Premier League Transfer Shopping List: Why Man City Need The Star Liverpool Are Chasing, And Each Team’s Needs

The seemingly endless football season is finally (mostly) concluded. Now we can focus on the true essence of this sport: player transfers. Winning the Premier League? That merely serves as a means to acquire even more costly and flashy talent. A thrilling climb up the league or a deep run in domestic cup competitions? Apologies, but you`ve simply made yourselves attractive targets for bigger clubs.

Naturally, all of this is significant. It is genuinely important. This is why Liverpool brought in numerous players before convincingly winning the league. Brighton invested more than any European club last summer, and you could really see the impact, couldn`t you? Couldn`t you?

Yet, one undeniable fact is the global appetite for transfer news. Hope is a powerful stimulant, and nothing provides a bigger thrill than contemplating the potential of a signing from, say, the German second division. So, if you crave transfer content, let`s see how you handle an entire 20-team league`s worth. And don`t even think about skipping the lesser-known teams; I`ll be watching.

1. Arsenal – Attacking Stardust

Fundamentally, things are quite stable at Arsenal. They could field last season`s squad along with Martin Zubimendi – expected to join in the coming weeks – and have a strong possibility of challenging for the title. Their defense and the system Mikel Arteta has implemented for controlling matches are effective. The focus now is on enhancing their chances of finishing first. This necessitates securing what appears to be among the most challenging signings in the current market: ceiling-raising attackers.

They likely need one for both the center forward and left wing positions. While Kai Havertz and Gabriel Martinelli are good, they aren`t necessarily potential top-five-in-the-world players. These are ambitious and costly moves, and there are no guarantees regarding either Viktor Gyokeres or Benjamin Sesko as potential new number nines.

2. Aston Villa – The January Loanees

Missing out on the Champions League might leave Monchi and the team closer to the PSR limit than desired. This is unfortunate, given the success they had with their high-profile January arrivals. Offering Marcus Rashford a full season on his Manchester United salary might be beyond Villa`s means, despite his impressive 0.88 non-penalty expected goals + expected assists (npxG+xA) average after moving to the Midlands. The equally effective Marco Asensio might be a more feasible option, while young Zepiqueno Redmond arriving from Feyenoord represents a longer-term prospect.

3. Bournemouth – Replacements for Their Stars

Bournemouth could face a difficult situation this summer. Dean Huijsen already needs replacing, Milos Kerkez likely will too, and as the transfer window opens, speculation is already circulating about the futures of Antoine Semenyo and Ilia Zarbanyi. The Cherries acquired these four players for a combined total of around $80 million, most of which was recovered when Huijsen joined Real Madrid. This shows their market savvy. However, one would rather not have to work so hard just to regain the talent level achieved at the end of last season.

4. Brentford – Midfield Control

Once again last season, Thomas Frank expertly tailored his team`s style. He leveraged the talents of Bryan Mbeumo, Yoane Wissa, and Kevin Schade (one to watch for 2025-26) with a system that utilized more long balls and focused on attacking down the flanks. Mikkel Damsgaard also showed promise. However, it felt as though this approach was adopted not only to exploit their best players` strengths but also to mask a midfield that wasn`t quite as effective as it had been in previous years.

5. Brighton – Just a Quiet Summer

Certainly, there are weaknesses one could point out in this Brighton side. They were overly reliant on Danny Welbeck for goals. The defense conceded worrying chances, and it wasn`t immediately clear that Fabian Hurzeler was maximizing his players` potential. However, a degree of instability at Brighton is understandable given the frequent changes in coaching and playing staff in recent years. While the defense could benefit from some fresher, younger players, realistically, nothing would have a greater positive impact at the Amex Stadium than a summer and autumn free from coaching changes or transfer sagas.

6. Burnley – Plenty of Attackers

Last season`s three newly promoted teams at the bottom scored a combined 95 goals across their 114 games. While a high-scoring attack doesn`t guarantee Premier League survival, it certainly improves your chances. This is worth noting because Burnley had only the 10th best xG in the Championship last season, earning promotion based on an excellent defense and an outstanding James Trafford. Only one of their players, Zian Flemming, averaged over 0.3 npxG per 90, and none created more than two chances per game. This must change.

7. Chelsea – A Veteran Defender

The Clearlake Capital plan, worth $1.3 billion, is largely progressing as intended. Chelsea secured entry to the lucrative Champions League on the final day and comfortably won the one competition they were expected to dominate. Enzo Maresca will hope his squad gained a winning mentality in the Conference League, as that should be the primary focus for this young group over the next two to three years: closing the gap on the Premier League`s top three and ensuring this young squad reaches its peak with a taste for victory.

Therefore, while their strategy might be to nurture the world`s brightest young talents, there should be room for exceptions, particularly in defense, where experience can be invaluable. Chelsea are seeking a center back to ease the workload on Wesley Fofana. Why not make that a veteran who can mentor the development of others? Consider the impact Thiago Silva had in his four years with the club. Could Mats Hummels or perhaps John Stones fill such a role effectively?

8. Crystal Palace – Squad Depth

Given their impressive form in the latter half of the 2024-25 season, perhaps the best course of action for Crystal Palace is to keep Oliver Glasner`s starting eleven together. It certainly took time to find their rhythm without Michael Olise and Joachim Andersen ten months ago. If the Eagles can fend off bigger clubs this summer, they have the potential to make a significant impact in either the Europa League or the Premier League. To excel in both, they require depth, especially to cover for Daniel Munoz and Tyrick Mitchell. Both players would struggle to add Thursday night European football to over 3,000 minutes of domestic wing-back duties.

*Incidentally, we`ve discussed eight clubs and haven`t reached the letter D? When will the independent football regulator address the absurd alphabetical imbalance of the Premier League?

9. Everton – Players, Plenty of Players

On a positive note, David Moyes has a relatively clean slate as he begins his first full season of his second spell at Everton. Up to eleven players could leave this summer on free transfers or as loans expire. While new owners The Friedkin Group have work to do to resolve the financial issues, there should finally be funds available to strengthen the squad.

Following Moyes` appointment, Everton`s xG began to improve, ranking 12th in the division at about 1.3 per game. A right winger capable of beating his man and delivering crosses would boost the xG. After that, it becomes a matter of converting chances. This likely means bidding farewell to Dominic Calvert-Lewin, whose extensive track record suggests he will consistently finish below his xG. It means welcoming a new striker capable of competing with, and ideally surpassing, Beto, who at 27 is perhaps still slightly too unpolished.

10. Fulham – A Really Good Striker

Considering the number of attackers Marco Silva deployed, he managed to construct a reasonably effective defense for Fulham last season. Ultimately, what was missing in a campaign that briefly hinted at European qualification was some game-changers in the final third. This was a team adept at getting into dangerous areas but struggled to capitalize, ranking sixth in final third touches but only 12th for touches in the box. Fulham has benefited significantly from Raul Jimenez and Rodrigo Muniz in recent years, but if they aim to break into the top half, a superior forward would provide a vital focal point for the players behind them.

11. Leeds – Goalkeeping Upgrade

Towards the end of last season, something that had long been evident to everyone outside of the Elland Road dugout suddenly became clear to Daniel Farke. Illan Meslier simply wasn`t providing sufficient shot-stopping ability, regardless of his proficiency with the ball at his feet. Goalkeeper statistics can be misleading over small sample sizes, but 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 concede six or seven more goals per year than they should. Caoimhin Kelleher seemed like a perfect fit for Leeds, but unfortunately, he also interested Brentford. Aaron Ramsdale had a solid season despite Southampton`s relegation, while Nick Pope might be available if Newcastle finally finds the goalkeeper they`ve been searching for. With a reliable goalkeeper between the posts, this Leeds team has a chance at survival.

12. Liverpool – A Fabinho-esque Anchor

This situation is becoming quite complex due to the speed at which Michael Edwards is utilizing his budget. Jeremie Frimpong is in, and it`s likely that Milos Kerkez and Florian Wirtz will follow. That`s a substantial amount of talent to acquire. The next challenge is integrating them, particularly given that Liverpool appears to have signed two full-backs whose main strengths lie in attacking forward into the final third.

Balancing this could fall to last season`s midfield pairing of Alexis Mac Allister and Ryan Gravenberch, but both are profiled as more effective ball progressors than defensive winners. They aren`t poor defensively by any means, but if Liverpool needs an option for games where they don`t dominate possession, an upgrade on Wataru Endo wouldn`t be unwelcome.

13. Manchester City – Florian Wirtz

Ah, well, this is awkward. It`s simply that if you were replacing Kevin De Bruyne, the Premier League`s great 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 at the end of the 2023-24 season, perhaps you could justify pushing the boat out and overspending on that one must-have acquisition?

How Wirtz and Cherki compared last season

Instead, it seems likely that City will pursue Rayan Cherki, certainly a more reasonably priced deal, even if speculation about a $25.7 million release clause is reportedly inaccurate. Perhaps the difference between the Lyon player and Wirtz isn`t worth another $100 million-plus. After all, they produced similar combined xG and xA last season, although Ligue 1 might be an easier league to accumulate attacking statistics. And when you have the financial resources that City possesses, is it truly worth shying away from the very best available?

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 more forwards. Given Jim Ratcliffe`s comments about their analytics department, this recognition is significant. However, there`s a concern they might be sorting their data purely by output.

Matheus Cunha and Bryan Mbeumo are both better than what they had, but anyone anticipating a repeat of their combined 35 Premier League goals would be wise to consider their xG of 12.28 (Mbeumo) and 8.65 (Cunha). These two had the second and fourth largest xG overperformances in Europe`s top five leagues last season, and neither is Lionel Messi or prime 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. Pry Nicolas Jackson away from Chelsea. Bring Alvaro Morata back to the top leagues!

15. Newcastle – A Star on the Right Wing

Apologies to Jacob Murphy. Second for assists in the Premier League last season is commendable, but the obvious position for an upgrade 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. They have also been linked with Francisco Trincao, a potentially effective, though more purely creative, choice.

16. Nottingham Forest – A Left Back, I Guess

Much like Crystal Palace mentioned earlier, there isn`t a great deal of tinkering one would want to do to the starting eleven. A clear-eyed assessment of Chris Wood suggests he likely won`t be challenging for the Golden Boot next season, but between him and Taiwo Awoniyi, you should get 90 minutes of competent center forward play. The same was generally true at left back this season, but given that the majority of their left-back minutes last season were filled by Neco Williams playing out of position, that is perhaps a more pressing priority.

17. Sunderland – As Much As They Can Get

This youthful team is arguably in the Premier League a little ahead of schedule. A young side with underlying metrics typical of one competing for playoff spots in the Championship is unlikely to survive in the top flight without substantial investment. This will be even more true if they lose Jobe Bellingham to the Bundesliga. It has been occasionally discouraging in recent years to see clubs use their access to Premier League wealth primarily to fund another attempt at promotion the following year. However, in Sunderland`s case, it might make sense to equip themselves with 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 treat their midfield as a completely blank canvas this summer. Their veteran players offered little last season, while promising prospects Lucas Bergvall and Archie Gray (who performed well enough at center back to warrant a run of games further forward) are adaptable enough that you could build the midfield around any new additions you desire.

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 make a pretty safe bet it won`t be a resounding success. Their greatest Premier League era scorer is out of contract, and no one is sure how Michail Antonio will fare after his injury late last year. Niclas Fullkrug hasn`t worked out, nor did Evan Ferguson impress on loan. Jarrod Bowen and Tomas Soucek seemed like the only players who knew how to find the net last season. Things might not improve significantly in 2025-26 given the financial pressures at the London Stadium.

20. Wolves – A New Left Flank

Once again, Wolves will start a season having lost key contributors. Matheus Cunha is off to Manchester United, and Rayan Ait Nouri will likely also be heading north to join City. That leaves an entire side of the pitch where Vitor Pereira will need reliable Premier League performers. With those two departures bringing in over $100 million, the successor to Matt Hobbs should have funds to spend. Pablo Sarabia also needs replacing, and defensive depth is required. It`s no surprise Wolves are reportedly leaning on Jorge Mendes again. Despite questions about the close ties between them and Gestifute, this relationship previously brought players like Joao Moutinho, Ruben Neves, Diogo Jota, and Raul Jimenez to Molineux. That`s the kind of talent injection they need once more.