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Hindustan Times
15 minutes ago
- Hindustan Times
Rebuilding time over, Premier League begins
Mumbai: The last time Liverpool FC defended their domestic crown was in 1984, well before England's top-flight First Division Football League had been rebranded as the Premier League. The team from Merseyside now has the opportunity of ending that 41-year wait for back-to-back league titles, as the new season of the marquee competition begins this Saturday. Liverpool's Mohamed Salah after winning the English Premier League title at Anfield in Liverpool in April. (AP) Liverpool, for whom the groundwork had been laid by former manager Jurgen Klopp, were led by Arne Slot in the 2024-25 season. The Dutchman hit the ground running as he helped the team win a joint-record 20th league title. But now the team that hopes to defend its crown for the first time in over four decades, will have to do so with a relatively new squad. But they are not the only team to break the bank in the summer transfer window. From the Big 6 of England to the newly promoted Leeds United, Burnley and Sunderland, the 20 Premier League clubs have spent close to $2 billion - as of August 14 - to prepare their squads for the coming term. Liverpool, though, have spent the most, around €300 million. The club set a new British transfer record by paying Bayer Leverkusen $156 million for Florian Wirtz. Slot has brought in new full-backs in Milos Kerkez and Jeremie Frimpong, along with French striker Hugo Ekitike from Eintracht Frankfurt. They replace Luis Diaz, Trent Alexander-Arnold and temperamental forward Darwin Nunez, and will support the ageing, yet important, stars Mohamed Salah (now 33) and Virgil van Dijk (34). There are also talks going on with Newcastle striker Alexander Isak to join the Reds. In the history of the Premier League, only Manchester United, Chelsea and Manchester City have defended their titles - the latter being four-time defending champions at the start of last season. Now Liverpool will hope to join that list. New challenge for Pep By Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola's high standards, the 2024-25 season, despite the team finishing third, was an utter failure. It was only the second time in Spaniard's managerial career that he finished a season without a major trophy. Crucially, in an interview with GQ magazine published earlier this month, Guardiola admitted that he is looking forward to taking a 15-year break once his time at City ends. But in November, he signed a new deal to keep him at the club till 2027. He hasn't been the most proactive during the summer transfer window, despite the club letting go of long-time talisman Kevin de Bruyne and former captain Kyle Walker. They do welcome the return of Ballon d'Or winner Rodri, who is back from a long-term injury. But in the Red side of Manchester, Ruben Amorin has been busy attempting another rebuild at United. The 20-time champions of England (record 13 in the Premier League) have not challenged for the title since the departure of Sir Alex Ferguson in 2013. Last year, they slumped to a 15th place finish in a season where possible relegation did threaten. Only three teams last season - including the three that were relegated - scored fewer goals than United. It prompted a big shakeup. And the spending of over €200 million to bring in Matheus Cunha, Bryan Mbeumo and Benjamin Sesko to bolster the frontline. London calling Also looking to score more are Arsenal. Mikel Arteta's team have finished as runners-up three seasons in a row. Last year, with 14 draws - less than only Everton - the Gunners weren't firing in as many goals as they needed. So they spent big to bring in Swedish striker Viktor Gyokeres to spearhead the team. The team also brought in Noni Madueke, Martin Zubimendi and Christian Nørgaard to strengthen the midfield. In all, so far, the Gunners have spent over €200 million. As have cross-city rivals Chelsea. The London club blew away Champions League winners Paris Saint-Germain 3-0 in the final of the FIFA Club World Cup in July. That event saw coach Enzo Maresca experiment with strategies, but put on a solid display of attacking football. So much so that at times, Chelsea's formation resembles a 3-2-5 when in attack. To shore up the forwardline are newcomers Liam Dilap and Joao Pedro. And while Chelsea did manage to win silverware in the build-up to this season, another London-club, Tottenham Hotspur lost the UEFA Cup to PSG on penalties on Thursday. Spurs, like United, had a forgetful domestic season. The North-London club finished 17th, just above the relegation zone. But in a remarkable twist, they managed to win the Europa League and will play in the Champions League this season. That win in Bilbao was the last competitive match in a Spurs shirt for talisman Hyeon-min Son. New manager Thomas Frank, in from Brentford, has been busy building up his new team, with Mohammed Kudus from West Ham United and Mathys Tel from Bayern Munich being the key signings. Joao Palhinha, a loanee from the German club can also be an important player for Spurs. English football, today, is a tale of three cities. But there will be interest in the way Newcastle United and Aston Villa show up - both teams earning a spot in European competition this year. And as this pre-season rebuild ends, the 34th Premier League season begins.
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First Post
15 minutes ago
- First Post
Premier League transfers: Liverpool eye two new signings but nothing new on Alexander Isak
Having made big money signings in the summer, Liverpool are not yet satisfied with the squad they have and reportedly want to make further improvements. As per the English media, the club has sights on two defenders. Having spent over 250 million in the summer transfer window ahead of the start of the 2025/26 season, are still not settled with their purchases and are reportedly monitoring two more targets. According to Express, the Reds are in advanced stages of signing Parma defender Giovanni Leoni. Manager Arne Slot has confirmed that Liverpool has agreed to sign the 18-year-old defender, but the deal is not closed yet. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD 'The clubs have agreed a deal but he has not signed for us yet. The moment he does, I can go into more detail,' Slot said, as quoted by the BBC. More from Football Giovanni Leoni has reportedly agreed to sign with Liverpool At 18, Leoni promises to offer so much to the EPL giants. He made 17 appearances for the Italian club last season and showcased that, besides being an astute defender, he carries an attacker's instinct as well. He scored a goal against Cagliari on only his second league start. While the wait is on, it is not a subject of any concern for Slot and co. as according to Sky Germany, Leoni wants to join the Reds with immediate effect. After striking the deal for Leoni, Liverpool are expected to shift attention to Crystal Palace defender Marc Guehi, as reported by Express. The club is highly interested in the player, something which became apparent when Arne Slot made a noticeable gesture before the Community Shield game last weekend. The Reds manager greeted the defender in the Wembley tunnel, and they were even seen chatting before kick-off as Palace inflicted an upset on Liverpool in the penalties. While the interest is reported by the English media, Slot remained tight-lipped when asked about Guehi's potential move to Anfield. 'He's not our player. Unfortunately, he was the captain of the team who we lost to last Sunday. If you want to have any talks about him, you should go to the Palace and [manager Oliver] Glasner and ask him about it,' Slot told BBC. Meanwhile, the situation around Alexander Isak has not moved an inch, with suspense surrounding whether the club will submit another bid for the Newcastle attacker or not.
The Hindu
44 minutes ago
- The Hindu
What to expect in this Premier League season?
Every new Premier League season throws up an array of surprises. As the new season kicks off on Friday with reigning champion Liverpool hosting AFC Bournemouth, expectations are soaring high. All 20 clubs have made promising signings, with the Premier League being the biggest spender in the top five European leagues. While Liverpool will look to defend the title after signing some marquee players, the challenge ahead is tougher than ever. While some complained of the league becoming easier as the Reds won last season with 84 points and second placed Arsenal finished 10 behind, part of the blame was put down to the decline of Manchester City. However, it's the teams in mid-table contention who've become stronger, making it difficult for the title challengers. The Big Six Though the idea of the 'Big Six' has become irrelevant with the emergence of teams like Newcastle United, Aston Villa, Nottingham Forest, and many more trying to catch up to that position, in terms of money, it's the richest clubs since 2010; Arsenal, Chelsea, Liverpool, Manchester City, Manchester United and Tottenham who make up the group. Viktor in his element 🫡 Gyokeres takes centre stage for In Focus 🔍 — Arsenal (@Arsenal) August 11, 2025 This transfer window is quite significant to prove why the 'Big Six' is still a dominant force in the league. About 39% of the intra-league moves have been these six clubs acquiring players from the rest of the teams. This is the highest share since 2010. Arsenal, with three consecutive second place finishes, needed to fill in the last piece to the puzzle. Despite trying midfielders Kai Harvertz and Mikel Merino as strikers, and at times succeeding in the process, it was evident that it needed a traditional striker. Now, having signed one of the promising talents in Europe, Viktor Gyokeres, it'll hope to complete the puzzle. Apart from this, the signing of Martin Zubimendi, who can control the game and provide key passes into the final third, is quite the upgrade on Thomas Partey, who departed the club this summer. The one upgrade the Gunners would've liked to have is a left-winger who can break the defensive lines when the opposition sits on a low block. Gabriel Martinelli will likely start at that position but he finds it difficult to break the defensive lines as manager Mikel Arteta emphasises on a high-press possession-based game from his players. Nevertheless, this Arsenal team looks stronger than last season on paper and only time can tell whether it can lift that prestigious trophy. Chelsea, with refreshing energy after winning the Club World Cup, has made some crucial signings. Its recruitment strategy in the last two years have raised eyebrows and questions abound whether the amount spent on new signings has yielded fruitful results. Well, some have succeeded and some have not. But the Blues seem to have understood that the modern game demands a lot of physical attributes and their signings have focused on players with those profiles. Romeo Lavia, Moises Caicedo, and plenty more who had a higher duel winning percentage were signed. This transfer window, Chelsea has stuck to signing young talent while there have been a lot of outgoings too. On paper, Chelsea looked like the best team last season. However, its attack heavily relied on Cole Palmer's heroics. This year, having signed Joao Pedro, Liam Delap, and Estevao, Palmer can relax a bit. Pedro has already shown what he can offer in front of goal in the Club World Cup and in the few friendlies Chelsea played. THE GIST All 20 clubs have made promising signings, with the Premier League being the biggest spender in the top five European leagues The teams in mid-table contention have become stronger, making it difficult for the title challengers Arsenal looks stronger than last season on paper and only time can tell whether it can lift that prestigious trophy Liverpool, having broken the bank on Florian Wirtz and others, will try to replicate what it achieved last season with even more intensity Guardiola will hope to change things for City after last season's disappointment and probably leave the job on a high-note as his contract is up by 2027 Apart from this, Chelsea has the strongest bench strength in the league, which can help in resting the main players in other domestic games. The one point to be noted is that this squad has a lot of youngsters — who may lack the experience, but brim with untamed energy. Liverpool, having broken the bank on Florian Wirtz and a host of other signings, will try to replicate what it achieved last season with even more intensity. In the few glimpses from the friendlies this season, its attack looks fluid. However, defence is a concern as it conceded 11 goals in six matches. It looks vulnerable while losing possession, making it easier for the opposition to counter in 1v1 situations. One of its back-up centre-backs Jarell Quansah left, leaving no other senior players to cover that position. Although head coach Arne Slot said that centre-back is not an area of concern, according to reports, Liverpool is working on signing two central defenders, including Crystal Palace captain Marc Guehi. However, signing players is merely the opening act, to form chemistry and cohesion among the players is still a task to build a balanced squad. Manchester City, the most successful club in this decade, took a back seat last season after the unfortunate injury of its anchoring midfielder Rodri. Despite spending a whopping £180m mid-season, the second highest for a January transfer window by any club, it was not at its best. While this raised questions about Pep Guadiola's tactics, City showed significant improvement in the friendly against the Italian side Palermo. Guardiola is a perfectionist and there is no room for mistakes. Likewise, he'll hope to change things for the club and leave the job on a high-note as his contract comes to an end by 2027. Manchester United, the club which has been in the process of a rebuild for more than a decade, found itself in its worst nightmare last season. The new manager Ruben Amorim took time to settle in and will hope to change the course of things this season with its revamped frontline. Aiming high 📈 Watch Sesko's first interview on YouTube now ⤵️🎬 — Manchester United (@ManUtd) August 11, 2025 Top attackers like Matheus Cunha, Bryan Mbeumo, Benjamin Sesko have preferred to join the team which finished 15th in the league without any European game-time. That's how strong United's pull is. It had areas of concern on all sides of the pitch. It especially looked vulnerable with its back-three approach, making it easier for the opposition to kill on transitions. Now that United has addressed its attacking concerns, it'll have to sharpen its defence and midfield to grab a spot to play in the Champions League next season. Tottenham, after a trophy drought of 17 years, won the Europa League last season. This gave it a boost to change its morale and mentality. However, manager Ange Postecoglou was sacked. This reflects that the management wants the club to compete for the title as it finished just one position above relegation. The new manager Thomas Frank, who had a successful stint at Brentford, has already made a mark with commendable signings. All areas look like they are sorted and some of the potential signings, as per reports, could alter the course of the club. Spurs could be the dark horse this season. The ascending ones The idea of the traditonal Big Six is disrupted because of the rise of clubs like Villa, Bournemouth, Palace, Newcastle and Forest. While there are a few others who can compete, these clubs stand out for their recruitment process and strategy on the pitch. However, these are the teams that have over-performed in the last season and may find it difficult to replicate what they have achieved. The teams have also seen more star outgoings than incomings. Well, that is the case with every other club out of the Big Six. While Newcastle tries not to lose its players, the transfer saga of Alexander Isak may affect the training of other players. Palace and Forest, with reports of key players departing or wanting to, leaves them in a tough spot to compete at the highest level. Bournemouth has almost lost its entire backline to bigger clubs and manager Andoni Iraola has a hue task at hand to rebuild it. Mid-table contenders In a competition like the Premier League, even the mid-table contenders trouble the big clubs. This slate has teams like Brighton & Hove Albion, Brentford, Everton, Fulham, and Wolves. Brighton and Brentford could potentially fight for a Europa League or Conference League spot, but the the constant selling of young talent by the former and the departure of Frank to Spurs for the later have put a cap on the two taking the next step up. Everton, after a disappointing start last season, bounced back with the re-appointment of David Moyes mid-season. Moyes led Everton to three consecutive Premier League wins early on. This streak helped stabilise Everton's league position and created a nine-point gap from the relegation zone at one point. Fulham and Wolves have not made a mark in the transfer market yet. This could leave them on the back foot, offering an open invitation to the opposition to run the show. The promoted teams The Championship winner Leeds United played a possession-based game with narrow wingers. However, that might not work against the English giants and it has to make some tactical tweaks to stay in the Premier League. Burnley, having taken the exactly opposite route of Leeds, was comfortable sitting on a low block and scoring on counters. The team played 12 goalless draws last season. This has sometimes worked for newly promoted teams. Forest under Nuno Espirito Santo relied on a similar approach. Only time will tell if this gamble keeps Burnley's Premier League torch burning. Sunderland, after a dramatic win to secure a place in the Premier League, seems like a team that wants to capitalise on the promotion. According to Transfermarkt, it has spent £130 (including add-ons), making it the seventh-highest spender in this transfer window. The promoted teams who've spent big have always had fruitful results and Sunderland will look to follow that path.
