Sam TigheMar 5, 2026, 04:05 AM ETCloseSam is a writer, broadcaster and podcaster for ESPN. He will write on the Premier League, scouting and transfers.Follow on XMultiple Authors
play1:51Are Chelsea in serious financial trouble?ESPN’s Gab Marcotti and Julien Laurens react to Chelsea’s damaging UEFA European Club Landscape report.
play0:59Nicol: Manchester United haven’t been sensational under CarrickSteve Nicol says Manchester United’s unbeaten run ending at the hands of 10-man Newcastle shows they’re still far from a perfect team.
play2:01Will Igor Tudor save Tottenham from relegation?ESPN’s Gab Marcotti and Julien Laurens react to Tottenham’s 2-1 defeat to Fulham in the Premier League
ESPN FC crew clash over Hürzeler’s Arsenal criticism (1:43)Don Hutchison and Steve Nicol disagree over Brighton manager Fabian Hürzeler’s criticism of Arsenal’s tactics in their 1-0 win. (1:43)
Are Chelsea in serious financial trouble?ESPN’s Gab Marcotti and Julien Laurens react to Chelsea’s damaging UEFA European Club Landscape report.
ESPN’s Gab Marcotti and Julien Laurens react to Chelsea’s damaging UEFA European Club Landscape report.
Nicol: Manchester United haven’t been sensational under CarrickSteve Nicol says Manchester United’s unbeaten run ending at the hands of 10-man Newcastle shows they’re still far from a perfect team.
Steve Nicol says Manchester United’s unbeaten run ending at the hands of 10-man Newcastle shows they’re still far from a perfect team.
Will Igor Tudor save Tottenham from relegation?ESPN’s Gab Marcotti and Julien Laurens react to Tottenham’s 2-1 defeat to Fulham in the Premier League
ESPN’s Gab Marcotti and Julien Laurens react to Tottenham’s 2-1 defeat to Fulham in the Premier League
It’s never too early for clubs to be planning transfers. While the window might be closed, you can guarantee all 20 Premier League clubs are still working furiously behind the scenes to produce short lists, decide on targets and set their course for next season.
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Arsenal spent £162 million to bring in Viktor Gyökeres, Eberechi Eze and Noni Madueke last summer to boost their attacking corps, but there’s a strong argument to be made that they still need more. With Kai Havertz and Gabriel Jesus experiencing severe injury issues and the club lacking a top-shelf left wing threat, they should be in the market for a forward of some sort.
Bournemouth are facing all sorts of questions at center back for the second year running. The most important one revolves around Marcos Senesi, whose contract is set to expire this summer and has been linked with a series of top clubs, including Barcelona and Juventus. If the Argentina international left, would Veljko Milosavljević be ready to step up and start consistently? If not, the Cherries might need to sign two new defenders this summer (luckily, they’re very good at this).
Brighton may have drifted a bit this season, but when looking over their squad, there aren’t many issues to address from either a qualitative or quantitative perspective. One upgrade they could make is at right back, where they have plenty of options, but no specialist outside of Joël Veltman, whose contract expires at the end of the season. The Seagulls will also need to be ready and willing to sign a center midfielder if Carlos Baleba leaves the club.
Brentford are in an incredible spot. The squad is good; they have a star striker in Igor Thiago (17 league goals), an excellent goalkeeper in Caoimhín Kelleher, and everything in between. If they finish in the European spots, they’ll need to add further to the ranks. If not, it might be time for some of the old guard — such as Ethan Pinnock and Rico Henry — to depart. Time will tell.
Likely doomed for relegation, Burnley’s eye should be on who can get them promoted from the second tier next season. They’ve got a looming issue in midfield, as Josh Cullen has torn his ACL, James Ward-Prowse has only replaced him on loan, and Florentino Luís may not wish to stick around.
Chelsea’s policy of investing heavily in young players brings some great benefits — but also some noted negatives. Chief among those is a lack of maturity and discipline running through the squad, which has resulted in a whopping seven red cards in the league this season (no other team has more than three). While it might break from policy, it could be time for Chelsea to consider adding a few adults to the room.
Major uncertainties surround Palace heading into the summer. We don’t know who will take over from Oliver Glasner as manager, and the squad look short in multiple areas. If they stick with a back-three system, they’re probably in need of a center back and a right wing back. Regardless of the shape, they’ll have to sign some new center midfielders, as both Daichi Kamada and Jefferson Lerma are out of contract, and Adam Wharton is sure to command interest from top clubs.
Everton need to sign at least two, perhaps even three, full backs this coming summer. None of James Garner, Jarrad Branthwaite or Jake O’Brien are naturally full backs, yet they’ve all played there recently as David Moyes lacks options. The only consistently available first-team full-back is Vitaliy Mykolenko, whose contract expires this summer. There’s no doubt they’d love to sign winger Jack Grealish permanently, too — once his loan from Man City expires — but that all depends on the fee.
Fulham tried (and failed) to sign USMNT and PSV Eindhoven striker Ricardo Pepi in January, which is an obvious hint as to what this summer’s priority might be. Raúl Jiménez’s contract is set to expire, as is midfielder Harry Wilson’s, while winger Samuel Chukwueze is only on loan (with an option to make the move permanent). This trio have scored 20 of the Whites’ 40 league goals; best figure out who stays, who goes and who needs to come in — and fast.
Leeds got the vast majority of last summer’s recruitment right, but fumbled in one key area: between the posts. Lucas Perri, signed for €15 million from Lyon, struggled and lost his place to Karl Darlow, who has spent most of his career as a backup at this level. Expect the Whites to enter the market for a goalkeeper once again this summer.
Jérémy Jacquet is on the way to Liverpool from Rennes for €60 million, and young Giovanni Leoni will recover from his ACL tear in time for next season, but there are still big questions hovering over this Liverpool defensive line. Center back Ibrahima Konaté’s contract is set to expire, left back Andy Robertson nearly moved to Tottenham Hotspur in January, and all of their right backs appear to be injury prone. Big changes could be on the way.
Credit is due to Matheus Nunes, a midfielder who has converted into a solid right back. He has filled in admirably in the post-Kyle Walker era, taking up the mantle while City’s faith in academy product Rico Lewis has seemingly waned. But a club with City’s spending capacity should probably have a specialist to call upon, and it is the most obvious way to upgrade this XI over the summer.
Nicol: Manchester United haven’t been sensational under Carrick
Newcastle’s forward situation needs figuring out. Yoane Wissa, Nick Woltemade and Anthony Elanga cost a combined £167 million to sign last summer, but Eddie Howe has struggled to get them going. Do you give them another season, or spend again? Regardless of that call, the defensive line needs addressing. Of the center backs, only Malick Thiaw has been fit and available all season long, and the club badly need adequate cover for full backs Lewis Hall and Tino Livramento too.
It’s hard to nail your recruitment when you go through four managers in one season — and those four managers all coach different playing styles. Forest have loads of players, several of which are excellent, and the thing they need the most is a consistent direction to travel in.
Newly promoted Sunderland have spent most of the campaign in the top half of the table, which is a miraculous achievement. This is a well built squad that, unlike last summer, does not need wholesale changes. If the Black Cats can spot a forward who can elevate this team, they should pounce. It’s also worth looking at cover for Reinildo at left back, who has missed time due to injury and suspension.
If Tottenham avoid relegation, they must take an axe to their midfield setup, which is chock full of runners and ball-winners — but curiously lacking in players who can pass the ball forward and through the lines. Many of their other issues will iron themselves out when key players return to fitness, but the midfield balance can only be fixed via the transfer market.
West Ham are right on the precipice, but if they do manage to stave off relegation, they’ll need to add a defensive leader — likely a center back — to prevent the same desperate fight next season. Manager Nuno Espírito Santo loaned Axel Disasi from Chelsea in January to address this, but that’s only a short-term solution.
Wolves have shown immense spirit of late, with some fine results against bigger teams, but the smart move is still to plan for the Championship next season. They’ve already partaken in that by swapping out Jørgen Strand Larsen for Adam Armstrong in January and more moves of that ilk loom.
Aston Villa are operating on a very strict budget due to a UEFA settlement, so any move they make must be carefully considered. They are also in a tricky spot, given that one or more key players could conceivably depart the club, which means replacements would be required. Earning Champions League football may eradicate the need to make any deals they don’t wish to, but if they fall short, the likes of forward Morgan Rogers and goalkeeper Emiliano Martínez will be eyed up by others. Villa need to know who they’ll target if this happens.
ESPN FC crew clash over Hürzeler’s Arsenal criticism (1:43)Don Hutchison and Steve Nicol disagree over Brighton manager Fabian Hürzeler’s criticism of Arsenal’s tactics in their 1-0 win. (1:43)