Premier League Transfer Shopping List: Why Man City Need the Star Liverpool are Chasing, and Each Team’s Needs

The long football season is finally (mostly) finished. Now, we can get down to the real business of the sport: player transfers. Winning the Premier League? That`s merely a way to justify signing even more expensive and flashy talent. A thrilling climb up the standings or a deep run in domestic cups? Too bad, you`ve just made yourselves attractive targets for bigger clubs.

Of course, all of this matters. It is genuinely important. That`s precisely why Liverpool acquired so many players before dominating the league. Brighton reportedly spent more than any other European team last summer, and you could certainly see the impact, couldn`t you? Right?

One undeniable fact is the world`s insatiable appetite for transfer news. Hope is a potent drug, and nothing offers a greater rush than contemplating how good that signing from the German second division might turn out to be. So, if it`s transfer content you crave, let`s see how you handle a complete breakdown for all 20 teams. And don`t even think about skipping the lesser-known clubs. I`ll know.

1. Arsenal – Attacking Stardust

Overall, Arsenal is in a fundamentally sound position. They could potentially field last season`s squad plus Martin Zubimendi – who seems set to join soon – and stand a strong chance of competing for the title. Their defense and the system Mikel Arteta has built to control games are highly effective; now, the goal is to boost their probability of finishing first. This means attempting some of the most challenging signings in the current market: elite attackers who can raise the team`s ceiling.

They could likely use reinforcements at both center forward and left wing. While Kai Havertz and Gabriel Martinelli are good players, they aren`t consistently performing at a potential world-class level. These are difficult and costly moves, and there are no guarantees with options like Viktor Gyokores or Benjamin Sesko as a new number nine.

2. Aston Villa – The January Loanees

Missing out on the Champions League might leave Monchi and the team closer to the Profit and Sustainability Rules (PSR) limit than desired. This is a shame, given how successful their high-profile January loan additions were. Keeping Marcus Rashford for a full season on his current Manchester United salary might be beyond Villa`s means, despite his impressive average of 0.88 non-penalty expected goals + expected assists (npxG+xA) after moving to the Midlands. The equally impactful Marco Asensio could be more attainable, with young Zepiqueno Redmond from Feyenoord representing a longer-term option.

3. Bournemouth – Replacements for Their Stars

Bournemouth could face a challenging summer. Dean Huijsen already needs replacing, and Milos Kerkez likely will too. As the transfer window opens, speculation is already circulating about the futures of Antoine Semenyo and Ilia Zarbanyi. The Cherries signed these four players for a combined total of around $80 million, recouping most of that when Huijsen departed for Real Madrid. This shows they are adept in the market. However, you would ideally prefer not to be working so hard just to regain the talent level you had at the end of the previous season.

4. Brentford – Midfield Control

Once again, Thomas Frank skillfully adapted his team last season. He leveraged the abilities of Bryan Mbeumo, Yoane Wissa, and Kevin Schade (one to watch for 2025-26) with a style that favored more long balls and focused heavily on the flanks. Mikkel Damsgaard also showed promise, but it felt like the team played this way not only to utilize their best players but also to compensate for a midfield that wasn`t quite as effective as in previous years.

5. Brighton – Just a Quiet Summer

This Brighton side certainly has areas open to criticism. They relied too heavily on Danny Welbeck for goals. The defense conceded alarmingly poor-quality shots, and it wasn`t immediately clear that Fabian Hurzeler was maximizing his players` potential. However, a degree of upheaval at Brighton is understandable given the recent movement of coaching and playing staff. While the defense could benefit from some fresher, younger players, there`s perhaps nothing that would have a greater positive impact at the Amex Stadium than a summer and autumn free from coaching changes or prolonged transfer sagas.

6. Burnley – Plenty of Attackers

Last season`s newly promoted bottom three teams scored a combined total of 95 goals across their 114 games. While a high-scoring attack doesn`t guarantee Premier League survival, it significantly improves your chances. This is particularly relevant for Burnley, who had only the 10th best xG in the Championship last season, achieving promotion primarily due to an excellent defense and an exceptional James Trafford. Only one of their players averaged over 0.3 npxG per 90 minutes (Zian Flemming), and none created more than two chances per game. This situation must change.

7. Chelsea – A Veteran Defender

The $1.3 billion plan spearheaded by Clearlake Capital appears to be on track. Chelsea secured a place in the Conference League on the final day and convincingly won the competition they were expected to win. Enzo Maresca will hope his squad has developed a winning mentality from the Conference League, as that should be the primary focus for this young squad over the next two to three years: closing the gap with the Premier League`s top three and ensuring this youthful group reaches their peak with a taste for success.

Therefore, while their strategy might involve nurturing the world`s best and brightest young talents, there should be room for exceptions, especially in defense, where experience can be invaluable. Chelsea are seeking a center back to ease the workload on Wesley Fofana; why not make that player a veteran who can also mentor others? Consider the impact Thiago Silva had during his four years at the club. Could Mats Hummels or perhaps John Stones fulfill a similar role?

8. Crystal Palace – Squad Depth

Given their impressive form in the latter half of 2024-25, perhaps the best strategy for Crystal Palace would be to keep Oliver Glasner`s starting eleven together. It certainly took time for them to hit their stride without Michael Olise and Joachim Andersen ten months ago. If the Eagles can resist approaches from bigger clubs this summer, they have the opportunity to make a significant impact in either the Europa League or the Premier League. To excel in both, they need depth, particularly to cover for Daniel Munoz and Tyrick Mitchell, who would struggle to add Thursday night European football to their demanding roles involving over 3,000 minutes of domestic wing-back play.

*Just a side note: Eight clubs covered and we haven`t even reached the letter D? When will the independent football regulator address the ridiculous alphabetical imbalance of the Premier League?

9. Everton – Players, Plenty of Players

On the positive side, David Moyes inherits a relatively blank slate as he begins his first full season of his second spell at Everton. Up to 11 players could potentially leave this summer either on free transfers or as loans expire. While the new owners, The Friedkin Group, have work to do to sort out the financial situation, there should finally be funds available to strengthen the squad.

After Moyes` appointment, Everton`s xG began to improve, ranking 12th in the division at approximately 1.3 per game. A right winger capable of beating his marker and delivering crosses would help increase the xG, and after that, it would be about converting chances. This means saying goodbye to Dominic Calvert-Lewin, whose history suggests he will consistently finish below his xG. A new striker capable of challenging, and ideally replacing, the slightly-too-raw-for-a-27-year-old Beto is needed.

10. Fulham – A Really Good Striker

Considering the number of attackers he often fielded, Marco Silva managed to build a surprisingly solid defense for Fulham last season. Ultimately, what was lacking in a campaign that briefly hinted at European qualification was a lack of difference-makers in the final attacking third. This was a team that was very capable of getting into dangerous areas but struggled to make the decisive final pass or shot, ranking sixth in final third touches but only 12th for touches inside the opponent`s box. Fulham have gotten decent production from Raul Jimenez and Rodrigo Muniz recently, but if they aim to jump into the top half of the table, a better forward would provide a crucial focal point for the players behind them.

11. Leeds – Goalkeeping Upgrade

By the late stage of last season, what had been obvious to everyone outside of Elland Road finally became clear to Daniel Farke. Illan Meslier simply wasn`t providing enough as a shot-stopper, regardless of his skills with the ball at his feet. While goalkeeper statistics can be unreliable over small periods, according to Opta`s post-shot xG data, Meslier has conceded 34.6 more goals than expected during his time at Leeds.

No club can afford to consistently let in six or seven more goals per year than they should. Caoimhin Kelleher seemed like an ideal fit for Leeds, but unfortunately, he also looked perfect for Brentford. Aaron Ramsdale had a solid season even with Southampton`s relegation, while Nick Pope might become available if Newcastle secures the number one goalkeeper they`ve been searching for. Putting a reliable goalkeeper between the posts gives this Leeds team a fighting chance of survival.

12. Liverpool – A Fabinho-esque Anchor

This situation is becoming quite intricate due to the rapid pace at which Michael Edwards is spending his budget. Jeremie Frimpong has arrived, and it`s probable that Milos Kerkez and Florian Wirtz will follow. That`s a significant amount of talent acquired; the next challenge is integrating it, particularly since Liverpool appear to have signed two full-backs whose main strengths lie in attacking the final third.

Balancing this attacking flair might fall to last season`s midfield pairing of Alexis Mac Allister and Ryan Gravenberch. However, both are profiled more as effective ball carriers and progressors than defensive anchors. While they aren`t poor defensively, if Liverpool needs an option for games where they don`t dominate possession, an upgrade on Wataru Endo would be beneficial.

13. Manchester City – Florian Wirtz

Ah, well, this is awkward. It`s simply that if you needed to replace Kevin De Bruyne, arguably the Premier League`s greatest playmaker of the last decade, you would absolutely sign the player already recognized as the great playmaker of the next decade. And if you are a club with the highest revenues in football from the 2023-24 season, perhaps you could justify pushing boundaries and overspending on that one truly unmissable acquisition?

How Wirtz and Cherki compared last season

Instead, it seems more likely that City will pursue Rayan Cherki, a considerably more affordable option, even if reports of a $25.7 million release clause are apparently wide of the mark. Perhaps the difference in quality between the Lyon player and Wirtz isn`t worth an extra $100 million-plus. After all, they had similar combined xG and xA last season, although Ligue 1 might be a slightly easier league to generate attacking numbers. But when a club possesses the financial power of City, is it truly sensible to shy away from pursuing the absolute best available talent?

14. Manchester United – Any Striker Where xG > Goals

Manchester United has correctly identified that a team averaging fewer Premier League goals over the past two seasons needs attacking reinforcements. Given Jim Ratcliffe`s comments about their analytics department, this is a positive step. However, there`s a concern they might be evaluating players based purely on goals scored rather than underlying metrics.

Matheus Cunha and Bryan Mbeumo are both upgrades on their current options, but anyone expecting a repeat of their combined 35 Premier League goals should consider their xG figures: 12.28 for Mbeumo and 8.65 for Cunha. These two recorded the second and fourth largest goal overperformances relative to xG in Europe`s top five leagues last season, and neither is Lionel Messi or peak Heung-min Son. Given United`s recent recruitment history, it wouldn`t be surprising to see them target players like Patrik Schick or Chris Wood. Prove me wrong, Manchester United! See if you can revive Tammy Abraham`s career. Persuade Nicolas Jackson to leave Chelsea. Bring Alvaro Morata back to the Premier League!

15. Newcastle – A Star on the Right Wing

Apologies to Jacob Murphy. Finishing second for assists in the Premier League last season is commendable, but the most obvious area for improvement in the attacking two-thirds of the pitch is a right winger capable of contributing close to 20 combined goals and assists year after year. Mbeumo seemed a particularly appealing option in this regard, but he appears headed for Manchester United. Newcastle have also been linked with Francisco Trincao, a potentially effective but more purely creative player.

16. Nottingham Forest – A Left Back, I Guess

Similar to Crystal Palace mentioned earlier, there isn`t much tinkering you`d want to do to Nottingham Forest`s starting eleven. A realistic assessment of Chris Wood suggests he`s unlikely to challenge for the Golden Boot next season, but between him and Taiwo Awoniyi, they should provide competent center-forward play for 90 minutes. The same was more or less true at left back last season, but given that most of their minutes in that position were played by Neco Williams, who is naturally a right-back, it`s arguably a more pressing priority.

17. Sunderland – As Much As They Can Get

This young Sunderland team has perhaps reached the Premier League a little ahead of schedule. A youthful side with underlying metrics typical of a team competing for playoff spots will struggle to survive in the top flight without significant investment. This will be even more true if they lose Jobe Bellingham to the Bundesliga. While it has sometimes been disheartening to see clubs use Premier League revenue primarily to fund a future push for promotion back to the top division, in Sunderland`s case, it might make sense to focus on acquiring the best young talent they can find.

18. Tottenham – Better Midfielders

This is about as straightforward as it gets. Regardless of who is in charge, Tottenham might as well approach their midfield situation as a completely blank canvas this summer. Their experienced midfielders offered little contribution last season, while promising players like Lucas Bergvall and Archie Gray (who performed well enough at center back to earn games higher up the pitch) are versatile enough to be built around any potential new signings.

19. West Ham – Another Striker to Hurl into the Vortex

You never know what you`re going to get when West Ham signs a striker, but you can place a fairly safe bet it won`t be a resounding success. Their record Premier League goalscorer is out of contract, and no one is certain how Michail Antonio will recover after his injury late last year. Niclas Fullkrug didn`t work out, nor did Evan Ferguson impress during his loan spell. Jarrod Bowen and Tomas Soucek appeared to be the only players who consistently found the back of the net last season, and the situation might not improve significantly in 2025-26 given the financial constraints at the London Stadium.

20. Wolves – A New Left Flank

Once again, Wolves will start the season having lost key players. Matheus Cunha is heading to Manchester United, and Rayan Ait Nouri will likely also move north up the M6 to join Manchester City. This means manager Vitor Pereira will need reliable Premier League-level performers for an entirely new side of the pitch. With these two sales potentially bringing in over $100 million, there should be funds available for the successor to Matt Hobbs to spend. Pablo Sarabia also needs replacing, and defensive depth is required. It`s no surprise reports suggest Wolves are leaning on agent Jorge Mendes again. Despite questions surrounding the close ties between the club and his agency Gestifute, their previous relationship brought talents like Joao Moutinho, Ruben Neves, Diogo Jota, and Raul Jimenez to Molineux. That caliber of player injection is precisely what they need once more.