While there will be plenty of attention paid to the host of big-money summer signings to arrive in the Premier League, there are interesting sub-plots involving some who have been in the competition for a little longer.
Liverpool supporters will be excited to see what Darwin Nunez can do in the Premier League, while Manchester City fans will have similarly high hopes for Erling Haaland. Chelsea and Arsenal will also be eager to see how former City forwards Raheem Sterling and Gabriel Jesus get on in London, while a number of other clubs have new stars preparing for debuts.
Not everyone has the luxury of wholesale excitement, though. Here, Mirror Football looks at seven men who need to pull out some big performances this term for different reasons.
Dele Alli
Dele Alli's half-season stint at Everton last season didn't bring the immediate uptick he'd have hoped for. The England international ended his seven-year spell at Tottenham Hotspur by moving to Goodison Park, but failed to score in his 11 games for the club, with 10 of those coming from the bench.
The midfielder has taken the number 20 shirt for the upcoming season - the same number he wore in north London. After a difficult few years, with his most recent England cap coming back in 2019, he'll be desperate to make more of an impact this term under Frank Lampard.
“If you’re on the bench, you need to work hard to make sure you’re playing," Alli told club media over the summer. “I’m just working hard every day and making sure that I give my all for the Club when I’m on the pitch.”
Donny van de Beek
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Another player to finish last season at Everton, Van de Beek did at least get among the goals for Lampard's side on the final day of the season. However, he's now back at parent club Manchester United with a point to prove.
The Dutch midfielder was barely used by Ole Gunnar Solskjaer and was allowed to leave on loan by Ralf Rangnick. Now, though, a reunion with his former Ajax manager Erik ten Hag could benefit the Dutch international.
"Of course, everyone was saying that because I worked with him at Ajax [I might play more], but, in the end, you have to play good from yourself and it doesn't make any sense who is the coach," Van de Beek said of Ten Hag in pre-season. "You have to find your role in the team and, of course, he knows me as a player, but that means nothing. I have to show it for myself."
Harry Maguire
Ten Hag's biggest early investments have seen him address the left-hand side of United's defence with Tyrell Malacia and Lisandro Martinez arriving. This puts some pressure on Maguire, who spent last season at left centre-back and had a tough time.
The Man Utd captain was booed by fans of his own club during pre-season, suggesting some haven't got any less frustrated. Martinez's arrival means more competition for places, and the fresh start brought by a new manager means no one's place is likely to be guaranteed.
"Last season was a long, tough, difficult season but we’ve got to put it behind us now and look forward to the future under the new manager," Maguire said during pre-season. "We know we’ve got to improve on last season and we will do."
Naby Keita
Naby Keita's time at Liverpool has been full of false starts, and another could be a real problem. The Guinean is in the final year of his contract at Anfield, and will need to show the club he's worthy of a longer stay.
The 27-year-old has managed just 76 league appearances across four seasons as a Liverpool player. He appeared off the bench in the Champions League final last season, but was unable to earn a start for Jurgen Klopp's side.
"Last season went pretty well, I played in a lot of games, which we won," he said over the summer. "This season I would like to do the same again and play in every game I can. More than anything else, it’s just to help the team out and maybe get on the scoresheet more frequently.
Jesse Lingard
Lingard's Manchester United spell came to an end this summer after a number of years. After letting his contract run down, he completed a move to newly promoted Nottingham Forest and will expect to play far more than he did last term.
“I had a very good conversation with Jesse, he had questions for me and I had questions for him, he’s a really good guy and we’re really pleased that he’s with us," Forest manager Steve Cooper said of the new arrival. “Jesse wants to play for Nottingham Forest, he wants to be part of this team and part of how we work and play."
Lingard has 32 England caps, but none since September 2021. An impressive loan spell with West Ham in the 2020-21 season earned him an international recall, and he'll hope to make a similar impact at the City Ground.
Jack Grealish
If Lingard forces his way back into the England picture, Grealish could be one of the players at risk. Manchester City's club record signing blew hot and cold last term after his £100m move from Aston Villa.
With Raheem Sterling leaving the Etihad Stadium, there could be even more onus on the likes of Grealish to deliver going forward. Just three of his six goals last season came in the league, and there will be an expectation to improve on that tally.
The former Aston Villa star has been warned by Tony Cascarino that he could end up back at Villa Park without a significant improvement. "I’m not talking about being OK, six out of tens. He should be eight or nine. He’s got so much quality,” the ex-striker told talkSPORT.
Ben Chilwell
Another member of England's Euro 2020 squad, Chilwell also has a big few months ahead of him with the World Cup looming. The left-back watched on from the bench as Gareth Southgate's side lost the Euros final at Wembley, but saw injury strike last season after an impressive start to the campaign.
The former Leicester City man has been back in action during pre-season. However, with the Blues chasing Marc Cucurella, it could be tough to hold down a regular spot under Thomas Tuchel - and under Southgate at international level - without some big displays.
"That’s 100 per cent my aim, of course," he said when discussing the World Cup. "I’ve dreamt of playing in a World Cup since I can remember and to know it’s just around the corner is more motivation than you can know, to try and seal that spot down."
