The Premier League kicks off in two weeks. Some clubs are ready; others are miles off it. We’re ranking all 20 by how catastrophically screwed they are – from the ones cruising to the one contemplating its very existence.
20) Liverpool
Not f**ked in the slightest. The reigning champions have strengthened beyond belief in the summer transfer window, smashing their transfer record for 22-year-old attacking midfielder Florian Wirtz, replacing Trent Alexander-Arnold with Jeremie Frimpong, improving at left-back by signing Milos Kerkez, adding one of the Bundesliga’s best players in Hugo Ekitike, and likely signing Alexander Isak from Newcastle United.
Even without Isak, Liverpool are ridiculously strong. Adding him would just take the p*ss quite frankly.
Their ambitious summer transfer window has been enabled by the club’s shrewd transfer business in recent seasons. Before the 2025 summer window opened, they were tenth in the five-year Premier League net spend table. They’re currently seventh and buying Isak wouldn’t take them into the top four unless Arsenal sell Bukayo Saka for £200million before then.
Arne Slot won the title after signing one player for 2024/25; Federico Chiesa started four times across all competitions and will leave after just one year at Anfield. You can’t blame the club’s hierarchy for not backing the manager heavily last summer, and having gathered the strongest evidence possible, they know they have an elite title-winning head coach and spending big on players he wants makes absolute sense. The Reds have played it to perfection.
Manchester United should be taking notes after giving Erik ten Hag hundreds of millions in his first transfer window, and going all in on players for Ruben Amorim’s system, knowing that if it goes tits up, they’ll likely appoint a manager who doesn’t want half of the playing squad…again.
TL;DR: Liverpool won the league comfortably and have strengthened like no champion has before. They are title favourites and signed all of their pre-planned transfer targets weeks before the Premier League season kicks off.
MORE: Liverpool keep or sell: Eight Reds sold as Nunez, Elliott help fund record Isak transfer
19) Chelsea
These guys are set…for the next five years. They can and should relax a bit, but we all know they won’t. They must fuel their transfer addiction. Chelsea have always been erratic and ambitious in the transfer window, but things have been cranked up a notch in the Clearlake era.
Joao Pedro and Liam Delap are excellent striker additions, Jamie Gittens is a questionable one for £50m, but we’re not writing him off, Andrey Santos is Like A New Signing, and Estevao is a genuine wonderkid. We like this Chelsea squad and their title credentials.
18) Arsenal
Now that a striker is through the door, it has to be said that Arsenal are only an elite left-winger away from having the perfect squad. And that signing is more desirable than required, with Gabriel Martinelli, Leandro Trossard and Noni Madueke capable options on that side for now.
Signing Viktor Gyokeres was the big one for the Gunners, with Martin Zubimendi’s addition in midfield also significant. It’s always been about the need for an out-and-out centre-forward, though. The big Swede made his debut against Spurs in Hong Kong on Thursday, but could not prevent a 1-0 defeat that we are not looking into too much, even if Mikel Arteta’s side were toothless in attack and many of the same issues from last season were on display. Not looking into it, though.
All in all, the club’s transfer activity has been uncharacteristically ruthless, but still well planned out and meticulous. They took their time weighing up their options before picking Gyokeres over Benjamin Sesko, for instance.
If this isn’t Arsenal’s year, then it’s never happening under Arteta, whether it’s in the Premier League or Champions League. Although Arsenal are where they are because of the Spaniard, it does feel like do or die for him. After so much money spent and five years of his #process, this club needs something tangible to show for their improvement, and it might take a proven winner in the dugout for that to happen.
17) Manchester City
Pep Guardiola got the majority of his transfer business done early this summer due to the club’s involvement in the Club World Cup. Tijjani Reijnders, Rayan Ait-Nouri and Rayan Cherki were all through the door in time to play in the United States, and Norwegian wonderkid Sverre Nypan and goalkeeper James Trafford have since signed.
They are all set for another season under Guardiola and you wouldn’t put it past them steamrolling to the title, even if the two clubs who finished above them last term have improved.
Rodri is back, but Kevin De Bruyne is gone, so it’s not easy to predict how City’s year will pan out.
One potential issue is the lack of a right-back signing. Matheus Nunes can’t be the long-term option in that position. Then again, Guardiola is probably planning to make natural centre-back Abdukodir Khusanov the best right-back in the league, and there’s nothing anyone will be able to do about it.
16) Brighton and Hove Albion
For me, Clive, Brighton had to get a new centre-back in early doors, and they did just that with Diego Coppola, who was among Europe’s top aerial duel winners last season.
For good measure, they added Olivier Boscagli from PSV on a free transfer. He could end up being the bargain of the summer. Let’s not look past Maxim De Kuyper as well. He’s why Pervis Estupinan left without a fuss.
They might have lost Joao Pedro, but £30m wonderkid Charalampos Kostoulas and Stefanos Tzimas have joined. Brighton won’t just be fine, they’ll be looking at the clubs above them who are stumbling through this transfer window, thinking there’s an opportunity.
15) Manchester United
So, United look pretty decent. Their pre-season performances have been promising, and Bryan Mbeumo and Matheus Cunha are two excellent additions.
This is a huge summer for the club, with Ruben Amorim’s players needing to adapt to his 3-4-2-1 system after over half a season of being unable to do so. This break – and reset – was needed.
The Red Devils could obviously add more players to up the expectations even more, but we think the only position they *need* to improve is centre-forward.
14) Sunderland
We’re big fans of the business conducted by newly-promoted Sunderland. Granit Xhaka, in particular, is a ridiculously good signing. He’s a Champions League midfielder, for crying out loud.
The Black Cats have been ambitious, but so were Burnley, Ipswich and Luton Town over the last two seasons. It’s going to be tough, but this team is becoming well-equipped to survive.
13) Nottingham Forest
After signing a striker, replacing Anthony Elanga was Forest’s top priority, and they’ve done so excellently with the addition of Switzerland international Dan Ndoye.
For Forest, keeping their best players was the most important thing, though bulking up the squad is necessary after Nuno Espirito Santo’s men ran out of steam in their Champions League pursuit last term. They successfully scared off Spurs and extended Morgan Gibbs-White’s contract, and haven’t been forced to deal with any serious interest in Murillo, Callum Hudson-Odoi or Elliot Anderson.
Last season exceeded every Forest fan’s expectations, but we’re predicting another fun year, especially with a European campaign to look forward to. The City Ground under the lights on Thursday nights will be special.
12) Tottenham Hotspur
Mohammed Kudus improves an area of the pitch Spurs needed to improve, and some of their depth issues were addressed in January, so the Europa League holders don’t need to do too much.
Another midfielder is needed, and there are reports of Joao Palhinha coming in. He’d add something different to an energetic midfield, but after missing out on Gibbs-White, we wouldn’t be surprised to see Thomas Frank go for Harvey Elliott, or someone similar.
And on Frank, that’s a top appointment. Getting the managerial situation sorted quickly was vitally important and Daniel Levy did exactly that.
11) Leeds United
Question marks over Daniel Farke’s future were squashed before Leeds’ transfer business started, and their business has been impressive for the most part. Anton Stach is the standout signing, while Lucas Perri and Jaka Bijol are savvy additions for a newly-promoted side.
It will be a long season for the Elland Road faithful, but there are ten clubs, six of which they’d fancy pulling into a relegation battle, who are in a worse position going into it.
10) Burnley
Burnley haven’t necessarily found themselves in a position where they are, per se, f**ked, but they’re hardly filling us with confidence. Kyle Walker is past it but remains a solid addition; we rate the Marcus Edwards deal, and think Sam Johnstone would be a good replacement for James Trafford.
Whatever happens between now and the start of the season, just know that Scott Parker isn’t making it to Christmas. We don’t make the rules.
9) Fulham
Marco Silva’s only summer signing so far is back-up goalkeeper Benjamin Lecomte. Not ideal, that. But maybe the Portuguese head coach is happy with his squad. Keeping Rodrigo Muniz seems to be Fulham’s top priority right now, but there’s a definite need for a new wide forward. Raheem Sterling has been mooted and we think it’s a great fit for the player and club; he wouldn’t even need to move house.
This club needs a deep cup run or European push, and they’re going to need to get moving if either is to become a realistic objective.
8) West Ham
Graham Potter surely hoped for more of a rebuild at West Ham this summer. So far he’s lost Kudus, been forced to sign Jean-Clair Todibo permanently, added Kyle Walker-Peters on a free, and signed young wing-back El Hadji Malick Diouf for £19m.
This is a team lacking top quality and athleticism in forward areas. There’s only so much Jarrod Bowen can do.
One big positive is that Lucas Paqueta no longer has a potential ban hanging over his head, having been cleared of spot-fixing charges. Hopefully for the Irons, this will relieve pressure, tension and be a huge weight off the Brazilian’s shoulders, and they’ll enjoy watching him back to his best. There is talk of him leaving for as little as £25m, though, which might be off the table following the result of his case with the FA.
7) Crystal Palace
The Eagles’ pre-season preparation has been heavily impacted by the ongoing uncertainty surrounding their first-ever European campaign. It’s contributed to the club only making two signings – back-up goalkeeper Walter Benitez for nothing and left-back Borna Sosa for £2m.
Oliver Glasner knows there has to be more transfer activity: “Even though all the players are still here, we haven’t made the most of the transfer window so far. I was promised that we would be more active and bring in the new players earlier this year. As of now, I have 17 outfield players. I hope we don’t lose any more. If that happens and we get four new ones on deadline day like last year, another false start is possible.”
Openly discussing a broken promise with the board is an ominous sign. Of course, the board’s focus is elsewhere, but Glasner’s concentration is fully on getting his team prepared for the season, and that preparation isn’t going to plan. Yes, he’s still got Jean-Philippe Mateta, Eberechi Eze and Marc Guehi – but for how long? Palace have reportedly turned down £30m from Atlanta United for Mateta, Arsenal are expected to sign Eze, and Guehi is a Liverpool target in the last year of his contract.
Another key figure in their final 12 months is Glasner. The club are in discussions, but it’s hard to envision the Austrian head coach agreeing terms if those promises aren’t fulfilled. Palace going down isn’t realistic, but they are threatening to start 2025/26 very slowly. With a Thursday-Sunday schedule to contend with, they might not get up and running fast enough to make this upcoming campaign half as memorable as the last one.
6) Bournemouth
This is not based entirely on losing 4-1 to Manchester United in pre-season, though we couldn’t be blamed if it was.
We don’t think they’re in relegation trouble, but Bournemouth’s defence has been ripped apart, and they’ve only signed a left-back to replace Milos Kerkez. Dean Huijsen still hasn’t been replaced and Illia Zabarnyi is a top Paris Saint-Germain target. For months, we’ve been saying that the Cherries need a right-back with Adam Smith past his best and Julian Araujo struggling, but now that’s the least of their worries.
Andoni Iraola has, at least, secured the signing of a new goalkeeper after being unable to make Kepa Arrizabalaga’s loan permanent. Djordje Petrovic is an excellent signing and arguably better than Chelsea’s first-choice goalkeeper, Robert Sanchez.
Bournemouth are relaxed. Having made £90m alone from Huijsen and Kerkez, they’re under no pressure to sell Zabarnyi, but the Ukrainian wants to join PSG. He hasn’t stayed at home or gone to train at his old club to force the move, though. Fair play.
The fact of the matter is, they aren’t close to signing a centre-back after failing to sign Lille’s Bafode Diakite, and they need two of them. It’s also been suggested that they want to sign a striker on loan with Enes Unal injured until November.
There’s still plenty to do, but Bournemouth have extended Antoine Semenyo’s contract and are expected to keep hold of him, Evanilson and Justin Kluivert.
5) Wolves
There is a serious threat of relegation looming at Molineux, and the fact that fans are furious over Nelson Semedo’s departure says a lot about the state the club is in. No offence, Nelson.
There’s a concerning lack of quality throughout Vitor Pereira’s squad, and the man who carried Wolves through most of last season, Matheus Cunha, is long gone. Replaced by Fluminense’s Jhon Arias, Wolves should have plenty of money left over, having made over £60m from the Brazilian’s sale.
Jorgen Strand Larsen joining permanently is a boost, and Arias could be as exciting and influential as Cunha, but this is another transfer window that the Midlands club are failing to take advantage of.
It’s easier said than done to just replace Cunha with someone as good. Unfortunately, that’s not realistic, unless head coach Pereira can bring the absolute most out of someone unexpectedly. We just can’t see it, and the lack of invention in midfield, attack and full-back spells trouble. Oh, and they need a goalkeeper.
Also, we can’t explain why, but Pereira stinks of an acrimonious November exit. We look forward to it.
4) Everton
David Moyes expected more from Everton’s summer transfer window, and he’s not a happy bunny. He’s being left short all over the pitch, with his side struggling in pre-season, drawing against Accrington Stanley and losing to Blackburn Rovers and Bournemouth.
“The truth is we’re not getting them over the line at the moment – that’s a fact,” a frustrated Moyes said to reporters in the United States. “We’re not getting a lot of the deals done which we’re hoping to do, so we’re continually reassessing and moving on, while maybe things are not coming to fruition… We’re desperate to get things moving on because we know time’s running out.”
Everton enjoyed themselves (for once) in the second half of last season and had reason for optimism in 2025/26, especially as they’re moving into a new stadium. With two weeks to go until they open their season with a trip to Leeds United, Moyes needs a winger, midfielder, right-back and centre-back. Not much, then.
3) Aston Villa
One of the clubs most restricted by the Premier League’s Profit and Sustainability rules, Villa have been worryingly inactive in the summer transfer window.
The addition of Yasin Ozcan is their only signing for a fee, and only Fulham (£437k) and Crystal Palace (£2m) have spent less. There have been some striker rumours involving Samu Aghehowa and Lois Openda, but most of the club’s transfer stories are about sales, not signings.
One sale could be Ollie Watkins, and there’s also a possibility that Morgan Rogers leaves, while Leon Bailey, Jacob Ramsey and Emiliano Martinez have been linked with exits.
The position the Villans are in is very surprising. This time last year, they were looking forward to a Champions League campaign after unsettling the status quo with a fourth-place finish in the Premier League. Now, they are worried about being dismantled while their rivals strengthen at pace and they remain shackled.
The need for attacking reinforcements was underlined by the loan signings of Marco Asensio and Marcus Rashford and the permanent arrival of Donyell Malen from Borussia Dortmund in January. Asensio and Rashford were only on loan and contributed to 29.3% of Villa’s goals scored between February and the end of the season. They also had seven assists. Malen should have a bigger role next season after being cast aside following Rashford’s arrival, being left out of Unai Emery’s squad for the Champions League knockout rounds.
Losing over a quarter of your goals must be addressed, and Villa’s lack of signings emphasises the need for a big sale. Rogers would be a gut-wrenching departure, but you have to break eggs to make an omelette. Getting clarity on players like Rogers, Watkins and Martinez is imperative, and it’s clear that Emery needs reinforcements all over the pitch.
The one positive is that Boubacar Kamara has signed a new five-year contract. Positive Villa fans will tell you that’s more significant than any signing they make this summer.
2) Brentford
Keith Andrews’ Brentford are firmly in ‘We fear for them’ territory. The loss of Thomas Frank is gargantuan, and replacing him with a rookie head coach is extremely risky. Then you have the exits of club captain Christian Norgaard and star player Bryan Mbeumo, which was inevitable but still stings, and the Yoane Wissa debacle.
Wissa reportedly feels betrayed by the club, who promised him a £26m transfer this summer if he stayed for 2024/25. He did, yet he’s not been allowed to join Newcastle following Mbeumo’s move to Manchester United.
Too many key figures have departed for Brentford fans to be anything but sceptical of their survival chances this season. Relegation has not been a threat since their promotion in 2021, but with no Frank, Norgaard, Mbeumo and Wissa, it’s looking rather bleak.
1) Newcastle United
Shambolic doesn’t begin to cover whatever is going on at Newcastle this summer. It’s baffling, disgraceful, and everything in between. Some things are out of their hands, but there’s no decisiveness in their transfer pursuits, which has seen several targets slip through their grasp like a lubed-up mini egg.
The Magpies have botched pursuits of Joao Pedro, James Trafford, Hugo Ekitike, Liam Delap and could miss out on Benjamin Sesko because he’s “scared” he’ll be blocked from a future move. Losing out on the RB Leipzig striker to Manchester United will be the final straw for some fans.
After winning the Carabao Cup and qualifying for the Champions League, this was supposed to be a monumental summer for the club. Instead, it’s been a monumental disaster. And we haven’t even got into the Alexander Isak ordeal yet…
There’s not much they can do, but the black and white wounds are already well-salted. The biggest question is: why now, Alex? The timing is baffling and the spotlight is on a club in disarray.
Villa might be in a bit of bother, but we fear for Eddie Howe and his players in their first Premier League game of the season away to Emery’s side.
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