The current Premier League season is drawing to a slow conclusion with Liverpool already crowned champions and the relegation positions settled.
The race for European places is highly competitive, but for all the clubs competing in arguably the best league in the world next season, including Leeds United and Burnley who have bounced back after their respective relegations in 2023 and 2024, work on the summer transfer window will have already begun.
Teams will be looking to add further quality, raise funds, or trim down squads and a flurry of transfer activity is expected between now and the closing of the window on Monday 1st September. With every position across the pitch of vital importance, here is how each area of the pitch could be affected throughout the summer transfer window.
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Goalkeepers
The future of Andre Onana has been seriously called into question after a catalogue of errors, most recently in the 2-2 draw away at Lyon in the Europa League. Luckily, the mistakes did not cost his club as Manchester United pulled off one of the comebacks of the ages to progress in extra time at Old Trafford. United have been linked with a series of goalkeepers including James Trafford (Burnley), Joan Garcia (Espanyol), and Lucas Chevalier (Lille) as they look to fix the last line of defence, while Onana has been interesting a handful of clubs in Saudi Arabia.
Defenders
While goalkeepers can win points on their own, a quality defensive line in front of them can provide a strong foundation for any team. A lot of movement is expected in the Premier League as teams look to bolster their back lines. For Bournemouth, the south coast side could be set to lose two of their most prized assets. Dean Huijsen and Milos Kerkez have both been linked with moves to Liverpool, with Huijsen even attracting admirers from Real Madrid.
While the loss of the Spaniard and Hungarian would be a huge blow, Bournemouth would pocket substantial profits from the pair for their own summer transfer window war chest. Elsewhere around the country, Chelsea is expected to continue splashing the cash and have been heavily linked with a bid for former defender Marc Guéhi, who has shone as the leader of Crystal Palace in yet another solid season for the south London club.
Enzo Maresca’s will want to feature further up the Premier League table next season to have something to show for all the money spent over the last few years since the Todd Boehly-led consortium started flexing its financial muscles. And many within the corridors of Stamford Bridge believe Guéhi could be vital to this success. However, Newcastle United will also be monitoring this story closely.
Midfielders
One of the transfer sagas that dates all the way back to last summer surrounds the future of 2024 UEFA European Championship winner, Martin Zubimendi. A protracted move to Liverpool did not materialize in the summer of 2024, and it is Arsenal who have stolen a march on the Spaniard, who replaced Rodri at half time in the Euro 2024 final win against England. Arsenal’s attempts could however be thwarted by Real Madrid if Los Blancos decide to appoint Xabi Alonso as Carlo Ancelotti’s replacement.
The Bayer 04 Leverkusen manager is said to be a big fan of his fellow countryman and would see him as an ideal fit to anchor the Real midfield. But while Zubimendi initially got away from Liverpool, a midfielder Arne Slot is reportedly looking to add to his championship-winning team is VfB Stuttgart’s Angelo Stiller. The former TSG Hoffenheim midfielder has impressed as a playmaker in Sebastian Hoeneß’ side and also picked up valuable Champions League experience this season with the German side.
With Liverpool remaining injury-free over the course of the season, unlike their title rivals, Arsenal and Manchester City, adding depth in quality will be Slot’s priority as the Dutchman looks to win back-to-back Premier League trophies.
Strikers
From the bottom of the pitch, we arrive at the sharp end of it and there are a host of hitmen that could be causing Premier League defences havoc next season. The form of Bryan Mbeumo this season at Brentford has not gone unnoticed and many believe the Cameroonian has reached the end of the road with Thomas Frank’s team. At the age of 25, Mbeumo still has his best years in front of him, something that has not been ignored by the likes of Arsenal, Liverpool, Tottenham Hotspur, Manchester United, and Chelsea.
Manchester United especially are in dire need of a centre forward, with Ruben Amorim far from satisfied with the end product of Rasmus Højlund and Joshua Zirkzee. You can check today’s sports news and tips at MegaTipsList to find the long list of strikers United are linked with. They include Ademola Lookman (Atalanta), the aforementioned Bryan Mbeumo, and Matheus Cunha (Wolverhampton Wanderers), but top of Amorim’s wish list would be Viktor Gyökeres, a striker who continues to plunder goals for fun at Amorim’s former club Sporting Lisbon.
The Swede has also interested Arsenal, who have been in desperate need of a natural number 9 for seasons. Alongside Alexander Isak and Benjamin Šeško, Gyökeres remains a key target as The Gunners look to find the final piece of the jigsaw to finally win the Premier League under Mikel Arteta.
