permanently after his successful loan provides stability between the posts, with Hurzeler suggesting the 23-year-old could challenge James Trafford for the England jersey in the coming years.
The season’s priority is unambiguous: win the Conference League. Having watched Crystal Palace lift the trophy last season, anything short of that in Istanbul in June would be considered a failure.
Pre-season results: Brighton 4-1 Wycombe, Annecy P-P Brighton, Strasbourg 3-4 Brighton, Brighton 3-0 Roma, Brighton 1-0 Bologna
Chelsea: Work in Progress as Alonso Finds His Best System
Xabi Alonso has been testing tactical shapes throughout a globe-spanning pre-season and the most revealing moment came when he switched from a 4-2-3-1 to a 3-4-3 formation against AC Milan in Jakarta, producing Chelsea’s best performance of the summer in a 3-0 win. The back three with Maxence Lacroix at its heart appears to be the structure Alonso intends to build his season around.
Morgan Rogers starting on the left of a front three alongside Joao Pedro and Cole Palmer gives Chelsea a genuinely terrifying attacking trio on paper. The issues remain in the engine room Marco Palestra struggled at left-wing back against Real Sociedad and with Andrey Santos just arrived and the squad still adapting to Alonso’s demands, there is clearly work to be done before Monday’s opener against Fulham.
The cultural shift Alonso is engineering bringing in experienced voices like Henderson and Welbeck alongside elite youth is the right diagnosis. The execution across 38 Premier League matches and European competition will be the true test.
Pre-season results: Chelsea 6-4 Western Sydney, Chelsea 1-2 Tottenham, Chelsea 0-1 Juventus, Chelsea 3-0 AC Milan, Johor 3-3 Chelsea, Chelsea 3-1 Real Sociedad
Coventry: Relishing Their Premier League Return After 25-Year Wait
Frank Lampard’s Coventry arrive in the Premier League after a 25-year absence with genuine belief and a pre-season that has offered encouraging signs. A clean sheet in a 2-0 win over Monaco in their final friendly with goalkeeper Carl Rushworth (now at Brighton, replaced by his successor) providing confidence throughout and a victory over Espanyol suggest a side that will not be overawed by the top flight.
The creative quality of Gustavo Hamer and the physical presence of Taiwo Awoniyi give Lampard attacking weapons that could trouble established Premier League defences. The opening fixture away at Arsenal on Friday night could not be more demanding. But Coventry’s promotion was built on a front-foot identity that Lampard has maintained throughout pre-season.
Pre-season results: AFC Wimbledon 3-2 Coventry, Northampton 0-0 Coventry, Coventry 3-1 Espanyol, Coventry 2-0 Monaco
Crystal Palace: New Manager Hampered by World Cup Absences
Pierre Sage begins his Premier League tenure at Crystal Palace having been somewhat denied the pre-season he needed. With a significant portion of his first-choice squad at the World Cup, the Frenchman has been implementing his new playing style with a depleted group and the results have been mixed at best.
A 3-0 loss to Bromley and a 3-0 defeat to former club RC Lens were uncomfortable viewing, though some context is needed given the squad situation. More encouraging was Matheus Franca’s return the long-forgotten Brazilian youngster scoring a hat-trick against Swindon, suggesting a player who may yet fulfil his considerable potential under a fresh regime. A 2-1 friendly win over Fulham offered some optimism, before a 3-0 loss to Freiburg led Sage to admit he needs to temper his desire to tinker.
Pre-season results: Palace 5-1 Swindon, Bromley 3-0 Palace, Palace 0-3 Lens, Palace 0-0 Famalicao, Palace 3-1 Al Ula, Fulham 1-2 Palace, Freiburg 3-0 Crystal Palace
Everton: European Push on Cards Despite Right-Back Concern
David Moyes has added Hayden Hackney and Christian Norgaard from Arsenal to give Everton extra midfield quality and bite intelligent, purposeful signings that fit the manager’s approach. Brennan Johnson has added pace to the right flank that Moyes’ counter-attacking system will look to exploit at every opportunity.
The concern is right-back a position that remains inadequately covered, with Jake O’Brien or James Garner potentially required to fill in again unless late window activity produces a specialist. Links to Daniel Munoz and interest in Djed Spence before his Inter Milan move came to nothing.
Can Everton push for Europe? With Moyes, you can never fully rule it out but they need to address the defensive positional gap before the window closes.
Pre-season results: Dundee 0-4 Everton, Bolton 0-0 Everton, Stoke 1-0 Everton, Hamburg 1-2 Everton, Stuttgart 3-1 Everton, Everton 3-1 Newcastle, Everton 1-1 Lille
Fulham: The Real Madrid Connection Under Arbeloa
Alvaro Arbeloa’s appointment as Fulham head coach has given Craven Cottage an unmistakable Spanish flavour and his first transfer window has reflected his connections to the club he left. Rather than targeting the domestic market, Arbeloa turned to Real Madrid’s La Fábrica academy, completing a stunning £42.8 million double deal for striker Gonzalo Garcia and attacking midfielder Cesar Palacios. Add Shea Charles for £30 million as the midfield anchor and Fulham have reshaped their attacking identity significantly.
A high-pressing, high-intensity tactical approach has been implemented throughout pre-season. It has excited supporters. Whether it can be sustained against Chelsea, Liverpool and Manchester United among their early opponents will define how quickly this new Fulham identity can establish itself in the top half.
Pre-season results: Al Ahli 1-1 Fulham, Fulham 1-2 Palace, Fulham 1-0 Stuttgart
Hull: Goals a Concern as Premier League Pressure Looms
Hull’s return to the Premier League following their shock play-off victory was always going to be built on defensive solidity and resourcefulness and they have recruited in that spirit with promising young additions including Nobel Mendy, Konstantinos Tzolakis and 18-year-old Australian centre-back Lucas Herrington who became the most expensive Australian footballer in history at £17 million from Colorado Rapids.
The major blow heading into the season is goalkeeper Jack Butland’s arm injury, which is expected to keep him out until Christmas. More worrying still is the goalscoring record Hull failed to score in their final three friendlies, hitting the net just once. In the Premier League, that kind of attacking drought is an existential threat.
Pre-season results: Hull 3-0 Konyaspor, Hull 2-1 Caykur Rizespor, Hull 1-1 Kasimpasa, Eintracht Frankfurt 2-0 Hull, Hull 0-0 Nice
Ipswich: Premier League Quality Over Championship Potential
Gary O’Neil has overseen a significant transformation at Ipswich since their relegation in 2025 and their approach to this window reflects a clear philosophy. Rather than targeting promising Championship talent or domestic players on the rise, Ipswich have recruited proven Premier League experience capable of competing at this level from day one. Daizen Maeda from Celtic adds goalscoring quality, with the Japanese international having delivered impressive numbers north of the border.
Three victories in their final three friendlies including a convincing 4-2 win at Union Berlin suggest a side building momentum as the season approaches. Brazilian striker Emersonn remains an intriguing unknown quantity despite two pre-season goals, and more additions may arrive before Sunderland’s visit to Portman Road on the opening weekend.
Pre-season results: Ipswich 1-2 Osasuna, Oxford 2-0 Ipswich, Wycombe 1-2 Ipswich, Ipswich 1-0 Le Havre, Ipswich 3-0 Rayo Vallecano, Union Berlin 2-4 Ipswich
Leeds: Is Calvert-Lewin Set for His Best-Ever Season?
Dominic Calvert-Lewin is the story of Leeds’ pre-season and it is a compelling one. The striker managed 14 Premier League goals last term despite having no pre-season at all, completing his Elland Road move at the last minute. Now, fully prepared with a complete pre-season behind him, the signs are that he could exceed even that impressive return.
Three goals and two assists in pre-season including two against Liverpool in Chicago have Daniel Farke’s staff purring about what might be possible. Harry Wilson’s arrival on a free adds creative support that could unlock even more from Calvert-Lewin in advanced positions. The addition of Tarik Muharemovic provides defensive solidity to complement the attacking ambition.
Can Leeds push for more than mid-table comfort this season? If Calvert-Lewin fires from August, the answer might be yes.
Pre-season results: Leeds 2-3 Wrexham, Sunderland 0-1 Leeds, Leeds 4-2 Liverpool, Leeds 2-0 RB Leipzig, Leeds 1-1 Man Utd (4-5 pens), Leeds 4-0 Augsburg
Liverpool: Iraola Under the Microscope at Anfield
No new manager in the Premier League this summer has faced more scrutiny than Andoni Iraola and that scrutiny intensified during a pre-season that raised legitimate questions about the squad’s defensive solidity and overall depth.
A 2-4 loss at home to Leeds and a 2-3 defeat to Monaco at Anfield were followed by a more encouraging 2-0 win over Como in the final friendly, with new signing Jeremy Jacquet marking his debut with a goal. But injuries to Conor Bradley, Hugo Ekitike and Giovanni Leoni have complicated preparations significantly, and the late returns of Alexander Isak, Florian Wirtz and Ryan Gravenberch from the World Cup mean the team’s best XI has barely had time to train together.
The talent is undeniably there. Isak and Wirtz are capable of defining seasons. But Iraola is coaching in Europe for the first time in his career at a club where anything less than title contention is considered underperformance. The early weeks will be defining.
Pre-season results: Liverpool 4-2 Sunderland, Liverpool 1-0 Wrexham, Liverpool 2-4 Leeds, Liverpool 2-3 Monaco, Liverpool 2-0 Como
Manchester City: Midfield Crisis Threatens Maresca’s Vision
Enzo Maresca wants to play with traditional wingers Antoine Semenyo and Jeremy Doku as direct, orthodox wide players rather than the inverted options Pep Guardiola favoured. The philosophy is sound and the wide players are genuinely exciting. The problem is the midfield behind them.
The 3-0 Community Shield defeat to Arsenal was the starkest illustration of the issue. Semenyo managed five pre-season assists but was isolated and ineffective in Cardiff without a midfield capable of sustaining possession and delivering quality service. Rodri’s exit appearing imminent and Bernardo Silva already departed leave City’s engine room dangerously thin. Maresca’s system cannot function as he envisions it without midfield reinforcement and the window is closing.
Pre-season results: Man City 1-1 Inter Milan (1-3 pens), K-League All Stars 1-3 Man City, Man City 3-1 Atletico Madrid, Arsenal 3-0 Man City (Community Shield)
Manchester United: Carrick’s Progress Undermined by Positional Gaps
Michael Carrick’s United showed genuine tactical evolution in pre-season pressing higher, counter-pressing more aggressively, moving away from last season’s deep defensive block. Bryan Mbeumo and Amad Diallo have looked electric throughout, refreshed after a demanding final months last season, and the arrivals of Andrey Santos and Youri Tielemans in midfield have added the technical quality the centre of the pitch was crying out for.
But a 2-4 defeat to AC Milan in the final friendly exposed a concern that pre-season cannot fully resolve: the left-back position. Luke Shaw’s injury availability has been a persistent problem, and with European football returning and Carrick’s system requiring overlapping full-backs, the need for left-back investment before the window closes is clear and urgent.
Marcus Rashford’s reintegration following his post-World Cup return is another story to monitor with Carrick indicating publicly he expects Rashford to play a meaningful role.
Pre-season results: Man Utd 0-1 Wrexham, Man Utd 5-0 Rosenborg, Man Utd 2-1 Atletico Madrid, Man Utd 1-1 PSG, Leeds 1-1 Man Utd (4-5 pens), Man Utd 2-4 AC Milan
Newcastle: What Does the Jaissle Era Hold?
It would be difficult to construct a more turbulent summer for Newcastle United. Eddie Howe’s departure, the sales of Anthony Gordon, Sandro Tonali and the looming exit of Bruno Guimaraes to Arsenal, combined with a failed pursuit of Johan Manzambi who chose Aston Villa it reads like a catalogue of setbacks that would test any club’s resolve.
Matthias Jaissle arrives with a clear Red Bull philosophy attractive, high-energy attacking football built around young players with upward trajectory. The problem is that four of his five new signings, costing almost £140 million combined, are aged 20 or under meaning the squad’s experience base has been dramatically eroded in a single window. A 3-1 defeat to Everton at Murrayfield and a 1-2 home loss to Bayer Leverkusen suggest the growing pains will be real and immediate.
Pre-season results: Newcastle 3-0 Darlington, Gateshead 1-1 Newcastle, Bristol City 1-4 Newcastle, Valencia 1-2 Newcastle, Everton 3-1 Newcastle, Newcastle 1-2 Bayer Leverkusen, Newcastle 1-1 Strasbourg
Nottingham Forest: Glasner Building Quietly and Purposefully
Oliver Glasner arrives at the City Ground having delivered three trophies in two seasons with Crystal Palace — and is approaching his new challenge with the same systematic patience that defined his Palace tenure. Forest have quietly reshaped the squad to his specifications, switching to his favoured system without fanfare or the drama that has characterised other clubs’ summers.
Ousmane Diomande appears the standout summer arrival a player whose profile perfectly fits Glasner’s defensive demands. A 2-1 win over Bayer Leverkusen at the City Ground was a particularly encouraging result that demonstrated Forest can compete against elite European opposition in their new shape.
Forest fans will settle for Premier League progress after their European adventure last season but with Glasner’s track record and owner Evangelos Marinakis’ propensity for late-window activity, do not rule out further additions before deadline day.
Pre-season results: Notts County 0-2 Forest, Forest 3-0 Blackburn, Vitoria 1-1 Forest, Portimonense 1-2 Forest, Sporting 4-1 Forest, Udinese 1-0 Forest, Barcelona 1-0 Forest, Forest 2-1 Bayer Leverkusen, Forest 2-0 Brest
Sunderland: Xhaka Staying Is the Summer’s Defining Moment
Sunderland’s most significant transfer story of the summer did not involve a signing it involved a retention. Granit Xhaka turned down Chelsea’s approach an £8 million bid that would have reunited him with former Bayer Leverkusen boss Xabi Alonso to remain at the Stadium of Light. For a club preparing for European football for the first time in over 50 years, keeping their captain was arguably more important than any incoming.
The Black Cats have added Thomas Meunier the experienced Belgium right-back and are set to complete a club-record £25.7 million deal for Dayann Methalie. Those additions have been more than funded by over £30 million recouped from fringe player sales.
Pre-season results: York City 1-5 Sunderland, Sunderland 2-4 Liverpool, Sunderland 0-1 Leeds, Sunderland 1-0 Wrexham, Lens 4-1 Sunderland (behind closed doors), Lens 0-2 Sunderland, Sunderland 2-1 Rennes
Tottenham: Unbeaten Pre-Season Builds Genuine Excitement
Roberto De Zerbi’s Tottenham go into the new season with the most encouraging pre-season record of any club in the division unbeaten throughout, with their six summer signings all impressing to varying degrees. The £185 million midfield partnership of Sandro Tonali and Mateus Fernandes have both scored in pre-season and look immediately suited to De Zerbi’s system.
New centre-backs Marcos Senesi and Jan Paul van Hecke produced an assured display in the 3-0 win over Hoffenheim, though the absence of Micky van de Ven throughout pre-season raises fitness concerns ahead of the Brentford opener. Andy Robertson has impressed at left-back, effectively positioning himself to start given the absences of Udogie and Kudus.
The captaincy decision after Cristian Romero’s departure hangs in the air with Archie Gray having worn the armband throughout pre-season at just 20 years old. De Zerbi’s choice on that question will reveal much about the direction of leadership he wants to build.
Pre-season results: Tottenham 1-0 MK Dons, Tottenham 2-0 Auckland FC, Tottenham 1-1 Sydney FC (4-2 pens), Tottenham 2-1 Chelsea, Tottenham 1-1 Getafe (behind closed doors), Tottenham 3-0 Hoffenheim, Tottenham 2-2 Hoffenheim (behind closed doors)
The Verdict: Who Is Ready and Who Has Work to Do?
Most prepared: Arsenal, Tottenham and Brentford have had the smoothest preparations clear tactical identities, settled squads and pre-season results that offer genuine confidence. Biggest questions to answer: Manchester City’s midfield crisis, Newcastle’s youth-heavy rebuild and Crystal Palace’s disrupted system under Sage represent the division’s most significant early-season uncertainties. Most intriguing: Chelsea’s Alonso experiment, Liverpool’s Iraola debut and Fulham’s Spanish revolution are the three storylines that promise to define the narrative of the early weeks for better or worse.
Friday evening comes quickly. The Premier League is back.