4 Premier League clubs to keep an eye on this season
Another long and eventful summer is in the books as the summer transfer window officially closed for the English Premier League yesterday. Every club has either sold or loaned out players, and most clubs have purchased new talent.
Some clubs simply decided to add more depth and increase the internal competition within their squads, while others went all out to elevate their status in English football. Overall, there are four clubs that had a unique summer and will be worth observing over the course of the 2018-19 campaign.
Everton
Everton are on the brink of developing long-term consistency in the top flight as they have finished the last two seasons in the top eight. In the last three weeks alone, Everton did not hesitate spending £67million on two players - Richarlison from Watford for £50million and Yerry Mina from Barcelona for £27million.
Everton had a specific agenda in mind and sealed deals for their primary targets to significantly strengthen their squad.
With a team sheet comprised of quick pace, athleticism and potential, Marco Silva will look to see how close his side is to contending for a place among the top six.
Wolverhampton
Wolverhampton will most likely be the most interesting team to follow during the 2018-19 campaign. Last season’s EFL Championship winners have stormed into this summer with a war chest transfer budget and fresh confidence.
Under the managerial tenure of Nuno Espirito Santo, Wolves have experienced a major transformation. It is normal for newly-promoted clubs to spend money to obtain reinforcements in preparation for tougher competition, but Wolverhampton have completely restructured their roster.
The addition of several Portuguese internationals will serve the club well in terms of developing strong chemistry. Moreover, the heavy presence of Portuguese players will bring a new style of play to the Premier League that could cause problems for some defensive units.
Newcastle United
For the second consecutive season, Newcastle United will be the sole representatives of the North East in the Premier League. Last season was considered a major success for the Magpies as they earned a top 10 finish.
Upon the conclusion of the 2017-18 campaign, Newcastle’s manager, Rafa Benitez, claimed that it was a memorable season for him as a manager. Over the last two seasons, Newcastle went from winning the EFL Championship to finishing in the top half of the Premier League table.
After signing seven players this summer, Newcastle have added much-needed depth to their squad and now boast a more impressive front-line with Salomon Rondon and Yoshinori Muto up top. It will be interesting to see if Newcastle can replicate their success from last season.
Tottenham
Tottenham have set a Premier League record by becoming the first English club to not buy a single player during the summer transfer window. Tottenham were keen on buying youngster Jack Grealish from Aston Villa, but the negotiations fell through and the Spurs’ roster remains unchanged.
With that being said, it will be interesting to see how this inactivity will impact Tottenham’s form. With their current roster, Tottenham had a successful 2017-18 campaign as they finished third in the table with 77 points.
The transfer inactivity surely comes as a surprise for many pundits and Tottenham supporters, but they will still have a quality team sheet that will fight for a top three finish once again.