StaffThe start of the 2020/2021 Premier League season will bring along many new expectations and excitement amongst the fans for what’s to come for their team. Be it the hope for avoiding relegation by the newly promoted teams, the race for securing one of the four Champions League spots, or the fight among the best of the lot to lift that coveted trophy this year. All the clubs have made at least one addition to their team to reach their season goals. Let us have a preview of the 20 clubs looking to battle it out in one of the world’s toughest leagues.
Arsenal had a rollercoaster of a season last year. With not being able to get into the European football places by finishing 8th in the league, then qualifying for the Europa League group stages in style by winning the FA Cup under newly appointed manager, Mikel Arteta, the gunners have had a complete turn around in terms of their style of playing football. They have a lot of positives to look to from their season.
Arteta, who will have a full season to manage this time, will be looking forward to putting Arsenal back on top of the table. He has secured some excellent signings to help imbibe his plans into the team without any problems. The Spanish has landed the signature of Chelsea winger Willian on a free transfer this summer along with 22-year-old Gabriel Magalhaes from Lille for £27 million and even extended influential midfielder Dani Ceballos loan deal from Real Madrid to another year. The London club will be looking to at least grab on to one of the Champions League Spots after showing a promising display in their Community Shield triumph against defending champions, Liverpool.
After performing the great escape from the relegation battle last year, the fans would be delighted to see their team play another year of Premier League football at Villa Park. Manager Dean Smith has brought in Brentford striker Ollie Watkins and midfielder Ben Christine from Exeter. Both the players will be expected to step up their game for the league, having played only in the lower division. Even after a lot of interest from clubs like Man United, Aston Villa has managed to keep their key player and captain Jack Grealish, who got his first England call up recently. Dean Smith’s side will be looking to compete against the mid-table clubs but are still lacking quality.
The Seagulls had a below-average season last year and would have considered themselves lucky to get some results after the restart previous season and to save themselves from relegation. Graham Potter has made some good signings all over the field by adding Jensen Weir (Midfielder – Wigan), Joel Veltman (Defender – Ajax), Zak Emmerson (Forward – Oldham), Lars Dendoncker (Midfielder – Club Brugge), and the most important one, Adam Lallana (Midfielder – Liverpool). He will be expecting to end in the top half of the table this season with the help of some good performances by the new names.
Sean Dyche’s Burnley was able to finish in the top half of the table and look dangerous from time to time. Having only made one signing in this window so far, which is wolves Goalkeeper Will Norris, his side could face many problems next year and might have a downward trajectory to where they were last year.
In the pursuit of making up for the lost time after being banned from the transfer market for two windows last year, Frank Lampard is wasting no time and has signed six players so far where all the other clubs are hesitating to spend money due to the Covid-19 scenario. Chelsea have signed world-class players like – Hakim Ziyech (Winger – Ajax), Timo Werner (Forward – RB Leipzig), Ben Chilwell (Left Back – Leicester), Thiago Silva (Center Back – Paris Saint-Germain), Kai Havertz (Attacking Midfielder – Bayer Leverkusen) and Malang Sarr (Defender -Nice). They are even looking to get a new goalkeeper after Kepa’s disappointing season and could sign Rennes goalkeeper Edouard Mendy in the coming days.
The Eagles had an average season too and didn’t perform to their best abilities after the restart resulting in a 14th place finish in the last season. Roy Hodgson’s side has made a total of 3 signings to help the team – Eberechi Eze (Attacking Midfielder – Queens Park Rangers), Nathan Ferguson (Defender – West Brom), Michy Batshuayi (Striker – Chelsea(loan)). They will be looking to better their last year’s performance with the help of key player Wilfred Zaha looking in good form in the friendlies.
Carlo Ancelloti is looking to completely turn around the club’s luck by bringing in world-class players to the team. The pull he has to attract really good players is helping Everton to achieve great results in the future. They have signed Niels Nkounkou (Left Back – Marseille), James Rodríguez (Attacking Midfielder – Real Madrid), Abdoulaye Doucoure (Midfielder – Watford), Allan (Midfielder – Napoli). Everton can have an excellent season if things go according to the plan and can even clinch a European place next year.
Newly promoted Fulham team will be looking forward to a successful season ahead after securing influential signings Anthony Knockaert from Brighton and Antonee Robinson from Wigan. Scott Parker is looking like the team’s right man with good performances in the past under him.
The legendary Argentinian Manager has successfully helped Leeds United get promoted to the Premier League as champions and have made additions to their squad by signing Helder Costa (Winger – Wolves), Rodrigo (Forward – Valencia), and Robin Koch (Centre Back – Freiburg).
After the disappointment of not being able to qualify for the Champions League last season, positive looking Leicester will go into the new season with higher spirits and hope to achieve their team goals this season. They have signed Atalanta defender Timothy Castagne who impressed Brendan Rodgers in Atalanta’s UCL campaign.
The defending champions will be looking to establish their dominance once again but are aware of the rising competition for the title. Jurgen Klopp’s men will look to defend their title with full vigor after a disappointing loss against Arsenal in the Community Shield this year. They have only signed Olympiacos Left Back Kostas Tsimikas in this window.
Pep Guardiola’s men will be looking to give a tough fight to Liverpool for the title after a disappointing season last year. They have added to their long list of defensive signings under Pep by signing Bournemouth’s Nathan Ake and have also bought Attacker Ferran Torres from Valencia this year as a replacement for Leroy Sane.
The Red Devils will be looking to finally go at the title after showing positive glimpses at the end of the season and securing Champions League football for next year. They have signed the talented Midfielder Donny Van de Beek from Ajax, who will join the star-studded United Midfield this season.
The magpies have signed Callum Wilson (Forward – Bournemouth), Jamal Lewis (Left Back – Norwich), Ryan Fraser (Winger – Bournemouth). All of them have Premier League experience in the past and will prove to be a good trio of signings. They will be hoping of a top-half finish in the season this year.
The blades have really impressed after coming back to the premier league last year and produced many upsets and good performances, earning them 9th place finish. Chris Wilder has a very tough team. With him, they can easily compete for European places next season. After the departure of their star Goalkeeper Dean Henderson who came on loan from Man United, they have signed Aaron Ramsdale (Goalkeeper – Bournemouth), Max Lowe (Left Back – Derby), and Jayden Bogle (Right Back – Derby).
After their humiliating 9-0 loss to Leicester City, Ralph Hasenhuttl has done some fantastic work with the team and finished at 11th place last season. He has made some intelligent signings by getting Kyle Walker-Peters (Right Back – Tottenham), and Mohammed Salisu (Center Back – Real Valladolid) and will look to finish in the top half next season.
Jose Mourinho will be looking to win a trophy this season as he has done in every club he has worked with. The task won’t be that easy but is possible, and after getting Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg (Midfielder – Southampton) and Matt Doherty (Right Back – Wolves), they can put the other teams to test for sure.
The baggies are back to the Premier League after coming 2nd in the championship and earning automatic promotion. They have signed Grady Diangana (Winger – West Ham) and Matheus Pereira (Winger – Sporting Lisbon). They will be looking to ensure survival for this season.
With West Ham’s worst Premier League finish since returning in 2012, David Moyes men were lucky to survive last season. They will be looking to do much better this time around with new signing Tomas Soucek, the defensive midfielder from Slavia Prague, joining them this season.
Wolves had a season to remember last year as they finished at 7th place. Nuno Espirito Santo would be looking to have a more impactful season this year and proving the haters wrong about being a one-season wonder team. New additions Fábio Silva (Forward – Porto), and Marçal (Left Back-Lyon), will help the Portuguese in their endeavors this season.
Written By
Shashwat Nishant
