The Premier League season is rapidly approaching and the amount of exciting buildup is amassing exponentially. Shock transfers, preseason clashes and off the pitch news around which club will feature in each european competition. The Premier League is renowned for its competitive nature and this article will breakdown just how the Wonderkid thinks things will unfold.
20. Leeds United
An unfortunate placement it is, rock bottom of the Premier League. But it wouldn’t be a far cry to claim that Leeds United look to be the worst team in the English top flight in the upcoming season. They haven’t reinforced horribly, signing Nmecha in attack, Sean Longstaff and Anton Stach in midfield, Jaka Bijol, Sebastiaan Bornauw and Gabriel Gudmundsson in defense and brought in new goalkeeper Lucas Perri from Lyon. No huge departures from the newly promoted side, perhaps Junior Firpo as the most significant. They, however, are entering the world most cutthroat league who are all strengthening just as much if not more than Leeds themselves. They didn’t exactly run away with the Championship either, tying on points with Burnley on 100 points. When it comes to clashes with fellow relegation candidates, their lack of reinforcement to the scale required will likely be evident and hinder their candidacy of staying in the Premier League. It is a harsh pick, but ultimately no-one really deserves to finish rock bottom in this Premier League from what it looks like, and Leeds will likely put up a fight on the way down.
19. Burnley
Burnley are yet another one of my picks to unfortunately go back down to the Championship in the 25/26 campaign. They tied on 100 points to be runners-up in the 24/25 championship behind Leeds, but have reinforced impressively. They acquired veterans Kyle Walker and Martin Dubravka and promising players with a point to prove such as Armando Broja. It must be noted that these transfers will revolutionize their squad from their last campaign and these established leaders could help them stabilize into the Premier League. Unfortunately I think the quality of already-established sides will be too overwhelming for Burnley; an unfortunate truth. The quality that’s currently present in the side is likely enough to help them finish above Leeds United and put up a fight ahead of their struggle in a relegation battle. It’s hard to see them staying up when the clubs above them are acting similarly to them in the transfer market despite already having a Premier League quality club.
18. Brentford
In the direct aftermath of the 24/25 Premier League season, picking Brentford to go down likely would have come with a one-way ticket to the psych ward. A high point total and established stars having a positive season would make Brentford seem a prime candidate to stay in the Premier League in a strong position well above the relegation battle riff-raff. Now, the departures of Nørgaard, Mbeumo, Flekken and now possibly Yoanne Wissa will put Brentford in a tough position. They’ve invested frugally, purchasing former Liverpool captain Jordan Henderson, young promise Antoni Milambo and former Liverpool goalkeeper Caoimhin Kelleher who has performed amazingly for the scousers in the past few seasons in the absence of Alisson. However, when you see the way the newly promoted teams have reinforced and spent, Brentford falls behind in their business. Teams that were already in the Premier League largely have spent more impressively as well, leaving Brentford to fall behind the pack and it looks like they are likely to struggle. It has become a common opinion that Brentford will enter the relegation dogfight, but it’s for a reason. They are the 3rd and final team that is predicted to be relegated.
17. Sunderland
Newly promoted Sunderland are a rogue pick to stay up in the Premier League for the 25/26 season. The mixture of underdog mentality, ingenious business in the transfer window and motivation to get the double over their bitter rivals Newcastle, I think, will be the only promoted side to remain in the Premier League and the only newly promoted side to stay up out of the last three seasons. The business done especially has been unbelievable, bringing in more players than both Leeds and Burnley. Star players like Granit Xhaka and Simon Adingra bring Premier League experience and players with promise or have done well in other surrounding talent-rich leagues in an underrated setting will revolutionize the side. Perhaps even a 17th place finish is harsh for such a well reinforced team, but the quality already present in the Premier League will make it very difficult for Sunderland as it is. The business done has been like nothing we’ve ever seen from newly promoted sides in recent years and if they can’t stay in the top flight, there might have to be some serious questions to be asked about the rigor that is staying in the Premier League and whether or not certain rules and regulations need to be adjusted to make it realistic for newly promoted teams to at least fight and have a chance at staying in the fray.
16. Bournemouth
At the first glance this placement of AFC Bournemouth may shock you. They are coming off of a 9th place finish with star performers such as Dean Huijsen and Milos Kerkez making a name for themselves, and are currently top of the 25/26 table (alphabetically), but that’s the key. Their rising star-filled defense has been torn to shreds, ripped apart and pawned off to European giants such as PSG, Liverpool and Real Madrid. They’ve done little to add to the squad, with the only noticeable positives being the signings of Serbian goalkeeper Đorđe Petrović and French fullback Adrien Truffert. Those are the only signings so far, though, and that is not as impressive as many newly promoted sides who are hoping to capitalize on complacent Premier League regulars. Bournemouth have a rough start to their Premier League campaign as well, starting off with Liverpool and also meeting Tottenham and Newcastle in their first 5 fixtures. A rough start paired with an underwhelming transfer window may thrust Bournemouth into the relegation mix when they least expect it.
15. Fulham
If you want to talk about underwhelming transfer business, look no further. Obviously it doesn’t singlehandedly shape the future of a football club, but transfer movement is a huge part of a club’s success. Their lone signing is French goalkeeper Benjamin Lecomte from relegated Montpellier for half a million euros. It’s quite frugal spending for a club considering that they fell short of a top half finish and were in European spots throughout the course of the season but dropped off as the league progressed. Their opening match is on Saturday the 16th of August and they have 0 new outfield players to speak of, a shocking truth that must be amended if they wish to improve in a noticeable way on their last campaign. Fulham haven’t lost anyone significant, so perhaps it won’t be as low a finish as 15th, but with a lot of surrounding clubs upgrading their squads, Fulham may very well drop behind the pace they need to be at.
14. West Ham
Some may pick West Ham for a low finish, likely due to their lackluster 14th place finish. I think they’ll be able to maintain such a finish due to some solid signings, but the sole standout is Danish goalkeeper Mads Hermansen. He was one of the most impressive players from the relegated sides last season and looks to be the second coming of Kasper Schmeichel. Other decent signings fill in some needed slots but ultimately nothing that should shake up the core of the team. Their pre-season results were tumultuous but ultimately there were many positives to be found like in certain players they’d already purchased such as Niclas Füllkrug who found the back of the net in the last 3 matches. They will likely find themselves ahead of the relegation struggle and it wouldn’t be shocking to see previous signings, such as the aforementioned Füllkrug and Crysencio Summerville, for example, come good. After all these positives, it must be mentioned that the departures of Mohammed Kudus, Vladimir Coufal and Michail Antonio will severely hamper the squad. It’s a safe bet that these factors will balance out and West Ham will find themselves unmoved from their previous league finish.
13. Wolves
Wolves are probably a common pick to be in a relegation scrap especially after the departure of Brazilian forward Matheus Cunha who was the star of the feisty Wolves side of the 24/25 season. Transfer-wise, they’ve done relatively well, purchasing Spanish youngster Fer Lopez and underrated Colombian gem Jhon Arias from Fluminense. They also brought in two Norwegians, finalizing the formerly loan deal for Jørgen Strand Larsen of Celta Vigo and the addition of David Møller Wolfe from AZ Alkmaar. This stellar business really looks promising for Wolves and they may not have to worry about the countless losses in the transfer window. Their start to the season is rough with Manchester City, but they don’t face either of the top two from the 24/25 season until December (where they face both), which could help them develop form and a points tally above the relegation battlers. Ultimately time will tell how Wolves fair, but if they manage to utilize their new signings well and maintain solid form until the Christmas-time, they’ll be far and away from the relegation scrap.
12. Everton
Everton are cooking. New stadium, star signings, no huge departures, a first full season back for David Moyes. Jack Grealish on Loan, Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall, Thierno Barry, Adam Aznou, Mark Travers and the finalization of the loan deal for Carlos Alcaraz are their incoming transfers which are all great additions to the previously lackluster Everton squad. The Hill Dickinson Stadium is a great new venue for Everton to have a successful season. As previously mentioned, the likes of Jordan Pickford and Iliman Ndiaye remain at the club for their next season as it stands, meaning the core of their stalwart Premier League team is still in action and will be molding to accommodate the new signings. Everton have always been a good defensive side, so that’s why there’s been few defending additions, but these attacking and midfield players are just what Everton need, hopefully solving their goalscoring issues that are holding them back from better things. They haven’t finished this high since the 20/21 season, and so this is a big bet, but everything is looking to be a positive season for the toffees in 25/26.
11. Nottingham Forest
Not too long ago, Nottingham Forest were in the fierce battle for Champions League football, but the pressure and competition got to them and they fell down the table to a staunch 7th place finish, 10 places higher than the previous season. Due to legal issues regarding Crystal Palace’s ownership, Forest have been upgraded to the Europa League, rather than the Conference League despite finishing in the place correlated with the latter. A positive change in some ways, negative in others. Whilst it is a more prestigious competition, it is also a more difficult one to win, with higher level competition of which I do not think they will win, unlike the Conference League which they had a strong shout of winning. These extra rigorous fixtures could hamper Forest’s Premier League performance and distract from a positive or consistent finish. Their big miss in the transfer realm is primarily Anthony Elanga who was immense in their unique Premier League run, who moves to Champions League competitors Newcastle United. They’ve invested well, notably bringing in two stars of Botafogo who performed admirably in the FIFA Club World Cup and Dan Ndoye of Switzerland from Bologna. The question must be raised as to if they can keep up a top 7 placement, and I think with all the distractions of European competition, the loss of key players and pressure to repeat such a wonderful achievement will cost Nottingham Forest.
10. Crystal Palace
12th Place and a trophy was a dream for Crystal Palace. Now they’re fairytale continues with European competition for the first time in the UEFA Conference League, where they are strong contenders. They’ve just come off the back of an FA Cup win against Manchester City and a Community Shield victory against English champions Liverpool. A huge start for the Eagles who need to try their best to keep this run of success going. The signings have been underwhelming, with only Borna Sosa of Croatia and Walter Benitez of Argentina joining. If they manage to retain Eberechi Eze for another season, their squad’s core would remain strong enough to improve. The Colombian duo of Daniel Muñoz and Jefferson Lerma have been incredible the past campaign and were some of the best performers in their historic trophy-winning season and are both staying as it stands. Defenders such as Chris Richards, Maxence Lacroix and Marc Guehi have kept their defense tightly locked and they’ll continue to cause a challenge for even the strongest Premier League teams. They are only getting better and, as I mentioned, if they don’t lose any key players, they are bound to improve on their 12th place finish in the 24/25 season.
9. Brighton
Brighton & Hove Albion went under the radar in the 24/25 season, finishing in an impressive 8th place. No-one really noticed how well they were performing, but they were consistently in the race for European competition and fighting well against some of the higher placed teams. They are likely to lose Carlos Baleba to Manchester United, but due to the transfer policies of Brighton, you wouldn’t be shocked if they recover unscathed. They’ve purchased well as per usual, bringing in promising youth and proven players in their prime like Olivier Boscagli formerly of PSV. It may be hard to adjust to their outgoings such as Pervis Estupiñan and Simon Adingra just to name a few as well as potentially Baleba as mentioned before. It wouldn’t be a shock if they drop off should they not reinforce accordingly, but it would be a low risk to say they bounce back with what they already have. A 9th place finish is one place lower, yet I think Brighton will still perform well throughout the season and place in the top half as they seem to do now on a consistent basis.
8. Tottenham
Champions of Europe, they barely are that. Tottenham scraped by in the Premier League finishing as low as they could without getting relegated at 17th. The reason they were SO bad was due to their focus on the Europa League of which they won against fellow Premier League strugglers Manchester United. As an additional prize they are granted Champions League football alongside Liverpool, Arsenal, Manchester City, Newcastle and Chelsea. This season is the first for Thomas Frank which may come with growing pains that may put Tottenham at a disadvantage from the start. They have gotten rid of legend Son Heung-Min who finishes out a decade at Tottenham with a trophy at last and also see the departure of various other players. As of now, they have only gotten Mohammed Kudus, Kōta Takai and João Palhinha on loan from Bayern Munich. They also finalize the loan deals for Kevin Danso and Mathys Tel, but ultimately complacent in the transfer market compared to other Champions League sides. This underwhelming transfer window paired with the distraction of Champions League matches is a recipe for a non-European finish, but anything is an upgrade for Tottenham in the Premier League this season, bar relegation.
7. Aston Villa
Aston Villa were unlucky not to achieve Champions League qualification last season in a tight race with the likes of Newcastle and Chelsea. They are seen as possible contenders for the Europa League due to their squad depth. Worries may be found in their limited transfer window in which they only bought Evann Guessand from Nice and Marco Bizot from Brest. They may yet have more transfer work to do, but as it stands it leaves much to be desired. If Aston Villa hold onto their core in the likes of Ollie Watkins and Emiliano Martinez then they will have a decent chance at repeating European qualification. The tricky element is the likely bounceback of low performers Tottenham and Manchester United alongside the probable consistency of the teams currently in the Champions League. At the end of the day, I do see a distracting Europa League campaign for Aston Villa that could dampen the run they have in the Premier League.
6. Chelsea
Yes, I have placed Chelsea as my pick for 6th place in the Premier League. Everyone seems to have Chelsea as a top 4 side, a title contender, a dark horse that’s not a dark horse because everyone says it is. Chelsea have improved from their lowly finish of 22/23 without European football and now play in the Champions League. I think the overwhelming nature of the various high-level competitions they’ll be participating in will take a toll on results. Their squad is really deep all things considered, but the quality drop off is astounding in certain areas of the pitch like at center back and in goal. Some growing pains are bound to come with the wave of new signings and they have far less quality than the likes of Liverpool, Arsenal and Manchester City domestically and a plethora of teams continentally. Perhaps a trophy run could be in order for the side due to the berth of depth in the squad that could overpower sides that are focused on other competitions. They are coming off the back of winning the Conference League and Club World Cup but this is a step up from those competitions. A simple start to the Premier League season could see them go ahead quickly, but once again, the buildup of competition could get to Chelsea, even with their depth in various positions. I think Chelsea are in for another solid but not world-breaking season. Europa League qualification seems to be the correct placement for this club.
5. Newcastle United
Rejection is the word floating around Newcastle United when it comes to the transfer window as they have been turned down by a host of promising players who end up moving to surrounding competitors. Newcastle are also facing a conundrum regarding Alexander Isak who is attempting to force a move out of the club. One way or another, they are facing dilemmas going into the season. But a bunch of positive transfers will bolster their squad; Aaron Ramsdale on loan, Anthony Elanga, Malick Thiaw and rumors of more additions. Should Isak go, Newcastle may scramble to utilize the funds to help the squad and if he doesn’t, they may be able to squeeze another goalscoring season out of Isak, as unlikely as that is now. Champions League football will be a component in the challenges they’ll face in the 25/26 campaign, but the additions mean quality in defense, in goal and attack across the board. They already have a strong midfield of Sandro Tonali, Bruno Guimarães, and Joelinton. It would be hard to say they won’t add anyone else to the team but even as is, they’ve added a few strong players that have been needed. I wouldn’t be surprised if it ends up being a little generous but the versatile attack with Anthony Gordon, Elanga, Jacob Murphy, and ideally Alexander Isak will be massive. Should the Swedish striker depart, it would be a given that Newcastle replace him and if they manage to get the correct candidate, they may not notice too much of a hole.
4. Manchester United
Before I defend my position of 4th, I must preface I AM NOT A MANCHESTER UNITED FAN, and I genuinely believe my opinion. The transfers performed by United have been just what they needed. A complete overhaul of the frontline has been completed, Bryan Mbeumo, Benjamin Šeško and Matheus Cunha are all the new starters for their attacking front three. They’ve also brought in youngster Diego Leon and there are strong rumors (Which I believe may come true) that they will acquire Carlos Baleba of Brighton. They have eliminated the wages of Christian Eriksen, Victor Lindelöf and Jonny Evans. They’ve loaned out players who don’t fit into the managers plan to focus on a smaller and stronger squad such as Marcus Rashford. Alejandro Garnacho is on the precipice of a move to Chelsea which could bring in funds and keep the squad to those who want to play for the club. They also want to add a goalkeeper, but that’s neither here nor there. The distraction of European football is gone, players are motivated and there is already quality before the new signings; Bruno Fernandes, Amad Diallo, Matthijs De Ligt, Noussair Mazraoui, Manuel Ugarte, etc. They performed admirably in preseason and showed a level of flexibility with their forward players which could show a great resilience to injury or surrounding competitions like the FA Cup or Carabao Cup. Their 15th place finish seemed to be a worse case scenario and few think they won’t improve. They made a European cup final for a reason; they can show up when they want to and the exciting changes could very well see a massive flip in the players confidence and performances.
3. Manchester City
Summer strengthening has rewriten Manchester City from the ground up. Kevin De Bruyne, Jack Grealish, Kyle Walker, and so on. The fresh new Manchester City struggled in the knockout of the Club World Cup, but were still trying their best to gel together, and the true test will be the start of the season where they’ll be thrust into fellow Premier League and Champions League competition. Haaland is always in good form, netting goals on a consistent basis and finishing on the podium of the golden boot. The young additions will be crucial in the depth for all competitions as they have many to manage and try to win. Ultimately, Pep’s time at the club is dwindling and this season could be a step back in the right direction for the sky blues who will hope to go back to winning ways after a disappointing and trophyless season, the first in many years. The title race may be a little bit hard to maintain with the depth that has been cultivated by the top two sides last season, but Manchester City have the world at their feet in this 25/26 season.
2. Liverpool
Yes, I’ve put Liverpool 2nd, they’re not going to go back to back, at least in my eyes. They’ve added quality across the board, breaking the transfer record, but are missing some of the players that brought them the title. One thing is for certain, they will fight tooth and nail to defend their title. Mohamed Salah may struggle to replicate what was an almost perfect season in which he claimed the Golden Boot and had the most G/A in the entire Premier League. Arne Slot hit gold on his first attempt and may struggle to repeat it with the changing transfer climate of other teams. Crystal Palace have already showed how to take advantage of this Liverpool side, obviously not a perfect gage, in the Community Shield and bested them in a professional setting. The overly-attacking minded fullbacks that are new to the club could expose the center-back partnership and offer an outlet for attackers to bypass the backline. Liverpool will also hope to improve on their Champions League run as they were knocked out exceptionally early for such a quality side, albeit to the eventual champions on penalties. At the end of the day, Liverpool (I think) will just fall short in an admirable attempt at defending the Premier League title.
1. Arsenal
It’s the gunners time. Arsenal are my pick to win the English Premier League for the 25/26 season. They’ve been knocking at the door for years on end but they finally have their marksmen in Viktor Gyökeres and added depth and starters all over the team to take them the full season. Injuries have hurt Arsenal in the past few title runs; Saka in 24/25, Saliba in 22/23 and so on. The pressure is building for Mikel Arteta who has gone 4 years without a major trophy, making this the possible 5th year. The development of the likes of Declan Rice, Bukayo Saka and Martin Ødegaard is coming near a peak or prime and their output is likely to only improve. David Raya has proven to be one of the best goalkeepers in the world and will aid in keeping clean sheets in all competitions. Martín Zubimendi is the stand-in for Thomas Partey in midfield and has already gotten goal contributions and linked up with fellow national team players and new teammates. The squad has been overhauled with winners who understand the process of success. This isn’t a shock pick in all honesty, as Arsenal keep progressing each year in the competitions they compete in, but the gunners are my pick to win the Premier League because they have to.