What Lies Ahead for the Premier League?

Transfers, which occur when a player in a contract decides to move to another club, are a major aspect of soccer, primarily in England. When a player transfers to a club, their old contract is terminated and they negotiate a new one with their new team. Since the COVID-19 pandemic began, the transfer market in the Premier League has endured troublesome times. Soccer halted in March and gradually resumed in a plan called “Project Restart.” During those times, the transfer market was in chaos: player value dropped and clubs experienced massive financial loss. Once the season concluded, members of the Premier League proceeded with plans for next season with three substitutions per match and a slow increase of capacity. Along with these adjustments, transfers are steadily returning. Players are now free to request a move away if they desire or request a contract extension if they wish to stay. And that is what’s happening currently: transfers in the league are announced weekly. With plenty of transfer rumors preceding next season, the acknowledged “Big Six” clubs in the Premier League are attempting to sign additional players to reconstruct their squad. Though not all transfer news is released yet, let’s explore how each club plans for the future with new arrivals.

Liverpool

Triumphant in the Premier League, Liverpool are determined to strengthen their team before the transfer window concludes. Manager Jurgen Klopp has said farewell to older, long-standing members of the squad, Adam Lallana, Dejan Lovren, and Nathaniel Clyne. Currently, the Reds signed left back Konstantinos Tsimikas for $14 million. The Greek player would be a favorable backup for Scottish Andrew Robertson. Klopp is also eager to sign highly skilled midfielder Thiago Alcântara from German supergiants FC Bayern Munich. The Spaniard performed superbly for them, with 91 percent passing accuracy in open play and 288 duels won last year. His presence would boost creativity and structure in the midfield, an area that Liverpool are enhancing. Though the board is finding it inconvenient to agree to a $30 million fee with Bayern, they hope to obtain him as soon as possible. The Merseyside manager may consider integrating youth players into the team, with prospects Rhian Brewster, Harry Wilson, and Curtis Jones as options. Klopp already built an outstanding team from scratch, and he looks to refine his team in hopes of building on his title-winning success with a new squad.

Manchester City

Manchester City’s last season was one of reflection, and Spanish manager Pep Guardiola looks to rebuild certain parts of the team with his massive transfer budget. The Manchester club already departed with club legend David Silva for Spanish club Real Sociedad and winger Leroy Sane for Champions League winner Bayern. As a replacement, the Blues purchased exciting young talent Ferran Torres from Spanish club Valencia for $25 million. The forward impressed with six goals and eight assists in 44 games. Guardiola will also adjust defensive problems in the team. The Catalan manager is keen on selling center backs Nicolas Otamendi and John Stones, both prone to mistakes. So far, Manchester City signed solid defender Nathan Ake from Bournemouth for $52 million. Ake has proven his capabilities with 36 interceptions and 147 clearances in the league. Guardiola feels that the Dutchman is an upgrade for his backline and would consider converting him from a center back into a left back, replacing inconsistent defender Benjamin Mendy. City are also in contact with Italian club Napoli to sign 29-year-old robust defender Kalidou Koulibaly. Though Guardiola’s last season was burdensome, he looks to reclaim winning ways with a resilient defense and a passionate team.

Tottenham Hotspur

Tottenham Hotspur had a rocky start to the previous season. Manager Mauricio Pochettino was sacked four months into the season, and current manager Mourinho guided the squad into sixth place. During the summer window, the West London club increased squad depth in almost every position to regain Champions League qualification. Argentinian Giovanni Lo Celso, who was permanently signed, would provide ingenuity in the midfield with two assists, 965 passes, and 42 accurate long balls. Compact midfielder Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg left Southampton for $18.3 million, and he would help win back possession of the ball with 210 duels won and 326 recoveries. Also, experienced right back Matt Doherty moved from Wolverhampton Wanderers FC for $18.5 million. Though his fitness and positioning is currently questionable, Doherty is statistically a good choice as the starting right back for the Spurs, with 160 recoveries and 233 duels won in the league last season. Furthermore, the free addition of former England goalkeeper Joe Hart would give the club a backup option for World Cup-winning goalkeeper Hugo Lloris. Mourinho suffered the loss of many prominent long-standing figures at the club such as Christian Eriksen and Jan Vertonghen, and he looks to bring forth a new generation of players who will begin to contest for trophies in the future.

Chelsea

Chelsea, led by inexperienced manager Frank Lampard, reached the top four last season, even with a transfer ban. With knowledgeable players Willian and Pedro leaving, Lampard wishes to spend his transfer budget on players who will raise expectations and create a formidable team. During February, the club acquired left winger Hakim Ziyech from Dutch club Ajax for $44 million. The spectacular forward played a major role for Ajax, with eight goals and 21 assists last season. After the season ended, Chelsea signed brilliant striker Timo Werner from RB Leipzig for $58.3 million and enthusiastic midfielder Kai Havertz from Bayer Leverkusen for $88 million, both players contributing 74 goals combined last season. Furthermore, the Blues improved their defense with English left back Ben Chilwell joining from Leicester City for $55.2 million and 35-year-old Paris Saint-Germain defender Thiago Silva transferring for free. Chilwell was a firm left back for Leicester with three assists, 161 recoveries, and 147 duels won, while Silva made the Champions League final and captained PSG to a league title. With Chelsea’s defensive problem, the Blues’ manager might look to replace error-prone keeper Kepa Arrizabalaga with Rennes goalkeeper Edouard Mendy. Lampard isn’t messing around during this window, and it won’t be a surprise when the refined Chelsea side fights for trophies in the upcoming seasons.

Arsenal

Since the start of last season, Arsenal have endured a difficult time. After a run of poor results, manager Unai Emery was dismissed after just two years at the club, and former player Mikel Arteta took over. Having won the FA Cup since his tenure, Arteta hopes to qualify for the Champions League, a feat that Arsenal have failed to accomplish since 2016. Willian, the 32-year-old winger, left Chelsea for free after playing a key role last season with 11 goals and nine assists. The London club also re-signed energetic midfielder Daniel Ceballos on a loan deal from Real Madrid. Ceballos looks to improve his game as a defensive midfielder and proves a promising prospect for the manager. Additionally, Egyptian midfielder Mohamed Elneny returned from Turkish club Besiktas, and could be another option that Arteta can experiment with. The Gunners’ manager also signed two center backs to help aid the defense: promising talent Gabriel Magalhaes from French club Lille and young prospect William Saliba from French club AS Saint Etienne. These new players can rejuvenate Arsenal’s defense, their inclusion possibly being the missing piece of the puzzle for Arteta. With the integration of experienced and spirited players, Arteta hopes that Arsenal will rise to greater heights in the coming years.

Manchester United

During last season, manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s reign at Manchester United proved that the club is improving slowly. Though new January arrival Bruno Fernandes helped steer United to an impressive third place, Solskjaer identified inconsistencies within the squad and looks to venture in the market for additions until the window closes. United have signed star midfielder Donny Van De Beek from Ajax for $39 million. The Dutch player can serve both as a defensive midfielder and a central midfielder, helping to retain ball possession. United have also been in the chase for superstar Jadon Sancho, who impressed German club Borussia Dortmund with 17 goals and 17 assists in the Bundesliga. Though personal terms are agreed on, Dortmund have set a price tag of $120 million for him, which the board finds almost impossible to pay at once. The Red Devils are also keen on signing young center back Dayot Upamecano from RB Leipzig, who has a 91 percent passing accuracy and has won 297 duels. Additionally, Solskjaer is delighted to bring back agile goalkeeper Dean Henderson from loan. The English player has proven to be a good shot-stopper during the season and can possibly replace unreliable keeper David De Gea. Though it’s been ages since United ruled the footballing world and dominated the Premier League, Solskjaer looks to revive the club and bring it back to its former winning days.

These transfers are just some of the several changes occurring during the current window. Many clubs in the Premier League are contemplating their next move, with their budget influencing player movement. One thing’s for sure: we are in store for one of the most thrilling, unpredictable transfer windows in recent history. And who knows? In a few years, we might look back at our favorite club and wonder how the market influenced transformation and development in such little time.