Premier League Transfer Wishlist: What Each Team Needs

At last, the long football season is mostly finished. We can finally focus on what this entire sporting endeavor is really about: player transfers. Winning the Premier League? That`s just a way to justify signing even more expensive and flashy talent. A thrilling climb up the table and a deep run in domestic cups? Oh, sorry guys, you`ve just turned yourselves into bait for bigger clubs.

Of course, all this truly matters. It is absolutely vital. That`s why Liverpool acquired so many players before comfortably winning the title. Brighton spent more money than any team in Europe last summer, and you could really see the impact, right? Right?

Still, one thing is undeniable: the world devours transfer content. Hope is a potent drug, and nothing triggers a greater high than contemplating how good that signing from the German second division might turn out to be. So then, if you crave transfer content, let`s see how you handle a whole 20-team league worth of it. And don`t think you can skip the `B` teams. I`ll know.

1. Arsenal – Elite Attacking Talent

Everything at Arsenal is generally quite good. They could field last season`s team plus Martin Zubimendi – expected to sign in the coming weeks – and stand a strong chance of challenging for the title. Their defense and the system Mikel Arteta has built for controlling games really work; now it`s about boosting their odds of finishing first. This means executing what appears to be one of the most challenging acquisitions in the current market: recruiting game-changing attackers.

They likely need one for both center-forward and left wing, where Kai Havertz and Gabriel Martinelli are good but perhaps not world-class elite. These are difficult and costly moves, and there are no guarantees with either Viktor Gyokores or Benjamin Sesko as a new No.9.

2. Aston Villa – Retain Key Loan Signings

Missing out on the Champions League could leave Monchi and company closer to the FFP limit than desired. This is a shame, as they had significant success with their high-profile January additions. Affording Marcus Rashford on a salary similar to his Manchester United wages might be beyond Villa, despite his impressive form (averaging 0.88 non-penalty expected goals + expected assists after moving to the Midlands). The equally effective Marco Asensio might be more attainable, while youngster Zepiqueno Redmond arriving from Feyenoord is a longer-term prospect.

3. Bournemouth – Replace Key Departures

Bournemouth could face a difficult situation this summer. Dean Huijsen already needs replacing, Milos Kerkez likely will too, and as the window opens, there is already speculation about the futures of Antoine Semenyo and Ilia Zarbanyi. The Cherries signed these four for around $80 million combined, most of which was recovered when Huijsen went to Real Madrid, so they have market expertise. Nevertheless, you`d prefer not to be working so hard just to get back to the talent level you had at the end of last season.

4. Brentford – Midfield Control

Once again, Thomas Frank effectively adapted his tactics last season, utilizing the talents of Bryan Mbeumo, Yoane Wissa, and Kevin Schade (one to watch for 2025-26) with a team that played more long balls and focused on exploiting the wings. Mikkel Damsgaard was also effective, but it felt like this approach was used not only to utilize some of their best players but also to compensate for a midfield that wasn`t quite as effective as in previous years.

5. Brighton – A Calm Summer

There are certainly areas to critique in this Brighton side. They were too reliant on Danny Welbeck for goals. The defense conceded concerningly high-quality chances, and it’s not immediately clear that Fabian Hurzeler was getting the best out of his players. Then again, some turbulence at Brighton seems understandable given the turnover in coaching and playing staff in recent years. Yes, the defense could benefit from some fresher, younger legs, but truly, nothing might have a greater positive impact at the Amex than a summer and autumn free from managerial changes or prolonged transfer negotiations.

6. Burnley – More Attacking Threat

Last season`s promoted teams (the bottom three) scored a combined 95 goals across their 114 games. While a prolific attack doesn`t guarantee Premier League survival, it certainly significantly improves your chances. This is notable because Burnley had only the 10th best expected goals (xG) in the Championship last season, promoted thanks to a strong defense and an exceptionally good James Trafford. Only one of their players averaged over 0.3 non-penalty expected goals per 90 minutes – Zian Flemming – and no one created more than two chances per game. This needs to change.

7. Chelsea – An Experienced Defender

The Clearlake Capital plan, valued at $1.3 billion, is largely on track. Chelsea secured Champions League qualification on the final day and comfortably won the competition they were expected to win easily. Enzo Maresca will hope his squad has developed a winning mentality in the Conference League, as that should truly be the focus for this squad over the next two to three years: bridging the gap with the Premier League`s top three and ensuring this young team reaches its peak having experienced success.

And so, while their plan might be to accelerate the development of the world`s most promising young talents, there should be room for an exception, particularly in defense, where a bit of experience goes a long way. Chelsea are looking for a center-back who can manage the workload on Wesley Fofana; why not make that a veteran who can mentor the development of others? Just think about the impact Thiago Silva had in his four years with the club. Could Mats Hummels or perhaps John Stones be effective?

8. Crystal Palace – Squad Depth

Given their strong form in the latter half of the 2024-25 season, perhaps the best thing Crystal Palace could do is keep Oliver Glasner`s starting XI intact. It certainly took time to find their rhythm without Michael Olise and Joachim Andersen ten months ago. If the Eagles can avoid selling key players to bigger clubs this summer, they have the chance to compete strongly in the Europa League or challenge higher in the Premier League. To succeed in both, they need depth, particularly to provide cover for Daniel Munoz and Tyrick Mitchell, both of whom would struggle to add Thursday night European football to their already high domestic minutes (over 3,000).

*(By the way, eight clubs covered and we haven`t reached the letter D? When is the independent football regulator going to address the absurd alphabetical imbalance of the Premier League?)*

9. Everton – Squad Reinforcements

On the plus side, David Moyes faces a relatively blank canvas as he begins his first full season of his second spell at Everton. As many as 11 players could depart this summer on free transfers or when their loans expire. While new owners The Friedkin Group have work to do in resolving financial issues, there should at last be funds available to strengthen the squad.

After Moyes` appointment, Everton`s expected goals (xG) started to improve, ranking 12th in the league at approximately 1.3 per game. A right winger who can beat his man and deliver crosses would help increase the xG, and after that, it would be an issue of finishing. That means saying goodbye to Dominic Calvert-Lewin, who has enough data to suggest he consistently underperforms his expected goals, and hello to a new striker capable of competing with and ideally replacing Beto, who is perhaps still too raw for a 27-year-old.

10. Fulham – A Clinical Striker

Given the number of attackers Marco Silva fielded, he still managed to build a respectable defense for Fulham last season. Ultimately, what was missing in a campaign that briefly challenged for European qualification were players who could make a difference in the final third. This was a team skilled at reaching dangerous positions but struggled to create clear-cut chances, ranking sixth for touches in the final third but only 12th for touches in the penalty area. The Cottagers have had good contributions from Raul Jimenez and Rodrigo Muniz in recent years, but if they want to make a significant step towards the top half, a better forward would help serve as a focal point for those behind them.

11. Leeds – Improve Goalkeeping

Towards the climax of last season, what had long been clear to almost everyone outside the Elland Road dugout suddenly became apparent to Daniel Farke. Illan Meslier wasn`t providing enough shot-stopping ability, despite his distribution skills. Goalkeeper statistics can be misleading over small periods, but according to Opta`s post-shot xG data, Meslier has conceded 34.6 goals more than expected during his time at Leeds.

No club can afford to concede six or seven goals more than they should each year. Caoimhin Kelleher seemed perfect for Leeds, but Brentford also needed one. Aaron Ramsdale had a strong season despite Southampton`s relegation, while Nick Pope could be available if Newcastle finally find the No.1 they`ve been searching for some time. Sign a reliable goalkeeper for Leeds, and this team has a chance of surviving.

12. Liverpool – A Defensive Midfield Anchor

This is becoming quite complex, given the speed at which Michael Edwards is spending. Jeremie Frimpong has arrived, and Milos Kerkez and Florian Wirtz are likely to follow. That`s significant talent acquired; the next step is integrating them. This is particularly challenging as Liverpool seem to have signed two full-backs whose main strength is attacking forward. Balancing this could fall to last season`s midfield pivot of Alexis Mac Allister and Ryan Gravenberch, but both are more effective at progressing the ball than winning it back. They are certainly not bad at the latter, but if Liverpool need an option for games where they don`t control possession, an upgrade on Wataru Endo would be beneficial.

13. Manchester City – Florian Wirtz

Ah, this is awkward. It`s just that if you had to replace Kevin De Bruyne, the Premier League`s premier playmaker of the last decade, you would absolutely sign the player already established as the premier playmaker of the next decade. And if you are a club with the highest revenue in football at the end of the 2023-24 season, perhaps you could justify going the extra mile and potentially overspending on that must-sign player?

How Wirtz and Cherki compared last season (Per 90 stats, domestic leagues)

Stat	Florian Wirtz	Rayan Cherki
Goals	0.38	0.35
Assists	0.46	0.48
Expected goals	0.38	0.22
Expected assists	0.36	0.52
Shots	2.98	1.98
Chances created	2.18	3.3
Take-ons attempted	6.54	4.53
Passes into penalty area	2.49	3.39
Progressive passes	6.59	9.41
Progressive carries	10.59	11.3

Instead, it seems more likely that City will target Rayan Cherki, certainly a more affordable deal, even if rumors of a $25.7 million release clause are reportedly inaccurate. Perhaps the difference between the Lyon man and Wirtz isn`t worth an extra $100 million-plus. After all, they had the same combined expected goals and expected assists last season, although Ligue 1 might be a slightly easier league to accumulate attacking statistics. And given City`s financial power, is it truly worth settling for less than the best?

14. Manchester United – Strikers Who Exceed Expectations

Manchester United have rightly identified that a team averaging fewer Premier League goals over the last two seasons needs forwards. Considering what Jim Ratcliffe has said about their analytics department, that`s a start. One worries, however, that they are focusing purely on output statistics.

Matheus Cunha and Bryan Mbeumo are an improvement on current options, but anyone expecting a repeat of their combined 35 Premier League goals should consider their expected goals (xG) of 12.28 (Mbeumo) and 8.65 (Cunha). These two had the second and fourth highest xG overperformance in Europe`s top five leagues last season, and neither is Lionel Messi nor Heung-min Son in his prime. Considering United`s recent transfer history, it wouldn`t be surprising to see them target players like Patrik Schick or Chris Wood. Prove me wrong, Manchester United. Revive Tammy Abraham`s career. Sign Nicolas Jackson from Chelsea. Bring Alvaro Morata back to the Premier League!

15. Newcastle – An Elite Right Winger

Sorry, Jacob Murphy. Finishing second for assists in the Premier League last season is commendable, but the most obvious area for improvement in attack is a right winger capable of contributing around 20 goals and assists annually. Mbeumo seemed a particularly appealing option in this regard, but he is seemingly heading for Manchester United. They have also been linked with Francisco Trincao, a potentially effective, albeit more purely creative, option.

16. Nottingham Forest – Perhaps a Left-Back

Much like Crystal Palace, there isn`t much tinkering needed for the starting XI. A realistic assessment of Chris Wood suggests he likely won`t be competing for the Golden Boot next season, but between him and Taiwo Awoniyi, they should provide solid center-forward play. The same was largely true at left-back this season, but considering most left-back minutes last season went to Neco Williams playing out of position, that is perhaps a more urgent priority.

17. Sunderland – Significant Investment

This youthful team is arguably in the Premier League slightly ahead of schedule. A young team whose underlying stats suggested a Championship playoff contender is unlikely to survive in the top flight without substantial investment. This will be even more true if they lose Jobe Bellingham to the Bundesliga. It has sometimes been disheartening in recent years to see clubs use Premier League revenue primarily to fund the next attempt at promotion back to the top flight, but perhaps in Sunderland`s case, it makes sense to equip themselves with the best young talent available.

18. Tottenham – Midfield Reinforcement

This is as straightforward as it gets. Whoever is in charge, Tottenham might treat their midfield as a completely blank canvas this summer. Their experienced players contributed little last season, while promising players like Lucas Bergvall and Archie Gray (who performed well enough at center-back to play further forward) are adaptable enough to fit around any new signings.

19. West Ham – Another Striker for the Unpredictable Situation

Signing a striker at West Ham has been unpredictable, often resulting in limited success. Their Premier League era`s greatest scorer is out of contract, and concerns remain about Michail Antonio after his injury late last season. Recent striker signings haven`t consistently delivered. Jarrod Bowen and Tomas Soucek seemed like the only players consistently finding the net last season, and the situation might not improve significantly next season due to financial constraints at the London Stadium.

20. Wolves – Reinforce the Left Side

Once again, Wolves will enter a season with key players departing. Matheus Cunha is leaving for Manchester United, and Rayan Ait Nouri is likely heading to Manchester City. That`s an entire side of the pitch requiring reliable Premier League-level replacements for Vitor Pereira. With these two bringing in over $100 million, there should be funds available for Matt Hobbs` successor. Pablo Sarabia also needs replacing, and defensive depth is needed. No wonder Wolves are reportedly relying on agent Jorge Mendes again. Despite questions about their close relationship with agency Gestifute, it previously brought talents like Joao Moutinho, Ruben Neves, Diogo Jota, and Raul Jimenez to Molineux. That kind of talent injection is needed again.