The New York Times

Tottenham Hotspur have accepted an offer from Juventus for goalkeeper Guglielmo Vicario.

Juve’s offer for the 29-year-old is for a loan with the option to make the move to Serie A permanent and while a deal is not yet done, all parties expect it to go through.

The Athletic reported on Sunday that the Italian club were not proceeding with a move for Emiliano Martinez from Aston Villa following talks between the clubs, and turned their attention to other targets.

A move to Juventus would see Vicario return to Italy, where he spent his entire club career before joining Spurs in 2023 from Empoli for a fee of around €20million (£17.2m, $21.9m).

The 29-year-old has served as Tottenham’s first-choice goalkeeper since his arrival, replacing former club captain Hugo Lloris, and has made 117 appearances for the club in all competitions, keeping 29 clean sheets. He started the 1-0 victory in the Europa League final in May last year, making a crucial save from a Luke Shaw header in stoppage time to ensure his side won their first trophy in 17 years.

Last season, Vicario played 43 games for Spurs but struggled with errors at times and did not appear after March 22 following surgery for a hernia. Antonin Kinsky started in Vicario’s absence and held on to the No 1 spot even when Vicario returned to the squad for the final two games of the campaign.

Vicario began his career with his Udinese and made his first senior appearance while on loan at fourth-tier side Fontanafredda in 2014. He was loaned to fellow Serie D club Venezia in 2015, helping the club achieve promotion and signing on a permanent basis the following year.

A move to Cagliari followed in 2019, along with loan spells at Perugia and Empoli, before joined the latter pemanently in 2022.

Vicario has been capped five times at senior level by Italy and was part of the squad for nation’s run to the last 16 at the 2024 European Championships, though he was an unused substitute in all four games.

How will Vicario be remembered at Spurs?

Analysis by Tottenham correspondent Elias Burke

When Guglielmo Vicario was not brought back into Roberto De Zerbi’s starting line-up after recovering from hernia surgery, with the Tottenham head coach preferring Antonin Kinsky for the run-in, the writing seemed on the wall that Vicario would depart this summer. And when De Zerbi officially named Kinsky as his No 1 goalkeeper on Tottenham’s pre-season tour of Australia and New Zealand, a move became inevitable.

If this is to be the end of Vicario’s association with Tottenham, he will be partly remembered for his impressive start to life in north London. He was a standout in Ange Postecoglou’s first season in charge, starting all 38 league games as Spurs finished fifth. His sophomore term at Spurs was hampered by an ankle injury, limiting him to just 24 starts, but he is set to leave for Turin as a Europa League champion, keeping a clean sheet in the final and making numerous important saves on their journey to Bilbao.

Last season, however, Vicario’s form dropped off a cliff. There were some standout moments, including inspired displays in the 2-1 away win over Leeds United in October and a performance in the 0-0 away draw at Monaco that will surely go down as one of the best of his career, but they were rare bright sparks in a poor year.

While De Zerbi has expressed affection for his countryman since joining Spurs, Kinsky is a much better fit for his style and excelled in the Italian’s crucial seven-game stint, which kept Spurs in the Premier League. Kinsky is one of the league’s standout goalkeepers with his feet, while Vicario has struggled in that area in north London.

Kinsky, his previous understudy, also appears to have made a significant improvement as a shot-stopper, considered Vicario’s biggest strength. All this means Kinsky is well-positioned to be Tottenham’s long-term answer in goal, provided he continues to improve and build on his positive showings under De Zerbi last season, while Vicario’s future lies elsewhere as a No 1.

Forget about hiring Roberto De Zerbi on a lucrative five-year contract and spending nearly £250million on six new signings. If Tottenham Hotspur want to be successful this season, they need to avoid another injury crisis.

Spurs have been wounded by back-to-back 17th-place finishes in the Premier League and fitness issues played a significant role on both occasions.

Ben Dinnery of Premier Injuries tracks and records data on injuries in the top flight. He defines a time-loss injury as one which forces a player to miss at least one match. Spurs had the second-worst record (37) behind Chelsea (41) for time-loss injuries last season and missed the most games (183). Lessons need to be learned but that is easier said than done.

There are many different factors involved and this is not the first time they have tried to tackle them. Former chief football officer Scott Munn restructured parts of the club, including the scouting and medical departments, following his appointment in 2023. Munn’s changes did not have the desired impact and, arguably, made things worse.

In the summer of 2024, long-serving head of medicine and sports science Geoff Scott left the club. Adam Brett was appointed as director of performance services, effectively replacing Scott, while Nick Davies became the new head of sports science. The Athletic reported in January 2025 that Scott left his role after clashing with then head coach Ange Postecoglou over how to manage the squad’s workload and the recovery of injured players. Spurs insisted Scott’s departure was linked to Munn’s review of the department.

Munn lasted two years while Brett and Davies both left their roles after only 12 months. Davies joined Everton where he was reunited with David Moyes, who he had previously worked with at West Ham United. Brett was without a club for a year until he joined MLS side Toronto FC as director of player health and high performance in July this year. Munn was appointed as general secretary of the Kazakhstan Football Federation (KFF) in April. Scott spent four months working with Nottingham Forest on a consultancy basis and left earlier this summer. There has been too much upheaval behind the scenes at Spurs and stability is crucial going forward.

The club advertised for a new director of performance services last summer to replace Brett. At the time, at least one senior figure at the club was confident that Spurs’ medical department would be “fully operational” at the start of the 2025-26 campaign and believed the new hire would take the operation to the next level. In October, they announced the appointment of Dan Lewindon.

Lewindon, who was the City Football Group’s (CFG) director of player and health performance for three years after previous roles with the Lawn Tennis Association (LTA) and England Rugby, did not start the role until February.

Another crucial hire was Carlos Raphael Moersen as director of football operations. Moersen started at the beginning of this summer and has played an integral role in transfers. Apart from negotiating contracts, another part of Moersen’s remit is leading “player care and training ground operations” according to the club’s statement when they announced his appointment in January.

One of the reasons Spurs parted company with Postecoglou a month after winning the Europa League was due to his “extreme playing style” and intense training sessions that senior figures believed contributed to their injury crisis during the 2024-25 campaign.

During the hiring process for the Australian’s successor, Thomas Frank enquired about why they had suffered so many problems.

Negotiations between Brentford and Spurs over Frank dragged on because he wanted to take several members of his backroom staff across London. Assistant coach Justin Cochrane, head of performance Chris Haslam, coach-analyst Joe Newton, medical lead Nick Stubbings and strength and conditioning coach Tom Perryman followed him immediately.

Rehab physio Liam Horgan, who arrived from Crystal Palace but previously worked with Frank at Brentford, and nutritionist Ted Munson came midway through the season. Cochrane, Haslam and Newton left their roles when Frank was sacked in February.

However, the injuries continued to pile up under Frank, Igor Tudor and De Zerbi. Xavi Simons, Wilson Odobert and James Maddison ruptured their anterior cruciate ligaments (ACLs). Guglielmo Vicario had a hernia operation in March. Ben Davies and Lucas Bergvall both underwent ankle surgery. Destiny Udogie’s form was impacted by issues with his hamstrings for the third year in a row. Mohammed Kudus missed out on representing Ghana at the World Cup after a setback in his recovery from a quad injury he sustained in January. Dejan Kulusevski, one of Tottenham’s best players under Postecoglou, did not play a single minute due to a complex patella (kneecap) injury.

First-choice striker Dominic Solanke struggled with ankle and muscle injuries. He only made 15 appearances and started 11 times for a total of 1,000 minutes. Across his last three seasons with Bournemouth, Solanke only missed five league games through injury.

As the above graphic illustrates, only Micky van de Ven, Pedro Porro and Guglielmo Vicario played more than 75 per cent of the available minutes and started over 30 matches. This availability issue made it difficult for Frank, Tudor and De Zerbi to field a consistent starting XI.

“Our situation with the injuries has been worse than any other club,” Maddison told reporters, including The Athletic, after the final day victory over Everton. “People try and say, ‘Oh, but we’ve got this and that’. But ours is astronomical, and we need to look at why that is.

“Sometimes it can just be unlucky, sometimes it can be a coincidence, like me doing my ACL or Kulusevski getting a horrendous knock off (Marc) Guehi. That’s not the medical team, that’s not the pitch or all the theories that you see sometimes; that’s rubbish. We’ve been a bit unlucky. But like I said, the big names that we’ve missed, it does affect you and you can’t just deny that.”

Lewindon, who officially started the day before Frank was sacked, conducted an investigation into the club’s injury record and has instigated important changes, including an increased focus on individualised player care. The squad will be split into groups of four to six players who will have their own physio and sports scientist.

The theory is that staff will be able to dedicate more time to each player and understand them better. This should help medical and performance staff to make informed decisions and recommend small but significant tweaks to a player’s training schedule based on their injury history and the requirements of their position.

The club have also added Ali James (Head of Medical Services), Tom Tombleson (Head of Athletic Development) and Agostino Tibaudi (Strength and Conditioning Coach) to their performance department.

Some players, including Kulusevski and Maddison, have worked with external specialists during their recovery. Spurs want to work closely with these specialists to ensure everybody is aligned on the same rehabilitation programme.

Maddison referenced a theory that the retractable pitch at Tottenham’s stadium, which allows them to host NFL games and concerts including Jay-Z’s upcoming two-night tour in September, has exacerbated injuries. Independent testing of the stadium and training pitches, which examined the grass’s bounciness and spring, did not raise any problems.

Changing managers can negatively impact players because they have to quickly adjust to different training methods and playing styles, which can create a greater injury risk. Spurs have had four permanent head coaches over the last 18 months but will be hoping De Zerbi sticks around for the entire duration of his five-year deal.

The Italian has acted cautiously with injured players. He restricted Maddison’s minutes when the midfielder returned from an ACL injury for the final three games of last season. Maddison and £85million ($115m) summer signing Mateus Fernandes were rested on the pre-season tour of Australia and New Zealand because “it is not the right moment to take risks.”

De Zerbi granted Bentancur “extended leave” and let him miss the tour after a “tough season.” Spurs are hiring a lead psychologist to help the first-team squad and staff manage the pressures of elite sport. They are not in European competition this season, which will ease the squad’s workload, but the aim will naturally be to return to the Champions League as soon as possible.

Spurs played Hoffenheim at the stadium on Saturday and behind closed doors at the training ground 24 hours later. Encouragingly, Maddison and Fernandes started the second match. However, Van de Ven, Kudus, Udogie and Solanke did not feature in either fixture.

The training ground is being updated too. Lewindon has decided to knock through the gym walls, the idea being to bring together all of the performance-related areas to improve collaboration and the overall atmosphere. Players recovering from long-term injuries will no longer feel so isolated from team-mates and coaching staff.

Spurs’ biggest problem right now is their lack of attacking depth due to Xavi, Odobert and Kulusevski being unavailable. It will increase the pressure on Richarlison, Solanke, Kudus and Mathys Tel to play consistently. There are fitness concerns over Solanke and Kudus, while De Zerbi admitted Richarlison “sometimes wants to leave.”

Spurs have two weeks of the window remaining to complete deals for wide targets Savinho and Cody Gakpo. It is the second year in a row Spurs’ pursuit of Savinho has dragged on and it would be a huge disappointment to fall short again, especially as he is capable of playing on the left and right.

Excitement is understandably high for the upcoming campaign after an unprecedented summer where Spurs have broken their transfer record twice. The changes they have made across the medical and sports science department might turn out to be equally important.

Additional reporting: Thom Harris

There is no ‘I’ in “team” but there is one in ‘leadership’.

What good is a talented Premier League side if it does not have the right standard-bearers in situ, the players who lead by example and keep their team-mates sharp on and off the pitch?

The summer transfer window is not just about signing a flashy winger or an effective defender — player movement (and retirement) results in the hierarchy of captains, vice-captains and other role models changing.

Here, writers from The Athletic reveal the main leaders at every Premier League club less than a week before the season begins.

Arsenal

Arsenal have clear figureheads but employ a leadership group which formalises those who are seen as integral.

Martin Odegaard has been club captain since 2022, and while there has often been external debate over his suitability compared to others, there is no indication of that changing. The midfielder is more vocal than he appears, has the respect of players and staff, but arguably showed those leadership qualities for Norway during the World Cup.

When Odegaard is absent, Bukayo Saka often steps up as vice-captain. The 24-year-old first wore the armband in 2024, leads by example on the pitch and is symbolic of the journey Arsenal have undergone with Mikel Arteta.

Gabriel and Declan Rice are next in the leadership group, with each of them captaining the team last season. Both provide a more typical view of a leader with how vocal they are, as well as possessing fairly aggressive playing styles. Rice has captained England, with his personality a key driver in both dressing rooms whether he has the armband or not.

Mikel Merino, Ben White and Gabriel Jesus have worn the armband too. In Merino’s case, he is viewed as one of the most intelligent players in the squad, able to transfer Arteta’s demands onto the pitch. White and Jesus are two of the longest-serving players, with the latter’s previous experience at Manchester City particularly useful in shifting the mindset of his team-mates from title challengers to champions.

The signing of Bruno Guimaraes will only add to the leadership credentials within Arteta’s squad. Arriving as Newcastle United’s captain, his influence on Eddie Howe’s side was so strong that they only won two matches in which he didn’t start for them during his time at the club. Alongside his quality on the ball, the addition of another big character to the midfield should benefit them domestically and in Europe.

Art de Roché

Aston Villa

Villa’s core leadership team remains the same as it has in recent seasons. John McGinn is Villa’s captain and often the team’s talisman. Behind him in the 2025-26 season, the leadership dynamic shifted, with Tyrone Mings, the captain before Steven Gerrard stripped him of it three years earlier, and Ezri Konsa as the vice-captains.

Emiliano Martinez had been part of this leadership group but, having tried and failed to secure a move away last season, was pushed down the pecking order. The goalkeeper is now being linked with another move — although that will not be to Juventus.

After those three, Youri Tielemans wore the armband, as he does for Belgium, but he has departed for Manchester United.

Depending on Konsa’s future, with Arsenal and Villa apart on valuation, the leadership group will remain the same, even if core players, including Tielemans, Morgan Rogers and Lucas Digne, have left. McGinn and Mings are obvious and influential leaders, on the pitch and setting standards in the dressing room.

It is why they are the first point of contact for Unai Emery, who allows the changing room to police itself. While Villa’s squad is evolving, its nucleus has been together for several years, with leadership, experience and general nous the traits that have underpinned their success. Bringing youth in this summer was necessary to reduce the squad’s average age — it was the league’s second-oldest.

Jacob Tanswell

Bournemouth

Long-serving right-back Adam Smith, the 35-year-old who joined Bournemouth in 2014, is expected to lead the team as captain in 2026-27. Lewis Cook, Ryan Christie and David Brooks, three of the six oldest players in the squad, are believed to hold leadership positions too. Fraser Forster, 38, arrived as the backup goalkeeper this summer to bolster the average age of the squad.

Summer arrival Antonio Silva, signed from Benfica to fill the void left by the departure of Marcos Senesi on a free transfer, adds leadership too. Silva captained Benfica in both legs of their Europa League qualifying play-off against St Gallen in July.

Midfielder Tyler Adams led the USMNT at the 2022 World Cup, while Marcus Tavernier has worn the captain’s armband for Bournemouth under Andoni Iraola, too.

While a largely young squad, leadership should not be an issue for Marco Rose in his first Premier League campaign, which will involve a Europa League sojourn.

Anantaajith Raghuraman

Brentford

Nathan Collins was appointed as Brentford’s captain in August 2025 following Christian Norgaard’s departure to Arsenal. In the middle of last season, Collins briefly lost his place in the starting XI to Kristoffer Ajer and midfielder Mathias Jensen took over the armband for those five games.

Collins and Sepp van den Berg are the first-choice centre-back partnership, but Ajer will be pushing for a bigger role, especially after impressing during Norway’s run to the World Cup quarter-finals.

Collins and Jensen will be supported by Vitaly Janelt, one of the club’s longest-serving players, but Jordan Henderson has departed after only a year to join Chelsea.

Brentford have made a couple of attacking signings this summer, including Callum Wilson following the expiration of his contract with West Ham United. The 34-year-old, who has signed a one-year deal, is a useful alternative to last season’s top goalscorer Igor Thiago. Hopefully, as a bonus, Wilson can impart some wisdom and use his experience to guide his new team-mates.

Jay Harris

Brighton & Hove Albion

The leadership group of experienced campaigners that Fabian Hurzeler relied upon to guide the younger members of his Brighton squad and to set standards on and off the pitch has undergone significant change.

James Milner retired at the end of the season, Adam Webster and Solly March were released, Danny Welbeck moved to Chelsea, and Joel Veltman has joined West Ham. In addition to this, Jan Paul van Hecke was regarded as a future skipper to succeed centre-back partner Lewis Dunk before the Dutchman’s departure to Tottenham.

That leaves Dunk, Pascal Gross and Jason Steele as the survivors of the group.

The shortfall has been addressed to a large extent by the signings of Pascal Struijk from Leeds United and Michael Svoboda from Venezia as part of the rebuild in the centre of defence. The Dutchman and Austrian are 27 years old (which Hurzeler describes as “the best football age”). They each captained their former clubs.

Andy Naylor

Chelsea

Reece James is Chelsea’s captain whenever he is on the pitch but the need to manage the Cobham graduate’s minutes frequently left Enzo Fernandez wearing the armband last season. It will be interesting to see if the Argentine retains this status if he remains at Stamford Bridge after a summer of uncertainty about his future — and he was booed on to the pitch for the friendly on Saturday.

Moises Caicedo and fit-again Levi Colwill are next in line, though Cole Palmer surprisingly captained Chelsea for the first time in an FA Cup match against Port Vale in April, describing the honour after the match as a “proud moment” and a “long time coming”.

New manager Xabi Alonso has confirmed that James will remain Chelsea captain and most of the above names will be in the mix for the armband again if he does not play.

So too, perhaps, may Henderson and Welbeck, the two high-character veterans brought to Stamford Bridge at low cost this summer in a bid to solve the long-standing issues with leadership in the face of adversity, emotional stability and general maturity in what has been, for much of the BlueCo era, the Premier League’s youngest squad.

Liam Twomey

Coventry City

Central midfielder Matt Grimes, an ever-present in Coventry’s title-winning side last season, is club captain.

Grimes took over the armband in September last year from fellow midfielder Ben Sheaf, who left to join Wrexham in a reported £6.5million deal.

Central defender Liam Kitching, who has been at the club since 2023, having worked his way up the English football pyramid, is vice-captain.

Coventry have a strong camaraderie within their squad, with many players having been there for several years. A sizeable cohort joined during the summer window in 2023.

After winning promotion to the Premier League in April, Lampard paid reference to long-serving players Jake Bidwell and Jamie Allen in his pitchside Sky Sports interview. The latter left the club this summer, after making 200 appearances for Coventry, but Bidwell is still there.

Another important voice in the dressing room is Ben Wilson, the backup goalkeeper: a popular and fun character around the club, he is credited with driving standards.

Defender Joel Latibeaudiere, who spent much of last season on the bench, is another influential figure in the camp and a strong communicator.

Tom Burrows

Crystal Palace

When Palace won the FA Cup in 2025, Joel Ward and Marc Guehi shared the privilege of lifting the trophy as co-captains. Neither player remains, with Ward bowing out after 12 years at the end of that season and Guehi joining Manchester City in January.

Dean Henderson inherited the armband permanently — something he clearly cherishes, often leading chants after games and giving brutally honest interviews.

Maxence Lacroix grew into a vocal leader and enjoyed a post-match ritual of performing three fist pumps in front of the Holmesdale end after a win. But the France international has since moved to Chelsea for £52m.

The onus will now fall upon the likes of centre-back Chris Richards, academy graduate Tyrick Mitchell and somewhat divisive striker Jean-Philippe Mateta to support Henderson in his leadership duties as Palace embark on another European journey under new manager Pierre Sage.

Reuben Pinder

Everton

David Moyes is on the lookout for a new captain after Everton stalwart Seamus Coleman brought his 17-year stint on Merseyside to an end this summer. The Irishman’s exit leaves a big leadership vacuum that needs to be filled.

James Tarkowski, last season’s vice-captain, and Jordan Pickford are part of the senior group, while Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall and Michael Keane have been credited with an influence behind the scenes. Tarkowski remains the favourite to assume the role permanently.

New £7m signing Norgaard, meanwhile, was signed in part due to his leadership credentials.

Patrick Boyland

Fulham

For nearly 10 years, the answer has remained the same: Tom Cairney.

Fulham fans have seen different versions of the midfielder — talented playmaker, central lynchpin and, in recent years, classy super-sub — but since he was made captain in 2017, Cairney’s role off the pitch has remained consistent.

Popular among fans and players, the 35-year-old signed a one-year extension in January, keeping him at the club until 2027. Cairney only made 10 starts in all competitions last season but under a new head coach, his skills as a self-effacing leader will be more valuable than ever.

In Cairney’s absence, Joachim Andersen regularly takes the armband, with Antonee Robinson and goalkeeper Bernd Leno filling in, despite each of them hitting rough patches of form. If Alvaro Arbeloa, who replaced long-serving coach Marco Silva in July, continues to add to his squad, those regulars could come under pressure for their starting roles.

Harry Wilson and Raul Jimenez had developed into senior figures in the dressing room and their leadership qualities will be missed after they left on free transfers. In their place, homegrown Ryan Sessegnon and 19-year-old Josh King will need to step up.

Justin Guthrie

Hull City

Lewie Coyle had the distinction of captaining Hull City to promotion last season, an achievement made all the sweeter by doing so with his hometown club. It was a triumph for longevity. The full-back has worn the armband for the last four years and remained one of the few constants of Acun Ilicali’s era as owner.

Coyle’s role this season will depend on Hull’s recruitment over the coming weeks, but it is likely he will continue to stand as the team’s most prominent leader in a group short of Premier League experience.

Others in the Hull ranks play their part. A senior core of John Egan (33), Oli McBurnie (30) and Matt Crooks (32) bring leadership qualities in a tight-knit squad, while summer signing Jack Butland ought to be another. The experienced goalkeeper, who misses the opening months through injury, is one of the few to have played at this level.

Phil Buckingham

Ipswich Town

Dara O’Shea was appointed Ipswich captain by former head coach Kieran McKenna in the summer of 2025 following the departure of Sam Morsy.

Regular centre-back partner Jacob Greaves described O’Shea, 27, as a “natural-born leader”, citing his ability to motivate his team-mates. The Republic of Ireland international’s words in the pre-match huddle before Ipswich’s win over Norwich City in October, where he referred to the fixture being “about us and our people”, struck a chord with supporters.

After Ipswich secured a first win over their East Anglian rivals in 15 years, it became a tagline adopted by the club and fans.

O’Shea’s predecessor Morsy is one of several leadership figures from McKenna’s back-to-back promotion-winning side to have departed over the past two years. Massimo Luongo and Cameron Burgess left in 2025, while Conor Chaplin and Wes Burns exited this summer. Former England international Ashley Young, whose experience and leadership were described as “valuable” after he signed in July 2025, retired at the end of last season.

But many leaders remain. Right-back Darnell Furlong, 30, has captained Gary O’Neil’s team during pre-season when O’Shea has been off the pitch, while Greaves, 25, told reporters last August that he had been part of McKenna’s leadership team in 2024-25. Left-back Leif Davis, 26, explained he had stepped into a leadership role after Morsy’s departure by setting standards in training, and has spoken of his ambition to one day captain Ipswich.

And crucially, Ipswich have brought in Premier League experience this summer — something that was lacking last time out in the top flight — in midfielder Sasa Lukic, 30, and Isa Diop, 29, from Fulham.

Ali Rampling

Leeds United

Ethan Ampadu was Leeds’ captain last season. When he was absent through injury or suspension, Struijk stepped into the breach. This season, Ampadu will continue with the armband; however, Struijk has now departed for Brighton & Hove Albion.

No announcement has been made on Ampadu’s new deputy, but Joe Rodon, who combines age, experience, character, time at the club and regular starts, seems the obvious choice. Rodon was captain in Ampadu’s absence during pre-season.

Ampadu leads the dressing room. He has developed a reputation as a selfless voice behind the scenes, someone who represents the rest of the team and puts them before himself. His development into a formidable footballer has helped cement his status among the squad.

Leadership is generally a strength for Leeds. Last summer, all 10 new signings were aged between 25 and 28. They have made a point of crafting a squad of good characters, who have enough miles on the clock to ride out the lows of a season.

Beyond Ampadu and Rodon, there are the popular reserve goalkeeper Alex Cairns, England’s Dominic Calvert-Lewin, level-headed James Justin and stoic Jaka Bijol, who are all known for being influential points of reference behind the scenes.

Beren Cross

Liverpool

Virgil van Dijk became the Liverpool captain in August 2023 when Henderson left the club. He has since worn the armband with pride and is not only an inspirational leader on the pitch, but off it too.

Van Dijk, 35, is vocal and encouraging, and often speaks on behalf of the team during interviews.

Dominik Szoboszlai is likely to be the vice-captain this season in what is turning into a transformative period following the absence of key figures in recent years. Andy Robertson, Mohamed Salah and Ibrahima Konate all left, and those gaps still need to be filled by other personalities.

Ronald Araujo’s arrival helps as he was the captain at Barcelona, while Alisson is expected to have more responsibility as a mature member of the squad.

Gregg Evans

Manchester City

City’s captain last season was Bernardo Silva, backed up by Ruben Dias, Rodri and Erling Haaland. For the first time in his 10 years at City, Pep Guardiola chose the group rather than asking the squad to vote.

With Bernardo gone and Rodri soon to leave after Barcelona reached a transfer agreement in principle to sign him, City will need a couple of appointments this summer. Dias appears to be the favourite to take the armband, while Enzo Maresca wants an English player in the group, meaning Phil Foden or Guehi could be in line to bring the numbers back to four. When Rodri goes, an extra player will join the group.

City have definitely lost a lot of experience in the squad following the departures of Bernardo, John Stones and Nathan Ake, and Rodri (when he leaves). Dias appears to be the natural successor in terms of the main captaincy, while Haaland’s leadership qualities are blossoming.

The fact that Guehi could be the English representative, having only arrived in January, shows his skills but the lack of obvious leaders in other departments.

Gianluigi Donnarumma has been good for morale, encouraging the celebration of good defensive work, and his experience could make him a candidate.

Sam Lee

Manchester United

Bruno Fernandes has been Manchester United’s club captain since July 2023 after Erik ten Hag decided to take the armband from Harry Maguire. Fernandes is the beating heart of the club, serving as the team’s best player, most trusted spokesperson and a valued figure behind the scenes, watching academy games and women’s matches where possible.

The 31-year-old is backed up by a leadership group first decided upon by Ruben Amorim in summer 2025. Lisandro Martinez, Diogo Dalot, Noussair Mazraoui, Tom Heaton and Maguire all work to help run the dressing room, and keep team-mates on task.

Amorim explained his reasoning for the six-person group during the pre-season tour last summer, noting that “small issues” were now run by the collective, and that Mazraoui was included “because he’s a character that I like”.

Matthijs de Ligt and new signing Tielemans are among those within the United dressing room with experience captaining a previous club. United’s 2026 pre-season tour has seen Mason Mount emerge as a helpful guide and sounding board for some of the club’s younger players.

Carl Anka

Newcastle United

Bruno Guimaraes was on-field captain for 2025-26 and has joined Arsenal, with Jamaal Lascelles the club captain until his exit in January (while Kieran Trippier, the third of the trio of players to lift the Carabao Cup in March 2025, a former captain and vice-captain, left in June).

Guimaraes’s successor has only just been determined, after Matthias Jaissle spent his first couple of weeks assessing the senior figures with the squad he inherited, with Dan Burn named as club captain on Saturday.

Jaissle selected Malick Thiaw, his fellow German, to lead Newcastle in his opening friendly against Valencia and Joelinton at Murrayfield against Everton, but Jacob Murphy wore the armband during the latter stages of both.

Burn is a strong voice within the dressing room and has been since he joined in January 2022. The defender was part of the ‘leadership group’ under Howe, just as Murphy was, and the pair will be influential moving forwards, too. Jaissle has used leadership groups before and is set to implement one at Newcastle.

Those inside the club are conscious that significant know-how has been lost this summer, with Sandro Tonali and Anthony Gordon joining Guimaraes in leaving. Four of Newcastle’s five signings have been aged 20 or under, but greater experience is being sought during the final weeks of the window.

Marseille’s Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg and Bayern Munich’s Joao Palhinha are on a shortlist of midfielders Newcastle are looking to bring in, with on-field game-management required.

As excited as the hierarchy are about what they describe as “Newcastle United 2.0”, the young, fresh side being built needs directing and acquiring a veteran or two feels necessary.

Chris Waugh

Nottingham Forest

Ryan Yates was Nottingham Forest’s club captain last season but Morgan Gibbs-White more regularly had the armband when Yates was not in the starting XI.

There has been no suggestion that the situation will change, with midfielder Yates likely to retain his role, although Gibbs-White will probably again be skipper more regularly. Gibbs-White was a huge influence, well beyond the 15 goals he contributed — and will be again.

Forest lost Elliot Anderson, who had grown into a leadership figure, when he moved to Manchester City, but newly appointed head coach Oliver Glasner is not short of influential figures to call upon.

The summer signing of RB Leipzig vice-captain Xaver Schlager will add to a leadership group that includes players like Nikola Milenkovic, Neco Williams, Ola Aina and Chris Wood.

The strong character of those was vital to Forest last season amid a chaotic campaign that saw four different managers take charge, with Vitor Pereira eventually leading Forest to safety after Nuno Espirito Santo, Ange Postecoglou and Sean Dyche had all departed.

Paul Taylor

Sunderland

It was a ruthless move to take the captaincy away from Dan Neil in the summer that followed Sunderland’s promotion to the Premier League but his direct replacement last season was fundamental to the continued development.

Granit Xhaka was given Sunderland’s captaincy before he had kicked a ball in anger, with the intention to let his experience drive standards and consistency. It proved a shrewd move from Regis Le Bris, and Xhaka, now 33, remains the most influential player at the Stadium of Light after Chelsea’s interest was successfully fended off this summer.

There are others in the group blessed with leadership qualities. Trai Hume, captain of Northern Ireland, deputised in Xhaka’s absence when injured last season, while the long-serving Luke O’Nien is another strong voice in the dressing room.

Sunderland’s recruitment strategy has typically revolved around the pursuit of younger players in the last five years but this summer’s capture of Thomas Meunier, the veteran Belgium international defender, has added further experience to a squad that will have to cope with Europa League football.

Phil Buckingham

Tottenham Hotspur

Cristian Romero was appointed as Tottenham’s captain last summer by former head coach Thomas Frank. That decision did not work. Romero produced a couple of heroic performances but was sent off twice and publicly criticised the club’s senior figures via social media on multiple occasions.

Now a Tottenham captain has left for the second year in a row, following Son Heung-min’s departure to LAFC in August 2025, after Atletico Madrid signed him for a fee in the region of €40million (£34.1m; $46m).

Guglielmo Vicario was a member of Spurs’ leadership group and appears to be heading towards the exit as well after Antonin Kinsky was promoted to first-choice goalkeeper.

The good news is that Micky van de Ven has signed a new long-term contract. If Vicario does end up leaving, Van de Ven’s biggest rival for the armband will be James Maddison, who had a galvanising impact on the squad and fanbase when he returned from a long-term knee injury towards the end of the 2025-26 campaign.

Jay Harris

The Premier League season returns on Friday, when promoted Coventry City travel to defending champions Arsenal for their first top-flight game in 25 years.

In one sense, this campaign may be more unpredictable than any other in recent memory, since nine clubs start the season with a new manager. Two more — Manchester United’s Michael Carrick and Tottenham Hotspur’s Roberto De Zerbi — have not been in permanent control of their teams for much longer.

Five of the traditional Big Six — Chelsea, Liverpool, Manchester City, Manchester United and Tottenham — begin 2026-27 with a manager who was not in charge this time last year. Of the title favourites, only Arsenal have stability in the dugout.

How will the new men in charge fare? Which teams have recruited best? And is there any hope for the promoted sides?

Our writers from across The Athletic’s global newsroom have joined forces to predict the final Premier League table, which you can see here:

And Carl Anka, Seb Stafford-Bloor, Nick Miller, Tim Spiers, Cerys Jones, Thom Harris, Stuart James and The Athletic FC podcast host Emma Paton have combined to discuss how they see the season going.

Who will be much better than last season?

Anka: Many will surely give one of Tottenham or Nottingham Forest as an answer here. Both teams should be much closer to the Europa League positions than the relegation zone. I’m also looking forward to watching a fully fit Yoane Wissa again. Newcastle United fans barely got a glimpse of how good he can be; it’ll be nice if he can return to peak form.

Stafford-Bloor: Florian Wirtz should really benefit from playing for Andoni Iraola, whose work with the midfield and attacking players at Bournemouth was so profoundly successful.

Whether it was Alex Scott, Junior Kroupi, Antoine Semenyo or Evanilson, every player within that part of Iroala’s Bournemouth side improved as an individual, implying that he should be able to draw something from a player who, despite suffering a really difficult first season, is immensely talented.

Miller: Lads, it’s Tottenham, but I’ve also convinced myself, not for the first time, that Manchester United are going to be genuinely good this season. At various points last season, Bruno Fernandes, Bryan Mbeumo, Matheus Cunha and Benjamin Sesko all looked pretty good, just not all at the same time. They still need a few enhancements, but if those attackers are all on it, together, with Youri Tielemans in midfield behind them, I think they’ll be much improved.

Harris: I’m excited to see how Chelsea click under Xabi Alonso, and expect them to comfortably improve on their 10th-place finish last season. Recruitment looks to have been geared towards facilitating the 3-4-2-1 shape that Alonso used at Bayer Leverkusen, and I think Cole Palmer could thrive in one of the No 10 positions.

Jones: Chelsea (from a low bar), having balanced out their squad with more experience, added even more attacking quality in Morgan Rogers, and had a full pre-season under Alonso. As for Tottenham, they could do with strengthening a few other departments, but the signings they’ve made so far should be enough for a significant improvement.

Spiers: Nottingham Forest have been disconcertingly quiet in the transfer market (just two permanent additions at the time of writing), but you’d imagine that with Oliver Glasner at the helm and a very talented squad, they will improve considerably on 16th. Snaring Glasner feels like a real coup.

James: Tottenham. A caveat here — finishing as low as 10th would be “much better” than fighting relegation. But Spurs, I’m sure, will be higher than that. De Zerbi is a top coach and I like the look of their recruitment — signing proven Premier League players and breaking their transfer record to bring in Mateus Fernandes. A quick fix.

Paton: Leeds. At some point around February, Daniel Farke’s side quietly stopped being a team that survives and became one that was tough to beat. Now add in three terrific signings in James Trafford, Harry Wilson and Tarik Muharemovic. They’ve had a solid pre-season, and for me, the top half is there for the taking.

Who will be worse than last season?

Anka: Obvious answers here revolve around teams who have qualified for Europa League/Conference League competition. Can Sunderland/Bournemouth deal with the Thursday-Sunday treadmill? But I’ll plump for Fulham. Marco Silva’s work there went under the radar, and I’m unsure about Alvaro Arbeloa and his new signings.

Stafford-Bloor: Aston Villa. Tielemans gone, Rogers gone, Amadou Onana injured. Johan Manzambi is going to become a really good player and Joao Gomes already is one, but clearly they have taken a step back. Brian Madjo looks terrific — although he and Gomes are expected to miss the start of the season — but there’s an onus on him to be a reliable source of goals behind Ollie Watkins, which is a heavy burden for a teenager.

Miller: I think Villa are going to struggle, in relative terms anyway. It’s not just that the players they have lost haven’t necessarily been replaced with ones of current commensurate ability; it’s that Unai Emery has been pretty bad at integrating new signings. When it’s, say, Tammy Abraham, it’s not a huge issue because you can just stick him on the bench and broadly forget about him, but when it’s half the team…

Harris: Sunderland spent almost £200m and brought in 18 players last season; so far this summer, they have only signed 34-year-old Thomas Meunier on a free. Their squad is still very strong, and they can beat anyone with the crowd on their side at home, but they did hit a few sticky patches last season, and were actually ranked 18th on expected-goal difference. Europe could distract them too.

Jones: Sunderland did spectacularly well last season and I don’t think they have strengthened anywhere near enough to continue that relative overperformance, especially with the distraction of the Europa League. Villa could drop down the table (though not drastically), with their transfer business so far seeing key personnel leave to directly strengthen rivals for Champions League places.

Spiers: It’d be good banter to say Spurs at this point (adopts Frank Lampard persona; ‘But seriously, they should do really well’) but the obvious answer is Bournemouth. Sixth last year, they’ve lost the best thing about them in Iraola. Sunderland will also probably drop like a stone, unfortunately.

James: Sunderland. As with Forest the season before, Sunderland finished seventh in the Premier League in 2026, which was exceptional. But we all know what happened to Forest next — a season of struggle. Combining the Premier League with playing in Europe will be a major challenge and it feels inevitable there will be a tail-off.

Paton: I agree with others saying Sunderland because of how impressive they were last season, but I’ll go for the other team in the North East, Newcastle. Bruno Guimaraes, Sandro Tonali and Anthony Gordon out the door for over £200m, Eddie Howe gone, and in walks Matthias Jaissle to conduct an orchestra that has just sold its string section.

Which of the nine new managers will prove to be the best appointment?

Anka: If Glasner can maintain a good working relationship with Evangelos Marinakis, then Nottingham Forest should be in for a good season. A coach of known quantity and brilliant qualities.

Stafford-Bloor: Iraola, by process of elimination. I can come up with reasons to doubt the eight other coaches — because of inexperience, potential difficulty with ownership, or otherwise style, squad and tactical concerns — but Iraola is hard to find fault with. He’ll work well in Liverpool’s structure, as a cog in the machine, and the players he’s inheriting have so much potential.

Miller: Probably Glasner, if only because there are pretty big caveats about the others, mostly not their fault: can you realistically expect Alonso to make sense of Chelsea in one season, for example? Glasner is proven, and broadly speaking has a squad suited to his system, so long as he can keep a lid on the default chaos of Nottingham Forest…

Harris: Marco Rose should oversee a pretty seamless transition in terms of playing style at Bournemouth. It looks as if they have retained Alex Scott and Kroupi, while the arrivals of Antonio Silva and Alvaro Rodriguez are particularly ambitious and exciting. They’ll be a nightmare to play against once again.

Jones: I’m a big fan of Iraola’s work, but I wonder if his demands for intensity will have teething problems given how thin the squad currently looks. I’m not as confident as others that things will be stable under Glasner at Forest, and think Maresca will take time to settle at City. I think Rose has the best chance of hitting the ground running, and that Alonso will improve his team the most over the course of this season.

Spiers: It may prove to be an impossible task to follow Pep Guardiola, but in someone a lot of the players know, who has enjoyed success at two English clubs and whose style will be similar to Guardiola but different enough to feel fresh, Maresca is a good appointment.

James: I totally understand the appeal of Glasner. But I’m going to take a chance and say Alonso. Chelsea’s flawed player-trading model has made it hard for any coach to work with continuity and stability in recent years, but there are signs of a shift in that approach, and there’s a lot to like about Alonso.

Paton: Xabi Alonso at Chelsea. Alonso builds teams the way he played: nothing wasted, everything on purpose. Give him a full season (never guaranteed at Stamford Bridge) and I think Chelsea will be one of the best-coached sides in England.

Who will win the title?

Anka: Arsenal by more than five points. There are minor question marks over their attack and what happens if Declan Rice or Bukayo Saka get injured, but Mikel Arteta has built a formidable football machine. Arsenal have the best out-of-possession setup in the Premier League, if not across Europe. Bruno Guimaraes will give them new ways of unlocking low blocks, so changes to referee rules on set pieces shouldn’t be too much of an issue.

Stafford-Bloor: Arsenal. I think they will start slowly and spend much of the autumn and early winter waiting for key players to return to full fitness, but having that group — Rice, William Saliba, Saka — fresh in the new year should serve them well. And Guimaraes is a super player, so there’s that too.

Miller: Arsenal, and I don’t think it will be particularly close, if only because the other realistic candidates all have new managers, whereas they have stability, a deep squad and a defined way of playing, even if that’s not especially pleasing aesthetically. They need another proper attacker of some nature to succeed in Europe, but I think they’ll be fine domestically with what they have.

Harris: I’ll go against the grain and say City. Erling Haaland was lethal at the World Cup, while Antoine Semenyo, Jeremy Doku and Rayan Cherki are all game changers. Phil Foden has a point to prove, and while the potential loss of Rodri will sting, the signing of Elliot Anderson will help to plug some of the defensive gaps.

Jones: Dull, but Arsenal, because they are starting from the strongest position. They have strengthened a title-winning squad without tearing it up. Chelsea, City, and Liverpool are adapting to new managers, while United are adapting to being back in Europe. City look the strongest challengers but if their new-look midfield and new manager take a while to gel, I think Manchester United can barge into the title race.

Spiers: I can see Chelsea potentially clicking quite quickly and mounting a challenge, plus they’ll benefit from having no European football, but Arsenal and City should be a level above the rest with the squads they have. Arsenal still have the best defence, so they’re favourites for now.

James: Arsenal. Liverpool, Chelsea and Manchester City all have new managers and, to varying degrees, are going through a transitional phase on the pitch, too. As for Manchester United, it’s too soon. Arsenal, in contrast, have an established way of playing (and winning) under Arteta. Wait 22 years for a title and… like London buses and all that.

Paton: Arsenal. Boring, I know. Having strengthened the deepest squad in the Premier League by adding even more quality in Bruno Guimaraes, plus Christos Tzolis (who was a real difference-maker at Club Brugge), I think they’re going to take some stopping.

Who is the best signing so far?

Anka: Brentford signing Mamadou Sangare is a shrewd acquisition. The Mali international is a whirling dervish of tackles, interceptions and defensive battling. Give him a few months to acclimatise to the Premier League (he may rack up a few yellow cards before Christmas) and he’ll be the conversation for best player outside the top six.

Stafford-Bloor: Xaver Schlager on a free to Nottingham Forest is good business. He’s not going to attract much attention — he won’t be Fantasy Football gold or anything like that — but he’s an excellent, versatile midfielder and a really solid professional who is still in his prime.

Miller: Christos Tzolis has looked lively in pre-season, and Manzambi will be proper for Aston Villa once he gets settled, but I reckon Tielemans will prove to be an absolute bargain for Manchester United.

Harris: Sangare is an absolute steal, but I’ll shine the light on Ipswich. Florentino Luis is one of the hardest-working defensive midfielders in Europe, while Abdul Fatawu and Emersonn are exciting attacking pick-ups. Julio Enciso could be the pick of the bunch if it goes through — he is a brilliant dribbler, dangerous long-distance shooter and can lead the line himself.

Jones: City need to bring their midfield back to its best to go back to challenging for the title, and Elliot Anderson brings much of what they need to do that. That transfer feels almost old news now, but its importance to City (and therefore the title race) shouldn’t be underestimated.

Spiers: Aston Villa’s recruitment has been poor in recent seasons, but in Joao Gomes, the player who’s made more tackles than anyone in the top five European leagues since 2023, they have a Brazil international who should be one of the best box-to-box midfielders in the division.

James: Is it OK to feel not as excited as previous seasons by the transfer window so far? As it stands, I’m going for Manzambi, the one that got away from Newcastle’s point of view and a player who was a joy to watch at the World Cup.

Paton: James Trafford to Leeds. I’ve tried to look for players outside of the big-money transfers this summer — so £40m for a 23-year-old goalkeeper who may well be England’s next No 1 — is my pick! It’s a bit of a cliche but a good goalkeeper saves you 10-plus points a season… and nobody notices until you haven’t got one.

Which player are you most looking forward to watching?

Anka: Tielemans’ £35million ($47m) move to Manchester United might be the best “cost-to-quality” transfer this summer. The 29-year-old should reduce the creative burden on Bruno Fernandes and Kobbie Mainoo and give Carrick’s side new ways to break down stubborn defences. I’m also interested in how Caleb ​​Yirenkyi gets on at Coventry. The 20-year-old has been dubbed ‘the next Michael Essien’ in Ghana. Now he gets to train under Frank Lampard.

Stafford-Bloor: I’m intrigued by Bazoumana Toure, who has joined Newcastle from Hoffenheim. He improved so quickly during his time in the Bundesliga and was developing at such a pace that it’s natural to wonder what’s next. He’s far from a sure thing and I have a few concerns about his size and the necessary physical adaptation that lies ahead, but the talent is there.

Miller: Not a new addition, but I really hope Wirtz can thrive under Iraola. He’s clearly class, but it felt like he got slightly overwhelmed last season by a new league and in a team that didn’t really make sense. On a slightly lower level but for similar reasons, James McAtee at Forest looks like he fits much better under Glasner than any of the four managers he had last season.

Harris: We didn’t see much of Cherki at the World Cup, but I can’t wait to see him effortlessly open up some defences again. Only Haaland and Fernandes averaged more goal contributions per 90 minutes last season.

Jones: A familiar face: now that Manchester United have reinforced to take some of the burden off him and hopefully allow him a little bit of rest (if he’ll accept it), I wonder if Bruno Fernandes will be even better. A new signing: Daizen Maeda’s performances for Japan at the World Cup, and of course that overhead kick against Rangers for Celtic, have me excited to see what he can offer the Premier League at Ipswich.

Spiers: With Mohamed Salah’s departure, the Premier League only has one genuine global superstar left. In fact, if/when Rodri leaves, probably only one player would be in a ‘top 10 best footballers in the world’ list. It’s Haaland, and we should cherish the Nordic human goal machine while we still can.

James: A big part of me wants to say Max Dowman because his talent is off the scale and I’m fascinated to see how he develops at Arsenal over the next couple of years, in particular how quickly he establishes himself in the first team as a regular starter. England could be calling soon, too.

Paton: Morgan Rogers. While he’s not a new arrival in the Premier League, I’m looking forward to seeing him excel at Chelsea. Yes, £117m is astronomical but he’s not just another signing for the future, he’s a player for now. I genuinely believe Alonso will unlock another level to his game.

Which manager is under the most pressure?

Anka: Iraola worked wonders at Bournemouth, but he’s inherited a Liverpool squad with multiple problem positions. A match-sharp Alexander Isak should help, and I’m curious to see how Iraola balances midweek Champions League fixtures with his high-intensity style of football.

Stafford-Bloor: Enzo Maresca. For the obvious reason, because following Guardiola is arduous enough, but he has also been given Elliot Anderson, one of the most expensive players in British football history, as a welcome gift. It needs to go well, quickly.

Miller: Take your pick from any of the new appointments at the big clubs, but Maresca is probably the choice: taking over from Guardiola, probably with an entirely new midfield and some of your most experienced players gone. All the best!

Harris: Matthias Jaissle is very well thought of in the coaching community, but having lost Bruno Guimaraes, Sandro Tonali and Anthony Gordon before he even walked through the door, he has a real job on his hands.

Jones: Not in the sense of their jobs being at risk, but expectations are highest on Arteta to follow his own masterclass and Maresca to succeed in the driving seat of a lavish but rusty winning machine. In terms of who could be on their way soonest… if Everton stagnate, patience with David Moyes could run out, and I think the pressure is on Glasner to deliver at Forest, where patience never seems to be in great supply.

Spiers: He’s not under the most pressure, but I do think Arteta needs to evolve Arsenal’s industrial style because results last season masked the natives getting a little restless with the long throws and set pieces. Anyway, the correct answer is clearly Iraola.

James: Maresca. Who would want to follow Guardiola? Some old heads have gone on the pitch too — the departure of Bernardo Silva feels the most significant. But I guess the long and short of it is that City won’t want to finish second again, and that — winning the title — is a tall order for any new coach.

Paton: I can’t disagree with those saying Enzo Maresca. Succeeding Pep Guardiola has got to be up there as one of the toughest acts to follow…ever. The squad is still brilliant but the margin for error is still zero.

Who will be top and bottom at Christmas?

Anka: I’ll be boring here. Arsenal top. All three promoted clubs in the relegation zone.

Stafford-Bloor: Liverpool top, Hull bottom.

Miller: Arsenal top, and they’ll stay there. I think Hull will ultimately finish bottom but wonder if they will start quite well, so maybe Ipswich Town in 20th at Christmas.

Harris: Manchester City top, Hull bottom.

Jones: Hull bottom. I’ll play it safe and say Arsenal top — but I think both Manchester teams could be there too.

Spiers: Chelsea to be the surprise Christmas leaders, Hull the unsurprising basement dwellers sweating on beating Derby’s low-points record.

James: Apologies if you’re looking for something unexpected here. Arsenal top. Hull bottom.

Paton: Top, Arsenal (sorry, boring again). Bottom, Hull. Promotion on a shoestring is romantic, right up until the fixture list turns Premier League-shaped!

Will any of the three promoted teams survive?

Anka: Lampard’s Coventry are far better out of possession than his Chelsea and Everton teams were. I’m really interested to see how Gary O’Neil gets on at Ipswich, but I don’t see enough goals across the trio of clubs to stay above the line.

Stafford-Bloor: Ipswich, I think. Quietly, they have had a really bold summer, making signings to strengthen their spine. Issa Diop and Sasa Lukic from Fulham. Luis, the defensive midfielder from Burnley. And Emersonn, the centre-forward from Toulouse, who looks physical, technical and capable of causing some problems in the Premier League.

Miller: Regrettably not. Coventry probably have the best chance, but even then I don’t know if I’m saying that for purely nostalgic ‘I’m happy a team from my Premier League youth is back’ reasons.

Harris: I agree with Seb and think Ipswich will stay up. I see parallels with Sunderland last season, who bolstered their squad with top-level quality and athleticism to double down on their threat on the transition. Coventry look to be in good shape too, but I don’t know which other two sides drop into the relegation zone for both to survive.

Jones: No. Not because I think they’re particularly poor — I like Coventry, and Ipswich have made some good signings — but because I don’t see others in the Premier League who look that vulnerable to slipping below them.

Spiers: Coventry will bloody a few noses but probably lack the goals to stay up. Ipswich’s transfer business has been interesting — Fatawu is a lot of fun, Maeda is an intriguing addition, and O’Neil has done well with Wolves before… so put them down for 20th.

James: No. Sunderland and Leeds staying up last season needed to happen because the Premier League was in danger of becoming a closed shop. With Ipswich, Hull and Coventry, I think it will be back to the old routine, largely because I struggle to see who could go down at their expense.

Paton: Possibly? Maybe? Hopefully? I’m looking forward to seeing what Coventry can do but it goes without saying that it will be a big challenge adapting to the Premier League. I think Ipswich have the infrastructure for a better stay than last time – they’ve got the league’s fourth-highest net spend this summer and a manager who’s equipped to keep them up.

Which game in the opening weeks will tell us a lot about the season to come?

Anka: The Manchester derby on September 13. Both fanbases have reasons to be confident about 2026-27, but also reasons to be confused, too. This game will have a lot of people trying to make grand conclusions about the state of football in the city.

Stafford-Bloor: Newcastle against Liverpool on the opening Sunday looks really interesting. Both teams have an immediate chance to alter the negative mood around them and generate some early momentum. Whatever the outcome, it will draw a big reaction after that first weekend.

Miller: This might not qualify as the opening weeks, but the first weekend after the mega international break will be good fun: there’s the first Liverpool vs Manchester City game, Manchester United vs Tottenham and Glasner goes back to Crystal Palace with Forest, which should be enjoyably spiteful.

Harris: Arsenal versus Chelsea on matchday three. I think Chelsea can be competitive and if they land a blow, it will have plenty of people prematurely reconsidering their top-four predictions.

Jones: The highest xG (expected giddiness) game will be that early Manchester derby. Both sides will be thinking about the title, and it’s each manager’s first chance to make a statement.

Spiers: The opening weekend will tell us how seriously referees and lawmakers intend to clamp down on time-wasting. There are new countdown clocks for goal kicks and throws, substitutes have 10 seconds to leave the field, and outfield players have to go off temporarily if a goalkeeper goes down ‘injured’. Hmmm.

James: Arsenal versus Coventry, Friday night — because, as with Mr Spiers, I’m intrigued to see the impact of the rule changes (time-wasting in particular, which was ridiculous last season), how well they’re enforced and how different the game looks as a result.

Paton: Newcastle vs Liverpool on the opening Sunday. Two clubs conducting very public experiments in the same 90 minutes. Jaissle’s first competitive game in front of a home crowd that’s still trying to process the summer, and Iraola’s first afternoon as the man asked to make Liverpool feel like Liverpool again. Buckle up!

The thing we’ll all be saying in May is…

Anka: “I can’t believe Bruno Fernandes broke his own assist record…”

Stafford-Bloor: We’ll be reflecting positively on the time limits placed upon restarts. It won’t quite be a salute to refereeing standards, but these law changes worked well at the World Cup and should be a subtle but welcome addition to the Premier League.

Miller: “Sean Dyche leading Chelsea out of trouble. Didn’t see that one coming… .”

Harris: “How can anyone compete with Manchester City’s limitless riches?”

Jones: “Shame about Coventry.”

Spiers: “Will this interminable season never end? Anyway, June’s Conference League final between Brighton and Monaco should be good.”

James: “I thought Eddie Howe would have taken a job by now.”

Newcastle United have made contact with Bayern Munich over a proposed permanent move for midfielder Joao Palhinha.

The Athletic reported in August that Palhinha and Marseille’s Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg were two midfielders under consideration by Newcastle, but a move for the latter has proved complicated.

Bayern have been asking for a fee of €30million (£25,65m; $34.71m) for the 31-year-old, either in a permanent transfer or as part of an option at the end of a loan deal, but are prioritising a sale this summer.

Aston Villa were also in talks to sign Palhinha on loan earlier in the window and negotiations had continued for nearly a month, as Unai Emery’s side attempted to sign cover for long-term injury absentee Amadou Onana.

The Portugal international spent last season at Tottenham Hotspur and has been available to leave Bayern this summer. Should it advance, a move to Newcastle would be the third Premier League club of his career, having played for Fulham between 2022 and 2024.

Newcastle sold Sandro Tonali to Tottenham Hotspur summer in a deal worth £100m ($133m), while midfield partner Bruno Guimaraes moved to Arsenal for £75m ($101.47m).

Newcastle have signed 18-year-old midfielder Sean Steur from Ajax in a deal worth in the region of €25m (£21.34m; $28.6m), and 20-year-old midfielder Aladji Bamba from Monaco in a deal worth up to €40million (£34.1m; $45.94m).

The club have also had a bid of around £46million (€54m) rejected by Tottenham for midfielder Lucas Bergvall, who was also being pursued by Nottingham Forest, while they missed out on Freiburg’s Johan Manzambi, who instead joined Aston Villa.

Newcastle previously held discussions with Bayern Munich in May over a proposed move for Anthony Gordon, but the German champions would not meet Newcastle’s asking price. The England international subsequently joined Barcelona.

Does Newcastle’s move for Palhinha make sense?

Analysis from Newcastle correspondent Chris Waugh

Newcastle’s needs are glaring and Matthias Jaissle knows it, repeatedly calling journalists “smart” whenever they ask him what he is looking for in the transfer market.

Hojbjerg would have brought leadership and Premier League experience to Newcastle’s engine room, yet a move for the Marseille midfielder stalled. Palhinha would offer very similar attributes, having played for Fulham and Tottenham Hotspur in the Premier League and at the top level of European football with Bayern Munich.

Four of Newcastle’s summer signings so far have been aged 20 or under and, even if Amar Dedic joins from Benfica, none of their six additions will be over 24.

Palhinha is 31 and there is likely to be little sell-on potential from bringing in the Portugal international, yet the benefit of signing the midfielder could prove far more important than the financial cost. In a post-Guimaraes world, Newcastle look short of characters and leadership on the field. They also lack top-level nous and in-game management.

Palhinha would, theoretically, offer many of those traits. He is also suited to playing as a No 6 in a 4-2-3-1 system, which appears to be the formation Jaissle wants to field.

Having seemingly missed out on Hojbjerg, there are few experienced attainable alternatives, but Palhinha is one of them.

Tottenham showed more evidence they will be a different proposition this season under Roberto De Zerbi as Richarlison scored once and Mikey Moore twice in a 3-0 win over Hoffenheim, the first of a friendly double-header this weekend.

De Zerbi fielded a strong line-up, with new signings Jan Paul van Hecke, Marcos Senesi, Andy Robertson and Sandro Tonali all starting.

Spurs opened the scoring after 35 minutes when Tonali played Robertson in on the left and the full-back’s cross was met with a crisp, first-time finish from Richarlison in the box.

If anything, the second was more impressive in the 59th minute. After a long passing sequence with much of the team involved, Mathys Tel showed skill and persistence to beat his marker and deliver a low cross that Moore converted.

Moore then scored his second, 11 minutes from time, with a composed finish after another assist from the lively Tel.

Jay Harris breaks down the key talking points from the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.

Could Lucas Bergvall have a Spurs future after all?

Before the pre-season tour of Australia and New Zealand, it appeared Bergvall was destined to leave. The Athletic reported that the midfielder had expressed a preference to move on but Spurs rejected offers from Nottingham Forest and Newcastle United. De Zerbi said he “would like” Bergvall to stay but he cannot guarantee anybody a place in the starting XI.

Something must have clicked because Bergvall started twice on tour and was electric against Hoffenheim. The 20-year-old’s first major involvement in the game was to relentlessly press Hoffenheim’s goalkeeper Oliver Baumann and intercept a loose pass which nearly led to Tel scoring.

A few minutes later he allowed the ball to roll across his body inside his own box after receiving a risky pass from Antonin Kinsky while surrounded by multiple opponents. Bergvall twisted away from the pressure and launched an attack. The Sweden international then dropped deep to collect the ball from Senesi, drove forwards up the entire pitch and saw his shot saved by Baumann.

There are encouraging signs Bergvall is developing a good understanding with record-signing Tonali. In the 30th minute, Bergvall nudged a first-time pass towards his Italian team-mate who then released Moore into space on the right wing. Moore’s cross should have been converted at the back post by Richarlison or Tel.

However, he faded in the second half and gave the ball away sloppily on a few occasions.

The biggest question mark for Bergvall is what happens when £85m summer signing Mateus Fernandes and Rodrigo Bentancur are fully fit. Will he drop out of De Zerbi’s plans straight away? On the basis of his recent performances it would be hard to let him go but he deserves to play regularly whether that is in north London or somewhere else.

Will Richarlison start the season at No 9?

Richarlison has played under five different head coaches since he joined Spurs in July 2022 and, despite never feeling like the perfect fit for any of them, somehow keeps surviving. Dominic Solanke has been used sparingly during pre-season by De Zerbi after struggling with injuries for the last 12 months which raises the prospect of Richarlison starting the opening game against Brentford next weekend. It is a strange situation to be in with the forward who “sometimes wants to leave” according to De Zerbi.

Richarlison showed his value against Hoffenheim. He tried to combine with his team-mates by dropping into space and turning on the ball but it is a skill which does not come as naturally to him compared to Solanke. The 29-year-old battled with Hoffenheim’s centre-backs and at one stage in the first half was flattened by Albian Hajdari when they jumped for an aerial duel.

Richarlison’s biggest strength has always been his ability to anticipate where the ball will land in the box and he could be one of the biggest beneficiaries of Robertson’s move from Liverpool. The pair used to be on opposite sides of the Merseyside Derby to each other but the signs suggest they complement each other well. Robertson’s desire to whip first-time crosses into the box led to Richarlison giving Spurs the lead in the 35th minute with a sweeping left-footed shot. It was a move which had been started by an elegant touch from Tonali around Nathan De Cat which allowed him to drive into space unchallenged.

Richarlison was Tottenham’s top goalscorer last season even though he missed a chunk of the season through injury. He has been valuable as a back-up option but it seems like he could be desperately needed in the first few weeks of the campaign despite only having a year left on his contract.

How did Jan Paul van Hecke perform?

On the day that Cristian Romero officially joined Atletico Madrid, Spurs supporters got their first proper opportunity to take a look at his replacement Van Hecke. The biggest difference between the pair is how they communicate with their team-mates. Romero was Tottenham’s captain last season but he was not a vocal leader. Van Hecke is the complete opposite. There were multiple occasions on Saturday where Van Hecke could be heard bellowing instructions, including to older and more experienced team-mates Senesi and Robertson, over the crowd.

The Netherlands international is not quite as physically dominant as Romero but they are both blessed with a beautiful passing range. Van Hecke appears to be more emotionally and tactically disciplined than Romero although there was a bizarre moment in the second half when he chased a clearance from Hoffenheim’s corner all the way back to their goalkeeper.

Senesi will be Micky van de Ven’s understudy and he is a massive upgrade on Radu Dragusin. The 29-year-old always looked composed under pressure and his intricate reverse passes led to multiple goalscoring opportunities. On the basis of Van Hecke and Senesi’s performances, nobody will be worried about saying goodbye to Romero.

Should Mikey Moore be kept as an attacking option?

At a time when there is a growing concern about Tottenham’s attacking options next season, supporters will be wondering why Moore is being sent on loan to Koln. De Zerbi is desperately short on options out wide and Tel is the only fit winger he has available. Mohammed Kudus will hopefully be fully fit soon but Spurs’ pursuit of Manchester City’s Savinho has dragged on for the window.

This could be the perfect opportunity to give players from the academy an opportunity and Moore made a strong case as to why he should stick around. Moore, who was 19 this week, has a slight frame and can be bumped around by defenders but he possesses the agility and skill to skip between them.

Spending last season on loan at Rangers has clearly toughened him up and added different elements to his game. Moore predominantly plays on the left wing and likes to cut inside onto his stronger right foot. He started on the right against Hoffenheim and both of his goals came from attacking space at the back post. Moore’s first goal came just after half-time when he nimbly side-stepped in front of his marker to score a clever half-volley from Tel’s cross.

The England Under-19 international’s second goal was supplied by a smart piece of skill from Tel. Moore opened up the angle with his first touch after running into space and fired a shot past Baumann. Moore is one of the most highly-regarded players to emerge from Spurs’ academy over the last five years and fans desperately want him to succeed. It will feel strange and bittersweet to see him head out on loan to Germany after such an impressive performance.

When do Spurs play next?

The second game of this friendly double-header with Hoffenheim takes place tomorrow (Sunday Aug 16), before De Zerbi’s side then open their Premier League campaign with a trip to Brentford on Aug 22.

Middlesbrough have signed defender Ashley Phillips from Tottenham Hotspur, with the defender signing a five-year contract with the Championship club.

The Athletic reported on August 6 that an agreement had been reached between the two clubs over a deal consisting of an initial £7million fee, plus up to £13m in potential additional bonuses and add-ons.

Phillips is the second Tottenham player to sign for Middlesbrough this summer, after academy graduate Will Lankshear also joined on a five-year deal.

Upon joining Middlesbrough, Phillips told the club’s in-house media: “I’m very excited to be here and can’t wait to be on the pitch. This is an amazing club and it deserves to be in the Premier League.

“I hope to be a good addition to what’s already a fantastic squad, and hopefully we can achieve great things together this season.“

Phillips joined Spurs from Blackburn Rovers in the summer of 2023 for around £3m but departs without making his senior competitive debut for the club, after spending the last two-and-a-half seasons on loan in the Championship.

He joined Plymouth Argyle for the second half of the 2023-24 campaign, winning the club’s young player of the year award, before making 83 appearances across the past two seasons at Stoke City.

Middlesbrough have made a number of signings from Premier League clubs this summer, with Phillips and Lankshear joining goalkeeper Radek Vitek, who signed permanently from Manchester United, alongside striker Kyle Joseph from Hull City and Jeremy Sarmiento from Brighton & Hove Albion.

Kim Hellberg’s side had money to spend following the departure of Hayden Hackney to Everton, in a deal which could rise to just under £25m if all clauses, which are based on appearances, England selection and Everton’s qualification for European competition, are met.

They are also due a significant sell-on fee from Morgan Rogers’ £117m move to Chelsea, having inserted a 20 per cent sell-on clause in the deal which saw the England international join Aston Villa in January 2024.

Middlesbrough were defeated by Hull City in last season’s Championship play-off final after a fifth-placed finish.

Serie A champions Inter have agreed a deal to sign full-back Djed Spence from Tottenham Hotspur in a transfer worth €35million (£29.9m), a figure which includes add-ons.

Inter’s move for the England international is for an upfront fee in the region of €30m (£25.6m), with personal terms not expected to be an issue.

The Italian club have been targeting a new full-back after Denzel Dumfries joined Real Madrid.

Spence, who arrived in Milan on Thursday night ahead of the move, is coming off a successful World Cup campaign with England, appearing in all eight games as Thomas Tuchel’s side reached the semi-final stage.

The 26-year-old represents a versatile option, able to play on the left and right side of defence. Tottenham are well-stocked in both full-back positions with World Cup winner Pedro Porro first choice on the right and Archie Gray available as cover, and Andy Robertson joining Destiny Udogie and Souza as options on the left.

Spence’s exit will continue the renovation of Tottenham’s defence this summer and follows the arrivals of centre-backs Marco Senesi and Jan Paul van Hecke, along with left-back Andy Robertson.

Luka Vuskovic has joined Brighton & Hove Albion on a permanent deal, while Cristian Romero is closing in on a move to Atletico Madrid.

Inter have undergone somewhat of a defensive change of their own, with centre-backs Manuel Akanji and John Stones both joining from Manchester City.

In August 2025, Spence signed a new long-term contract with Spurs, with his previous terms due to expire in 2028. It followed him breaking into the team under Ange Postecoglou in the 2024-25 campaign.

Spence struggled to make an impact in the seasons immediately after joining on a five-year deal from Middlesbrough in July 2022.

He did not start a single match for Spurs in his first two seasons at the club, and was sent out for loan spells with Rennes, Leeds United and Genoa, during that time, and previous coach Antonio Conte described the defender as a “club” signing.

Postecoglou integrated him into the side in the 2024-25 season and he has gone on to make 79 appearances for Spurs, helping the team win the Europa League that campaign.

There will never be one truth about Cristian Romero’s time at Tottenham.

He has been a leader, a liability and a talisman. In five or 10 years, there will still be an argument about who this complex, compelling and confounding character was.

There are complications, of course, but there is also tribute to be paid to a player about to move to Atletico Madrid after both clubs agreed a €40million (£34.1m; $46m) deal.

Romero’s finest performance for the club arguably came on its biggest night. Son Heung-min was the captain in Bilbao in May 2025, when Ange Postecoglou’s side beat Manchester United 1-0 to win the Europa League, but Romero led the team out at San Mames, wore the armband for most of the game, and was the soul of a performance that nobody will ever forget.

Would Spurs have won that game without him? It’s inconceivable. Romero could be an erratic player. He seemed to lose concentration easily. But a few times each season, when in rare equilibrium, he could perform at an unfathomably high level.

Those games were rare, but Bilbao was one of them. The quality of his defending — his tackling, his heading, his blocking — was of a remarkably high standard. From the kick-off onwards, when he barged into Manchester United’s half to gather the players in that pre-match huddle, he got right under Manchester United’s skin and stayed there.

Spurs have often been callow in the modern era. In the biggest games, they have tiptoed onto the pitch and played as if being there was enough. How wonderful it was to see the way Romero carried himself that night, with an abrasive energy that almost had Harry Maguire swinging punches at full time.

That was Cristian Romero. One of the versions, at least.

This is a confusing legacy. Most simply, because Romero was not always there. In his five seasons, he appeared in more than 27 Premier League games just once. Between injury and suspension, he was never someone who could be depended upon to be in the side. And when he was, who knew what kind of performance he would give.

Romero could lock Erling Haaland entirely out of a game. He would kick him early, smash him to the floor in the first five minutes, and then keep him there, cowed, for the rest of the match. But he could also be caught hopelessly out of position by an utterly mundane team or gift a chance to some five-goal-a-season forward.

He was both of those players. He could be absolutely magnificent or utterly baffling, sometimes in the same half of a match.

Then there was Argentina, and the suspicion that playing for his country mattered a lot more to him. Maybe it did? Maybe it’s fine if so? Romero was part of a generation of Argentinian internationals who had a devotion to helping Lionel Messi win a World Cup. It was a rare, unique situation. But among those who wanted to see it, it created a sense that he never belonged to Tottenham in the way that other players did. Or even wanted to.

The bigger issue, often, was in the optics and the contradictions they showed. In January, as Spurs plunged towards relegation, he appeared to criticise the club’s decision makers on Instagram, accusing them “only showing up when things are going well”.

He verbalised what many felt at the time and his name was sung home and away in the weeks after. All together, always. But by April, he was making that meagre effort to prevent Nottingham Forest’s second goal in that devastating 3-0 home defeat. A month later, in the final week of the season, before safety was secured, he was rehabbing his knee injury back home in Argentina, as a terrified squad fought for their lives.

He had leave to do it. He did nothing wrong and whether he always intended to, or had a last-minute change of heart, he flew back to London for the final Sunday of the season and was in the stadium for the Everton game. At a time of incredible sensitivity, the decision to return to Argentina was always going to be provocative.

Was he right? Was he wrong? Had everyone just lost the capacity to be rational? Fans are entitled to their own perspective. But then, now, and always, there have been so many to choose from with Romero. He has always inspired such conflicting emotions that nobody could ever be certain what they felt for him.

Maybe it could have been different. Romero frequently seemed provoked by the club’s weaknesses and whatever imperfections lay in the coach of the time. What if he had played for Mauricio Pochettino, beside Toby Alderweireld or Jan Vertonghen? It’s natural to wonder, but pointless to dwell upon.

He’s Atletico Madrid’s riddle now.

The new Premier League season is almost upon us and we want to gauge the mood among fans of every club going into the 2026-27 campaign.

It is the time of year when a new signing can mean optimism abounds. Alternatively, a less-than-impressive pre-season and a lack of transfer activity can leave supporters fearing the worst.

Let us know how you feel about your club’s prospects this season via our simple poll below and, as has become tradition, George Caulkin will analyse the results and report back with The Athletic’s hope-o-meter, a not particularly scientific reflection of fans’ hopes and fears for the coming season.