10 questions awaiting answers in the 2025-2026 Premier League

Could Liverpool's spending spree backfire? Will a four-horse title race emerge? How will Amorim revive Man Utd? These are some of the key questions ahead of the first round today.

Will 2025-2026 be the season of the strikers? The Premier League is seeing a trend of acquiring "true number 9s," with Arsenal, Liverpool, Chelsea, and Man Utd buying Gyokeres, Ekitike, Joao Pedro, Delap, and Sesko. These players will join the existing ranks of Erling Haaland, Chris Wood, Watkins, Wissa, Mateta, and Evanilson. Influenced by Pep Guardiola, English football once favored the "false 9." But with a return to transition-based play, teams are prioritizing the traditional striker role.

Will Liverpool defend their title, or will their extensive changes prove costly? Liverpool has spent $356 million, not including add-ons, the highest in the league, to bolster their championship-winning squad. They are also reportedly considering a $200 million move for Newcastle's Alexander Isak.

This unprecedented spending spree raises several questions. Will so many changes disrupt the team's chemistry and dismantle a winning formula? Will the addition of Florian Wirtz, an attacking midfielder, compromise the midfield's solidity? And was replacing both full-backs too much, too soon?

Their defeat to Crystal Palace in the FA Community Shield suggests manager Arne Slot may need more time to stabilize the squad. Chemistry between new and existing players doesn't develop overnight.

Could we see the most exciting title race yet? The last time the Premier League witnessed a three-horse race was the 2013-2014 season when Steven Gerrard's slip allowed Man City to edge ahead of Liverpool and Chelsea. This season, that drama could be repeated. Liverpool might face a stronger challenge from Arsenal, who addressed their attacking weakness by signing striker Viktor Gyokeres. The "Gunners" also added depth with winger Noni Madueke and central midfielder Martin Zubimendi.

Man City is also ready to bounce back after last season's disappointment. The signings of Rayan Ait-Nouri, Tijjani Reijnders, and Rayan Cherki demonstrate manager Pep Guardiola's determination to revive the team. In 17 years of top-level management, the Spaniard has never gone two consecutive seasons without a league title.

Chelsea is another strong contender. Victories in the Club World Cup and Conference League have boosted morale for Enzo Maresca's team. They've also acquired quality players like Joao Pedro, Liam Delap, and Estevao.

Will stability benefit Newcastle and Aston Villa? Liverpool's title win last season with a largely unchanged squad highlights the importance of stability. For rising teams like Newcastle and Aston Villa, this is even more crucial. They could lose momentum if they let one or two stars leave for bigger clubs.

For Newcastle, keeping Isak, who scored 27 goals in all competitions last season, could define their season. They need him to secure their fifth-place finish and compete in the Champions League group stage.

Aston Villa has had a quiet summer. Manager Unai Emery has retained the squad that finished sixth in the Premier League and reached the Champions League quarterfinals, even strengthening their attack with Evann Guessand, the 24-year-old striker who scored 12 goals for Nice in the 2024-2025 Ligue 1 season.

How will Ruben Amorim revive Man Utd? Spending nearly $300 million on three forwards—Matheus Cunha, Bryan Mbeumo, and Benjamin Sesko—demonstrates Man Utd's determination. They still believe in Amorim's project, despite the manager leading them to a 15th-place finish last season, though they did reach the Europa League final. Many at Old Trafford feel that if a talented young manager like Amorim can't turn things around, perhaps no one can. Reports suggest the coaching staff and players are working tirelessly on tactics. A positive pre-season, unbeaten in five matches, offers encouraging signs.

However, Man Utd will face greater scrutiny than ever. For better or worse, their journey will be a captivating story.

What will the switch from Postecoglu to Frank bring to Tottenham? Ange Postecoglu's sacking immediately after winning the Europa League, Tottenham's first trophy since 2008, shocked players and fans. According to British media, Chairman Daniel Levy was unhappy with the team's 17th-place finish in the Premier League. Thomas Frank, who led Brentford to 10th place last season, replaces Postecoglu.

Tottenham will shift abruptly from Postecoglu's entertaining style to Frank's pragmatism. The new manager isn't as defensive as Jose Mourinho, but the counter-attacking style he employed at Brentford is far from the emotionally charged attacking approach of Antonio Conte or Nuno Santo. Frank had Brentford playing possession-based football in the Championship but became more cautious after promotion in 2021.

Can newly promoted teams avoid the one-season drop? In the past two seasons, all three promoted clubs were immediately relegated. This raises concerns about a growing gap between the two divisions.

To avoid this fate, Sunderland has spent over $170 million, building a squad blending youth and experience, including former Arsenal and Leverkusen captain Granit Xhaka.

Burnley has also made several signings, most notably former Man City captain Kyle Walker.

Leeds United has focused on signings between $7 million and $23 million. Their most experienced newcomer is Dominic Calvert-Lewin, the 28-year-old striker who joined on a free transfer from Everton. Calvert-Lewin has played 240 Premier League matches and scored 57 goals.

How will mid-table teams cope with the "talent drain"? This summer transfer window has seen a trend of players moving from mid-table teams to higher-ranked clubs. Brentford lost manager Frank, striker Bryan Mbeumo, midfielder Christian Norgaard, and may lose striker Yoane Wissa. Bournemouth sold three of their top four defenders: Dean Huijsen, Illia Zabarnyi, and Milos Kerkez. Crystal Palace might lose Eberechi Eze and Marc Guehi. Nottingham Forest retained Morgan Gibbs-White but sold Anthony Elanga. Brighton allowed Joao Pedro to join Chelsea, while West Ham sold Mohamed Kudus to Tottenham.

Some teams may cope by buying cheaper players domestically or abroad. But if unsuccessful, they risk losing squad depth and facing a relegation battle.

Can Nottingham Forest and Crystal Palace make a European run? Tottenham's Europa League win and Chelsea's Conference League victory last season show that the "second-tier" European competitions offer English teams a chance for silverware.

Crystal Palace will play in the Conference League instead of the Europa League due to co-ownership issues with Lyon (France). But by 5/2026, they might be grateful for UEFA's ruling. Based on their Premier League performance last season, Nottingham Forest could also win the Europa League, their first European title since 1980.

Will a full summer benefit Potter, Moyes, and Pereira? Midway through last season, Graham Potter, David Moyes, and Vitor Pereira joined West Ham, Everton, and Wolves, respectively. Their results varied.

Pereira performed best, lifting Wolves from 19th place (with 9 points after 16 matches) to 16th, earning 33 points in the remaining 22 matches. Moyes also steered Everton to safety, finishing 13th and 13 points clear of relegation. In contrast, Potter barely improved on his predecessor Julen Lopetegui's performance.

All three managers will appreciate a summer uninterrupted by international tournaments. They've had ample time to prepare for the new season, and the players have had more rest. There will be no excuses for poor starts from West Ham, Everton, and Wolves.