The Premier League begins on Friday at 8:00 PM, when Manchester United hosts Fulham.
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The four-time champion Manchester City is once again the favorite to win the English title in the 2024/25 season, as they seek an unprecedented fifth consecutive title.
They face intense competition from Arsenal, who are enduring a 20-year title drought, and Liverpool, who have recently entered a new era following the departure of Klopp.
The reigning champion also retains a strong Portuguese contingent, including Rúben Dias, Bernardo Silva, and Matheus Nunes, as well as João Cancelo, who is still without a placement after his loan to FC Barcelona. However, Cancelo is unlikely to be part of Pep Guardiola's plans, having been left out of the squad in the victory against Manchester United in the Super Cup (won on penalties, 7-6, after a 1-1 draw in 90 minutes), which marked the official start of the season in England.
The Citizens continue with their coach for the ninth season and have made few changes to the team's core, except for the departure of Argentine Julián Álvarez to Atlético Madrid for a reported €75 million, with an additional €20 million possible in bonuses. They have also signed Savinho, a young winger from Troyes who impressed on loan at Girona last season.
Erling Haaland's form could be a decisive factor for Pep Guardiola's team, following a season in which the 24-year-old Norwegian striker was the league's top scorer with 27 goals, though he was not at the same level as in his debut season in English football, where he scored 36 goals.
Runner-up Arsenal, featuring Fábio Vieira and managed by Mikel Arteta, is aiming for the long-awaited title that has eluded them since 2003/04, after finishing second in the last two seasons, just two points behind the leader last season. This makes the Gunners serious contenders, despite the recent title drought, even with a squad full of stars like Bukayo Saka and Martin Odegaard.
In a transfer window that has been unusually calm so far, given the significant financial power of English clubs, Arsenal has also been relatively quiet, with Riccardo Calafiori, a standout from Bologna's campaign last season, being the most notable arrival. The club also secured the permanent transfer of first-choice goalkeeper David Raya after a year on loan from Brentford.
The biggest uncertainties and expectations surround Liverpool following the departure of German coach Jürgen Klopp, who was at Anfield for nine seasons and was the only one capable of breaking the Citizens' domestic dominance in the last seven years, with the 2019/20 league title their first in 30 years along with several other trophies, most notably the Reds' sixth UEFA Champions League title in the previous season.
Dutchman Arne Slot is the next to take charge of the historic English club, having led Feyenoord for the past three seasons. Only time will tell if he can implement the playing style he expressed at the Rotterdam club, which is very similar to that of his German predecessor, particularly in the intensity of high pressing and quick transitions.
Without any new signings so far, following significant spending in 2023/24, Liverpool has sold Portuguese midfielder Fábio Carvalho to Brentford, leaving Diogo Jota as the only Portuguese representative in the team, and is looking to improve on last season's third-place finish with a largely unchanged squad.
Manchester United, with Bruno Fernandes and Diogo Dalot, has signed promising center-back Leny Yoro from Lille and forward Joshua Zirkzee from Bologna, while Tottenham has placed its bets on Dominik Solanke, who had a standout season at Bournemouth and is expected to be the new offensive reference for the club, which reportedly paid a record fee of around €75 million for his signing, according to the English press.
Completing the "Big 6," Chelsea is also in the mix for the top spots after finishing sixth last season. They bring renewed ambitions with new coach Enzo Maresca, who led Leicester back to the top tier, and a series of signings, with Portuguese international Pedro Neto, formerly of Wolverhampton, being the standout.
On the sidelines, the Spanish former FC Porto coach Julen Lopetegui has taken over from David Moyes at West Ham, while Marco Silva and Nuno Espírito Santo continue to represent Portuguese managers.
Marco Silva is entering his fourth season with Fulham, having secured a 13th-place finish last season, while Espírito Santo ensured survival with a 17th-place finish for a club that has now strengthened its squad with Portuguese international Jota Silva.
The Premier League begins on Friday at 8:00 PM, when Manchester United hosts Fulham.
Updated: 10:04, 14 Aug 2024
