Record transfers, a big test for Manchester clubs and Lampard's return: what to expect from the new Premier League season?

**Record Transfers, Big Test for Manchester Clubs and Lampard's Return: What to Expect from the New EPL Season?**

The 2026/27 English Premier League season will start on August 21. This season is expected to be interesting not only with the fight for the top places in the championship, but also with fierce battles for the lower places. A number of top clubs will start the season with new coaches, while Arsenal will defend their title as the current champion after a long break.

**Arsenal — Main Favorite**

According to Opta forecasts, Arsenal is the main favorite for the championship. The London club's chance of becoming the champion is estimated at 38 percent. Mikel Arteta's team won the English championship last season after a 22-year break. Now the Spanish specialist has the task of repeating this success. Only Alex Ferguson (Manchester United), Jose Mourinho (Chelsea) and Pep Guardiola (Manchester City) have won the Premier League title twice in a row.

Arsenal strengthened their central midfield with Bruno Guimaraes during the summer transfer window, and added Christos Tzolis from Club Brugge to the attack. The team showed their good form by winning the FA Super Cup against Manchester City in the pre-season. However, Arteta has a serious problem. Main defender William Saliba is out for a long time. The Frenchman will not be able to play until at least the end of the year and his absence is expected to affect the Londoners' defense. Therefore, they signed Aston Villa and England defender Ezri Konsa to replace him.

**Manchester City Starts New Era**

Manchester City will start the 2026/27 season without Pep Guardiola. The Spaniard led the club for 10 years and won 20 trophies during that time. He was replaced by Enso Maresca. Maresca is no stranger to the City. He previously worked on Guardiola's coaching staff, later led Leicester to the Premier League and also spent a season and a half at Chelsea.

However, the new manager faces a difficult task. Manchester City are currently busy reshaping their midfield. The club has already bought Elliot Anderson from Nottingham Forest for £116m. At the same time, the team's main midfielder Rodri has joined Barcelona for £65m. The Spaniard's departure to Barcelona has had a serious impact on Manchester City's plans. The club are on the verge of completing a £85m move for Lille's 18-year-old Ayoub Bouaddi to replace him. Roma and France midfielder Manu Kone are also being considered. Although new signing Anderson is an experienced player, the 18-year-old Bouaddi is yet to gain enough top-flight experience to take the team up a notch. Opta rate Manchester City's chances of winning the title at 20 per cent.

**Changes at Liverpool and Manchester United**

Liverpool also start the season with a new manager. Arne Slot has been replaced by Andoni Iraola, who has had a successful spell at Bournemouth. However, the Merseysiders have seen several key players leave the club during the summer transfer window. Mohamed Salah left the club after a long spell at the club, while Ibrahima Konate has joined Real Madrid. Liverpool have been trying to fill their gaps, but there are questions about whether the squad has improved compared to last season. Therefore, the fight for the top four is likely to be one of the main goals of the Reds. The Merseysiders have brought in players mainly in the defensive line. 20-year-old Frenchman Jeremy Jake and Barcelona captain Ronald Araújo have been brought in on loan from Rennes. The club has also signed winger Victor Munoz from Spanish club Osasuna. Liverpool are continuing talks with PSG striker Bradley Barcolla to replace Mohamed Salah. Manchester United will start the season under Michael Carrick. He took over in January 2026 and has led United to third place and the Champions League, losing just twice in 17 matches. Now Carrick must prove that this result is no coincidence. Manchester United strengthened their midfield in the summer. Andre Santos from Chelsea and Youri Tielemans from Aston Villa have joined the squad. Marcus Rashford has returned to the team after a loan spell at Barcelona. At the same time, Casemiro and a number of other players have left the club.

**Aston Villa and Chelsea Ambitions**

Under Unai Emery, Aston Villa are no longer seen as outsiders competing against top-6 teams. The club's victory in the Europa League has allowed them to participate in the European Champions League. However, key players Tielemans and Morgan Rodgers from Birmingham have left the club. The main goalkeeper Emiliano Martinez is also likely to leave. For this reason, Aston Villa has signed Parma and Japan goalkeeper Zion Suzuki. At left-back, Atletico Madrid player Matteo Ruggieri has been acquired. Opta estimates Villa's chances of winning the title at 4.8%.

Chelsea, meanwhile, are starting a new era under Xabi Alonso. The Spanish coach won the German Bundesliga with Bayer Leverkusen. He also had a brief spell at Real Madrid. The London club signed Morgan Rodgers from Aston Villa for £138m in the summer. Chelsea have also seen a surge in experienced players. The likes of Danny Welbeck, 35, and Jordan Henderson, 36, are expected to join the team to help out the younger players. Opta rates the Aristocrats' chances of winning the title at 3.7%.

**Lampard Could Be One of the Premier League's Most Promising Managers**

One of the most exciting teams in the new season is Frank Lampard's Coventry City. When the former Chelsea player took over in November 2024, the club were 17th in the Championship table. A year and a half later, Lampard led Coventry to the elite of English football, the Premier League. Lampard's coaching career at Chelsea and Everton has raised many questions, but he has managed to shape the Coventry team well. He has created a balance between attacking football and a pragmatic approach in the team. Set-pieces in particular have become a strong weapon for Coventry: the team scored 29 goals from set-pieces last season, the best result in the league in this regard. Interestingly, Coventry will play their first match of the new season against champions Arsenal. This will be a serious test for Lampard's team. Coventry is participating in the Premier League for the first time since 2001.

**Ipswich and Hull City Fight for Survival in the Premier League**

Ipswich also returned to the Premier League. The club finished 19th in the 2024/2025 season and was relegated. During the summer transfer window, Ipswich made the biggest spending spree in their history - 178 million pounds were spent on more than 12 new players. The team also changed their head coach. Kieran McKenna, who led Ipswich to the Premier League, left the club between seasons. Gary O'Neill was appointed in his place. A new coach, new tactics and an updated squad make it difficult to predict the team's chances next season.

Hull City returned to the Premier League after a nine-year break. The club beat Middlesbrough 1-0 in the play-off final to qualify for the elite. However, the team's financial capabilities are limited. According to the Transfermarkt portal, the total value of the Hull City squad is 144 million euros, which is the lowest figure in the Premier League. Therefore, the team is expected to struggle to survive throughout the season.

**The Most Unpredictable League**

The rest of the Premier League could also be in for a surprise in the new season. Tottenham are looking to bounce back from one of their worst seasons in their history under Roberto De Zerbi. The Italian has bolstered their midfield. Newcastle's Sandro Tonali and West Ham's Mateusz Fernandes have joined the club. The club's main defender and captain, Christian Romero, has left Spurs and has been replaced by Brighton and Netherlands defender Jan van Hecke. Liverpool's experienced winger Andrew Robertson has also joined on a free transfer. De Zerbi will be tasked with leading the club to a higher position after such a big transfer.

The reigning Conference League champions, Crystal Palace, have made a name for themselves in Europe but finished 15th in the Premier League last season. Newcastle are starting a new era after Eddie Howe's departure. Bournemouth are looking to stay in the Premier League under Marco Rose.

It's therefore difficult to pick a clear favourite for the 2026/27 Premier League season. The battle for the title, the European Cup and the relegation places are all expected to be equally exciting. It's the fierce competition and unexpected results between mediocre teams that make the English Premier League one of the most competitive leagues in the world.