The new Premier League season is fast approaching, with less than two weeks to go until Leeds United host Wolverhampton Wanderers in their season opener at Elland Road on 6 August.
Leeds survived relegation with a three-point margin over Burnley last term after a difficult campaign which saw Marcelo Bielsa relieved of his duties. Jesse Marsch has bolstered his charges with six new summer recruits: Tyler Adams, Brenden Aaronson, Luis Sinisterra, Rasmus Christensen, Marc Roca and Darko Gyabi.
How much the losses of Raphinha and Kalvin Phillips will affect the Whites remains to be seen, but Marsch's summer business has been positive. Another left-back is still required with Junior Firpo set to miss the start of the season but the majority of the new signings have impressed during pre-season.
With Marsch's revolution underway, Leeds Live takes a look at the six clubs that finished directly above Leeds last term, to see how they are shaping up.
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Crystal Palace
Conor Gallagher will no longer be pulling the strings in the midfield after returning to his parent club Chelsea following an impressive loan spell at Selhurst Park. Palace were also without nine key players, including new signing Cheick Doucoure, Wilfried Zaha and Christian Benteke, during their pre-season tour of Australia.
It’ll be interesting to see how that impacts Patrick Vieira’s side, especially in the opening stages of the campaign. He will be looking to build on a promising first season at Palace but it’s not been ideal preparation for the Eagles whatsoever.
The good thing for Palace is that it’s been a summer of retention, aside from Gallagher returning to Chelsea. They’ve got some good young players and it’ll be intriguing to see how Eberechi Eze, Michael Olise, Marc Guehi and Odsonne Edouard progress next season.
In
Cheick Doucoure – RC Lens (£19m)
Sam Johnstone – West Brom (Free)
Malcolm Ebiowei – Derby (Free)
Out
Martin Kelly – Released
Brentford
Brentford enjoyed an impressive debut campaign in the Premier League – accumulating 46 points to finish 11 points above the drop zone in 13th place. Thomas Frank will be disappointed that Christian Eriksen opted for a move to Manchester United over a return to Brentford, but the Danish coach has invested strongly this summer.
The Bees have twice broken their club transfer record during this transfer window. Firstly, with the signing of Scottish left-back Aaron Hickey, and then for a second time when they prised promising English winger Keane Lewis-Potter away from Hull City.
Thomas Strakosha, who played 164 league games for Lazio, will also provide strong competition between the sticks for David Raya. Ben Mee seems a really good addition at the back too. He guarantees Premier League experience and will be an influential figure for the young players at the club.
In
Keane Lewis-Potter – Hull City
Aaron Hickey – Bologna
Thomas Strakosha – Lazio
Ben Mee – Burnley
Out
Zanka (Released)
Eriksen (Manchester United)
Aston Villa
Villa are always a difficult one to predict. They’ve been the fifth highest spenders in the top-flight since the summer of 2019 but have failed to finish in the top half in any of their previous three seasons.
Having said that, they’ve added some real quality this summer. Philippe Coutinho’s loan has been converted into a permanent deal, Diego Carlos looks a top buy at centre-back and Boubacar Kamara’s signing on a free transfer could prove a real bargain.
In
Diego Carlos – Sevilla
Coutinho – Barcelona
Olsen – Roma
Ludwig Augustinsson – Sevilla (Loan)
Boubacar Kamara – Marseille
Out
Matt Targett - Newcastle)
Trezeguet - Trabzonspor
Lovre Kalinic - Hajduk Split
Conor Hourihane – Derby
Wesley – Levante (Loan)
Southampton
Southampton have continued their transfer policy of investing in young players once again this summer. Goalkeeper Gavin Bazunu and midfielder Romeu Lavia have arrived from Manchester City, and defender Armel Bella-Kotchap and forward Sekou Mara have joined from VfL Bochum and Bordeaux respectively.
Mateusz Lis has been drafted in from Altay SK to provide back-up between the sticks but it’s the signing of Joe Aribo that has generated the most excitement at St Mary’s. The 25-year-old scored 26 goals in 149 games for Rangers and played a crucial role in leading them to the UEFA Europa League final last season.
Saints have also crucially retained a number of key players so far this summer, including Kyle Walker-Peters and James Ward-Prowse. Goalkeepers Fraser Forster and Harry Lewis have been allowed to leave the club and Shane Long has returned to Reading.
In
Gavin Bazunu – Man City U23
Sekou Mara – Bordeaux
Romeo Lavia – Man City U23
Armel Bella-Kotchap – VfL Bochum
Joe Aribo – Rangers
Mateusz Lis – Altay SK
Out
Fraser Forster - Tottenham
Shane Long - Reading
Harry Lewis - Bradford
Will Smallbone – Stoke (Loan)
Dan N’Lundulu – Cheltenham (Loan)
Everton
Everton fans will be concerned at a lack of investment after they registered their lowest finish in the Premier League since 2004 last term. Former Burnley defender James Tarkowski may be a good capture but he remains their only signing of the summer transfer window thus far.
Frank Lampard has cleared deadwood with the releases of Andy Lonergan, Fabian Delph and Gylfi Sigurdsson, as well as the sales of Jonjoe Kenny and Cenk Tosun to Hertha BSC and Besiktas respectively.
The Toffees are yet to invest the initial £50m with a further £10m in add-ons gathered from Richarlison’s departure to Tottenham Hotspur, let alone find a replacement for the Brazilian forward.
His sale was reportedly sanctioned due to Everton being under pressure to bring themselves in line with the Premier League’s Profit and Sustainability rules before the end of the financial year, which was midnight on 1 July.
Only Manchester City, Chelsea, Manchester United and Arsenal respectively had spent more in the transfer market than Everton between 2016/17 and 2021/22, according to Transfermarkt.
In
Tarkowski – Burnley
Out
Richarlison – Tottenham Hotspur
Jonjoe Kenny – Hertha BSC
Cenk Tosun – Besiktas
Jarrad Branthwaite – PSV Eindhoven (Loan)
Joao Virginia – SC Cambuur (Loan)
Fabian Delph, Andy Lonergan, Gylfi Sigurdsson (Released)
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