Premier League: Who needs to strengthen where?

The transfer window opens in a month’s time, who needs to sign what, team-by-team

Petr Cech could leave Chelsea in search of regular football, with Arsenal potential suitors. Photograph: Reuters
Petr Cech could leave Chelsea in search of regular football, with Arsenal potential suitors. Photograph: Reuters

Arsenal

The three most obvious positions where Arsenal require an upgrade are goalkeeper, centre-forward and defensive midfielder. In goal Wojciech Szczesny and David Ospina have had too many jittery and unreliable moments. Up top, on days when Olivier Giroud has strained to make an impression, the need for an alternative who can help him or be a more predatory option looks obvious. In the midfield heartland Wenger's admiration for Morgan Schneiderlin, who can do the work of a Francis Coquelin and more, is well known. Amy Lawrence

Top target Petr Cech (Chelsea, £10m)

May end up with Asmir Begovic (Stoke)

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Transfer kitty £50m

Already signed None

Aston Villa

Though a record of 31 goals in 38 league games last season suggests a forward line in dire need of reinforcement, since Tim Sherwood's arrival in February Villa scored 19 goals in 13 games, level with Tottenham and Manchester United and one more than Chelsea. In the same period, however, they conceded 23 goals, a number only QPR and Newcastle could beat. In the highly unlikely event that Christian Benteke can be persuaded to stay defence should be the priority. If Randy Lerner should succeed in finding a new owner, all bets are off. Simon Burnton

Top targets Bakary Sako (Wolves, free), Tom Cleverley (Manchester United), Kieran Trippier (Burnley)

May end up with Virgil van Dijk (Celtic)

Transfer kitty £15m if Benteke stays, £25-30m if he goes

Already signed Scott Sinclair (Manchester City, £2.5m)

Bournemouth

Bournemouth have been busy in the transfer market and have signed the Reading goalkeeper Adam Federici and the Blackburn striker Joshua King, while Christian Atsu has arrived on loan from Chelsea. They are unlikely to finish there but Eddie Howe will not want to add too many new faces to the squad that won the Championship. Jacob Steinberg

Top target Rickie Lambert (Liverpool, £3m)

May end up with Dwight Gayle (Crystal Palace, £5m)

Transfer kitty £20m

Already signed Christian Atsu (Chelsea, loan), Adam Federici (Reading, undisclosed), Joshua King (Blackburn, tribunal)

Chelsea

José Mourinho needs to replace the outgoing Didier Drogba and must find a No2 goalkeeper of quality if Petr Cech, as expected, agitates for a move after a year playing second fiddle. The manager has spoken of "two or three" significant additions, the third of which may be a left-back if Filipe Luis also departs. Dominic Fifield

Top target Antoine Griezmann (Atlético Madrid, £43m)

May end up with Baba Rahman (Augsburg), Asmir Begovic (Stoke)

Transfer kitty Significant but purchases may need to be balanced with sales Already signed Nathan Allan de Souza (Atlético Paranaense, £4.5m)

Crystal Palace

Edging at the last into the Premier League’s top 10 further bolstered Alan Pardew’s transfer kitty, with the manager seeking four first-team players and confident he can buy “quality”. With only fringe players likely to depart, the addition of a centre-half and a striker are the priorities but another attacking midfielder may join them. DF

Top target Jonjo Shelvey (Swansea, £9m)

May end up with Khouma Babacar (Fiorentina)

Transfer kitty £25m

Already signed None

Everton

It needed Aaron Lennon's injection of pace and directness to steer Everton away from trouble and creativity in the final third remains a priority, as does a centre-half with Sylvain Distin and Antolín Alcaraz leaving. Roberto Martínez wants a new No10, a left-sided midfielder and to retain the youthful spine of Romelu Lukaku, Ross Barkley, James McCarthy and John Stones. Andy Hunter

Top target "We don't need anything glamorous apart from getting two players who can fit into how we play," said Martínez. There is interest in Manchester United's Tom Cleverley, Adnan Januzaj and Jonny Evans.

May end up with Aaron Lennon (Tottenham)

Transfer kitty Way below the £32m spent on Lukaku and Muhamed Besic last summer despite the record broadcasting deal coming into play from 2016.

Already signed None

Leicester City

Top of the to-do list will be guaranteeing that Robert Huth, whose arrival on loan from Stoke was crucial to the late-season form that propelled Leicester from the foot of the table, returns to the club next season, with a £3m deal considered likely. They will also seek to retain Esteban Cambiasso, whose one-year contract expired at the end of the month. SB

Top target Robert Huth (Stoke, £3m), Esteban Cambiasso (new contract), Dwight Gayle (Crystal Palace, £7m)

May end up with Sebastián Coates (Liverpool, £5.5m), Mile Jedinak (Crystal Palace), Gareth McAuley (West Brom, free)

Transfer kitty £20m

Already signed None

Liverpool

Provided his review with the club's owner ends without a P45, Brendan Rodgers wants a new strike force (Christian Benteke and Danny Ings), a central midfielder (James Milner), a right-back (Nathaniel Clyne) and a new goalkeeper. Liverpool's miserable end to last season suggests they need far more while also filling the leadership void created by Steven Gerrard's departure. Mario Balotelli, Rickie Lambert, Fabio Borini, José Enrique, Sebastián Coates, Luis Alberto and Iago Aspas could all leave along with the out-of-contract Glen Johnson and Brad Jones. There are doubts, too, over the future of Raheem Sterling. AH

Top target Christian Benteke (Aston Villa, £32.5m buy-out clause)

May end up with Whoever is left after Tottenham Hotspur or Chelsea have nipped in to lure their targets elsewhere.

Transfer kitty Around the £40m mark plus money raised from player sales.

Already signed Divock Origi (Lille, £9.8m)

Manchester City

Manuel Pellegrini continues to switch between Aleksandar Kolarov and Gaël Clichy at left-back so the manager wants to strengthen here. If Yaya Touré stays, Fernando and Fernandinho's uninspiring contributions mean a midfielder will still be targeted, especially as James Milner looks likely to go. One or both of Edin Dzeko and Stevan Jovetic could depart, too, meaning a forward is on the list. Jamie Jackson

Top target Paul Pogba (Juventus, £70m)

May end up with Alex Song (Barcelona)

Transfer kitty £100m

Already signed No one

Manchester United

If David de Gea moves to Real Madrid, Louis van Gaal needs a replacement goalkeeper. Víctor Valdés made his full debut at Hull City but this was a first 90 minutes for more than a year due to serious injury and the manager may decide a more battle-hardened player is required. Following Radamel Falcao’s departure Van Gaal needs a striker and this need could increase if Robin van Persie also leaves. The other priorities are a midfielder and central defender, in that order. JJ

Top target Karim Benzema (Real Madrid, £40m)

May end up with (Antoine Griezmann, Atlético Madrid)

Transfer kitty £150m

Already signed Memphis Depay (PSV, £24m)

Newcastle United

Much hinges on the appointment of a new manager but Graham Carr, the powerful chief scout, has already drawn up a list of potential targets. There is an acceptance that the team was badly understaffed and two strikers, two central defenders, a midfield playmaker and a left-back loom large on the shopping list. Part of the latest "new Messiah's" job will be to persuade some of the better players to stay put but Moussa Sissoko, Tim Krul, Cheik Tioté, Daryl Janmaat and Papiss Cissé could make a dash for the exits. Louise Taylor

Top target Aleksandar Mitrovic (Anderlecht, £15m)

May end up with Patrick Bamford (Chelsea, loan)

Transfer kitty Said to be substantial. Mike Ashley, the owner, has pledged to correct this season's wrongs but Newcastle fans are likely to remain sceptical until players actually start arriving.

Norwich City

Alex Neil did well to get Norwich promoted after taking over in January but the young Scot faces a harder job turning this squad into one that can survive in the Premier League, the bulk of it consisting of players who were relegated last year. Retaining the goalkeeper John Ruddy and winger Nathan Redmond would be a good start but strengthening the rest of the spine – central defence, central midfield and centre-forward – looks necessary. Neil has said another wide player is also on his wishlist. The record signing, Ricky van Wolfswinkel, who spent last season on loan at Saint-Etienne, will likely be sold to raise funds. Paul Doyle

Top targets James McArthur (Crystal Palace, £8m), Alireza Jahanbakhsh (NEC Nijmegen, £5m)

May end up with Craig Noone (Cardiff)

Transfer kitty Around £30m plus income from sales

Already signed Graham Dorrans (loan from West Brom made permanent)

Stoke City

Mark Hughes keeps saying Asmir Begovic has a future at Stoke but seems to suspect the goalkeeeper might see his future elsewhere. Stoke have Jack Butland in reserve but have snapped up 6ft 6in Jakob Haugaard from FC Midtjylland. Peter Crouch's days at the Britannia may also be coming to an end, with Tony Pulis one of several admirers thought to be willing to give the former England man more game time. Hughes likes a striker and is thought to be keeping tabs, along with much of the rest of Europe, on Wolfsburg's Bas Dost. Paul Wilson

Top target Yevhen Konoplyanka (Dnipro, free agent), Bas Dost (Wolfsburg), Sandro (Barcelona)

May end up with Charlie Austin (QPR)

Transfer kitty Up to £20m but not all on one player

Already signed Jakob Haugaard (FC Midtjylland), Philipp Wollscheid (Bayer Leverkusen)

Southampton

Southampton may have to replace much of the rearguard that excelled last season. Toby Alderweireld's loan from Atlético Madrid expires so the club will either have to activate their option to buy the centre-back – who may prefer to join an even bigger club – or find someone else. The right-back Nathaniel Clyne may move on too while a new goalkeeper could be on the cards, with Fraser Forster injured until the new year. If Morgan Schneiderlin is sold, another central midfielder will be a must while a striker to relieve the reliance on Graziao Pellè is also sought. PD

Top targets Toby Alderweireld (Atlético Madrid, £7m), Idrissa Gueye (Lille, £7m), Jordy Clasie (Feyenoord, £12m)

May end up with Some relatively unknown gem from the Dutch league

Transfer kitty Around £30m, plus income from sales

Already signed None

Sunderland

The outgoing Dick Advocaat did not exaggerate when he said Sunderland required six new quality players this summer. This contingent could do with being pacy and, ideally, should include two central defenders, a full-back, a creative central midfielder, a winger and a striker. Much depends on the identity of the new manager but Lee Congerton, the sporting director, is likely to target the Celtic defender Virgil van Dijk while doing everything in his power to keep Lee Cattermole in central midfield. LT

Top target Virgil van Dijk (Celtic, £10m)

May end up with Sebastián Coates. The centre-half could make his loan from Liverpool permanent.

Transfer kitty Unknown but likely to be significant as Ellis Short, the owner, acknowledges the need to spend.

Already signed None

Swansea City

A couple of months ago the Swansea director Huw Cooze told a fans' forum they were ready to spend between £10m and £15m on a striker this summer, and a replacement for Wilfried Bony is top of the wishlist. Garry Monk says he "wants to add quality to the quality we already have" as he seeks to build on this season's eighth-place finish. Among his targets are two strikers, a left-back to compete with Neil Taylor and cover at No10 for Gylfi Sigurdsson. SB

Top targets Franck Tabanou (Saint-Etienne, £3.5m), Kristoffer Nordfeldt (Heerenveen)

May end up with Christian Fuchs (Schalke, free) and Luc Castaignos (Twente, £7m)

Transfer kitty £25m

Already signed None

Tottenham Hotspur

Mauricio Pochettino has had a season to assess the squad at his disposal and will now be allowed to make the tweaks he has wanted. A bid has been submitted for Danny Ings while the manager has already admitted the side's defence needs upgrading, with a centre-half and right-back targeted. A number of fringe players will be allowed to leave. DF

Top target Danny Ings (Burnley). A £12m bid has been submitted, though compensation would be determined by a tribunal

May end up with Kieran Trippier (Burnley)

Transfer kitty £30m

Already signed Kevin Wimmer (Cologne, £4.3m)

Watford

Watford's manager has little influence over player recruitment, which given current uncertainties is just as well. Troy Deeney, the captain, revealed last month that he was expecting to see "probably four or five lads with Premier League experience" arrive at Vicarage Road. History also suggests a couple of arrivals on loan from Italy, whose transfers will be made permanent in time if successful. A couple of last year's loanees, the midfielder Adlène Guedioura and striker Matej Vydra, may return on full-time deals. SB

Top targets Matej Vydra (Udinese, nominal), Adlène Guedioura (Crystal Palace, £1.5m)

May end up with Rudy Gestede (Blackburn, £5m)

Transfer kitty £20m

Already signed None

West Bromwich Albion

Saido Berahino's 14 league goals have ensured the striker, who turns 22 before the start of next season, will be the subject of constant rumour throughout the summer should he not sign a new contract. The club must prepare a replacement, with plenty of other business to be done as Tony Pulis, appointed at the start of the January transfer window, continues to shape the squad. Already Youssouf Mulumbu, Chris Baird and Jason Davidson have been released and Graham Dorrans sold to Norwich. SB

Top targets James Wilson (Manchester United, loan), Bakary Sako (Wolves, free)

May end up with Michail Antonio (Nottingham Forest, £4m), James Chester (Hull, £3m)

Transfer kitty £15m-£20m

Already signed None

West Ham United

The main priority is to find a new manager after Sam Allardyce's departure. Yet a potential Europa League campaign means they need to strengthen the squad. A new right-back is a target, although they may find it too expensive to sign Carl Jenkinson on a permanent deal from Arsenal. It is also unlikely that Alex Song will be signed from Barcelona. JS

Top target Javier Hernández (Manchester United, £12m)

May end up with Claudio Beauvue (Guingamp, £6m)

Transfer kitty £30m

Already signed Stephen Hendrie (Hamilton Academical, £1m), Darren Randolph (Birmingham City, free)

(Guardian service)


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