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Every Premier League Team’s Biggest Storyline Ahead of the 2024/25 Season

The 2024/25 Premier League season is almost here and the excitement is building. Will Manchester City continue their dominance in English football or can Arsenal finally rise to the top?

The post-Jurgen Klopp era is beginning at Liverpool while new ownership at Manchester United has brought in fresh faces and renewed optimism at Old Trafford. At the other end of the table, all three newly-promoted sides face a formidable challenge and consolidation is on the cards for the likes of Fulham, Everton and Nottingham Forest.

There are several intriguing storylines to look forward to as the Premier League returns and BetMGM is here to highlight the most important subplot for each team heading into the new campaign.

Arsenal

Do Gunners have what it takes to win the Premier League?

Being pipped to the post by Manchester City is becoming a worrying trend for Mikel Arteta’s Arsenal. Two seasons ago they spent 248 days (a league record time) in pole position to lift their first title in over two decades. Last term, they topped the tree for 76 days. Pep Guardiola’s men surged back to steal both of those titles away from the Emirates.

So how have the Gunners gone about their business this summer to go one better? Quietly. They have focused on bringing in quality over quantity, signing Euro 2024 standout Riccardo Calafiori from Bologna after the defender ranked within the top five for interceptions per 90 minutes in Serie A last season among players who played 1000 minutes or more.

Arsenal look like a formidable defensive side with the arrival of the Italian and Jurrien Timbers' return from injury. However, a lingering question surrounds the top end of the pitch.

Arteta is yet to bring in a striker and it is hard to be convinced by Kai Havertz as their number one option. The German netted 13 league goals last season but he showed his inconsistency in front of goal at Euro 2024 by finishing as the second-most wasteful forward at the tournament with around 2.1 goals less than expected.

The lack of a clinical goalscorer may cement another year as the ‘best of the rest’ for Arteta’s Arsenal, which could be valuable if you back them to be the best-placed London club at 1/4.

Aston Villa

The impact of Champions League duty

Many questioned whether Aston Villa could balance Conference and Premier League football last season but they managed the workload with aplomb. Unai Emery guided his side to the semi-final in Europe alongside a fourth-place finish in the Premier League, Villa’s best since the 1995/96 campaign.

The Villans were propelled to such success by Ollie Watkins who showed an insatiable appetite for goal contributions last year. He ended the season as the fourth-highest scorer in the league and the most frequent provider with 13 assists. There is, then, some potential value in Watkins to win the Golden Boot at 16/1

Emery has added some much-needed depth to his squad ahead of their Champions League campaign with Amadou Onana, Ian Maatsen, Cameron Archer and Jaden Philogene joining the club permanently. Even with those additions, playing in Europe’s premier competition is a different ask entirely and is bound to play its part in how their season unfolds, much like it did to Newcastle last term.

Bournemouth

How will Iraola’s sophomore season play out?

Eyebrows were raised when Andoni Iraola replaced Gary O’Neil in the Bournemouth dugout last summer. O’Neil had guided the club to safety in the previous season and, when Bournemouth endured their worst start to a league campaign since 1994/95, it seemed like it could all come to a premature end for the former Rayo Vallecano boss.

However, Iraola turned the Cherries' fortunes around emphatically, laying a foundation for the campaign with six wins in seven matches across November and December. Bournemouth’s resurgence coincided with the form of Dominic Solanke, who scored 19 goals last season.

Solanke won’t be lining up in Bournemouth colours after securing a £65 million move to Tottenham. How well Iraola manages to replace him will likely determine the depth of the struggle that lies in store for the south coast side, who are 9/1 to go down and 33/20 to finish top southern club over Brighton and Southampton.

Brentford

Toney or no Toney, that is the question

Ivan Toney’s future has been a dark cloud lingering over the Brentford Community Stadium all summer. After announcing his intentions to “play for a top club” last term, it felt inevitable that the England international would take to the pitch in a different kit for the 2024/25 campaign. But he remains a Brentford player with a few weeks of the window to go.

Toney showed glimpses of the prolific forward he once was last season, returning from his suspension with four goals in five games, but he drew a blank for the remainder of the campaign. He will need to rediscover that initial bright spell to justify being the same 20/1 price as Cole Palmer in the Golden Boot stakes.

New signing Igor Thiago scored 29 times in 55 games for Club Brugge and both Bryan Mbeumo and Yoane Wissa proved to be capable replacements for Toney with a combined 21 league goals last year. Life after the 28-year-old forward may not be as bleak as Bees fans first thought.

Brighton

Young manager + young squad = year of transition?

Fabian Hurzeler became the youngest permanent head coach in Premier League history when he was announced as Brighton boss in June. He arrives on the south coast after guiding St Pauli to promotion in Germany during his first full year in charge at the club.

The young German coach is inheriting a youthful Brighton side. Besides Burnley and Chelsea, no team in the league fielded a starting 11 with a lower average age than the Seagulls last season.

There is some veteran presence within the squad with Lewis Dunk, Danny Welbeck and James Milner all sticking around by the sea. However, the vastly experienced Pascal Groß has left the club, departing with the most goals in England’s top flight for Brighton and as the top provider in his final season at the Amex (10 assists).

It may take time for Hurzeler to implement his style of play and get Brighton back to battling for the European spots, but this year of transition could provide dividends in the long run.

Chelsea

Will the ‘billion-pound bottle jobs’ finally prove their worth?

Forty-four. That is the current number of senior players listed on Chelsea’s website at the time of writing. Squad depth is crucial when balancing European and domestic football and, at the moment, the Blues could field four full starting XIs with the players on their books.

However, the question that has always remained with Chelsea in the Todd Boehly era is whether they have spent their money wisely. This summer alone, they have reportedly spent over £150 million on eight new additions, with Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall and Pedro Neto being the most proven among the arrivals.

Dewsbury-Hall was the creative spark in Leicester City’s charge for Championship glory last year, leading the Foxes in goal-creating actions per 90 minutes and reaching double figures in goals from midfield into the bargain.

Adding the 25-year-old’s creativity alongside Palmer, who led the top flight in goal contributions last year, a fully fit Christopher Nkunku and a revitalised Noni Madueke who netted in three of Chelsea’s pre-season friendlies means Enzo Maresca could finally transform this ragtag group into genuine top four contenders at 6/4.

Crystal Palace

Eagles ready to fly under Oliver Glasner?

Champions Manchester City were the only team that finished the season in better form than Crystal Palace. Oliver Glasner’s men won five of their last six games, including a 5-0 win against Aston Villa on the final day of the campaign. How will that momentum carry over to this season?

First off, Glasner will have to manage without Michael Olise. The influential French winger joined Bayern Munich after scoring 10 goals and providing six assists in 19 games in the 2023/24 season. His absence will undoubtedly be a major loss for the Eagles as he finished the campaign as the team leader in goals, assists, chances created and shot-creating actions per 90 minutes.

Despite Olise’s departure, there are still reasons for optimism at Selhurst Park as Eberechi Eze looks set to stay for another year and Jean-Philippe Mateta has been in impressive form since Glasner’s arrival. The French forward continued his goalscoring antics from the end of last season with five goals at the Olympics, helping his nation to a silver medal in the process.

Palace will be a must-watch in the Premier League this season with exciting offensive additions like Daichi Kamada and Ismaila Sarr. At 12/1 for a top-six finish there is a possibility they could reach the fringes of European football for the first time since their return to the top flight.

Everton

Off-field issues to offset Everton for another year?

Sean Dyche miraculously steered Everton clear of relegation despite multiple points deductions last season.

The Toffees’ ascension away from the drop zone was built on solid defensive foundations. Jordan Pickford finished second in the race for the Golden Glove, marshalling the fourth-stingiest defence in the league (51 goals conceded) and ending the season with 13 clean sheets.

Another season of stellar rearguard work could lift Everton back into mid-table… if they could avoid another season of possible sanctions. It remains to be seen how the off-field problems will further affect the action at Goodison Park but it could lead to another tough season. This is reflected by the market, which currently has Everton as the fourth ‘favourites’ for the drop at 8/5.

Fulham

Important exits spell season of struggle

Fulham were a polarising watch last season. They performed masterfully on the road by winning 2-1 at Old Trafford and dented Arsenal’s chances of winning the title by taking four points off the eventual runners-up.

However, their impressive results were overshadowed by heavy home defeats to Burnley and Brentford, leaving the team in mid-table mediocrity by the end of the campaign.

A mainstay in Marco Silva’s side throughout the season was Joao Palhinha. The robust midfielder made 39 appearances across all competitions for Fulham last year and has led the league in tackles in both campaigns at Craven Cottage. Last season he topped his 2022/23 figure of 147 by making 152 challenges.

Palhinha’s departure to Bayern Munich has left a gaping hole in the middle of the park for Fulham and they are yet to replace it in the transfer window. There are reports Scott McTominay could be donning the white of Fulham next season but the Scot might not be enough to paper over the cracks in Silva’s engine room. Could they be dark horses for the drop at 11/2?

Ipswich

Will Kieran McKenna’s stock rise or fall?

Kieran McKenna is a young, attack-minded coach known for operating a high press that dominated the Championship. This style is reminiscent of the one Vincent Kompany adopted during his two seasons at Burnley; it remains to be seen if we will witness a similar outcome at Portman Road as we did at Turf Moor by May 2025.

It would, however, be unfair to label the two sides as identical. Both ranked within the top two for high turnovers in their respective Championship campaigns but Ipswich Town bring a set-piece prowess that wasn't evident during Kompany's time at Burnley. Indeed, the Tractor Boys scored 19 goals from dead-ball situations last year which was the second-highest in the league behind Cardiff City.

Ipswich's ability to threaten in various offensive ways could help them avoid the pitfalls that affected Kompany's Burnley last term if they find themselves towards the bottom of the table. However, Kompany still managed to end up at Bayern Munich despite relegation – McKenna's reputation could soar if Ipswich manage to turn heads with their style of play during their first Premier League campaign in two decades.

Leicester City

Can Foxes avoid the drop?

There is an air of uncertainty at the King Power Stadium this summer. Back in March, while they were on the charge towards the Championship title, it was announced that Leicester had been charged with breaking profit and sustainability rules.

These off-field issues have hamstrung Leicester in the transfer market, selling important players like Dewsbury-Hall to help fund their activity in the summer window. For context, of the newly promoted sides, Leicester have a net spend of £1 million in comparison to the £50 and £70 million accrued by Southampton and Ipswich respectively.

The possibility of a points deduction, the absence of Dewsbury-Hall’s creativity and an uninspiring transfer window could spell immediate relegation for Steve Cooper’s men at 2/5.

Liverpool

Lack of signings, lack of Klopp… lack of title challenge?

The post-Klopp era has commenced on Merseyside with Arne Slot, former Feyenoord boss, taking charge. His results so far in pre-season would suggest that he is a capable replacement – Liverpool did not lose any of their warm-up games, beating Arsenal and Manchester United in the process.

However, is the lack of incomings at Anfield a cause for concern? The Reds fell by the wayside during last season’s title race and the squad has remained the same, besides the retirement of Thiago Alcantara.

A new manager and no signings may mean a title push is beyond Liverpool’s grasp at 7/1 but they remain a surefire shout for a top-four finish at 1/2.

Manchester City

Citizens primed to make it five straight

Will Pep Guardiola’s reign over the Premier League end this season or are Manchester City prepared to go for a historic fifth consecutive title? The latter seems the most likely at 6/5 with BetMGM.

It has not been a summer of immense turnover at the Etihad with the core of the squad remaining intact. Erling Haaland will continue to lead the line after he averaged almost a goal per 90 minutes last campaign (0.95).

The Norwegian frontman will have a fresh face providing him with chances from the wing as Savio arrives from Troyes. The Brazilian led La Liga in crosses last season (146) translating into 10 assists and helping Girona striker Artem Dovbyk finish top scorer.

If the Brazilian can strike up a similar partnership with Haaland alongside the other talent in the squad, it is hard to see anybody stopping the City juggernaut.

Manchester United

Is it really a new era at Old Trafford?

Jim Ratcliffe’s era at Manchester United started the summer transfer window at a canter and a new era seemed to be dawning on Old Trafford. Firstly, Joshua Zirkzee arrived from Bologna to offer competition for Rasmus Hojlund. The Dutch frontman is an astute signing for the Red Devils after finishing the Serie A season with 11 goals in 34 outings from just 9.0 xG.

Zirkzee’s arrival was swiftly followed by Leny Yoro from Lille. The 18-year-old burst onto the scene in his maiden Ligue 1 season as a starter, making 35 appearances for Les Dogues. However, his United career has already stuttered after an injury in pre-season has sidelined him for around three months.

Bayern Munich pair Matthijs De Ligt and Noussair Mazraoui are the next set of reinforcements to be joining the Red Devils, continuing a proactive transfer window from Erik ten Hag and Co.

This summer is showing signs of being the one that Manchester United fans were hoping for under the new regime – will it translate into an improved season and Champions League football next season at 2/1?

Newcastle

Can Magpies make the most of a straight run at European football?

Newcastle's 2023/24 season was marred by an unprecedented injury crisis which sidelined key players such as Sven Botman and Callum Wilson.

In total Newcastle’s absent players missed 1,950 days, the highest in the top flight. Add in the congested fixture list due to their return to the Champions League and it was always going to be a difficult campaign for the Magpies. Despite the numerous stumbling blocks, Eddie Howe still led his team to a seventh-place finish.

There will not be any European football on Tyneside this season – but it might turn out for the better. A reduced schedule will allow them to focus on the league and, ideally, prevent injury issues from rearing their ugly head once again.

Nottingham Forest

Another season battling the drop?

For the second consecutive year, Nottingham Forest barely survived in the Premier League. Their points tally from last year (32) would have seen them fall into the Championship in 12 of the last 13 seasons – you can get them at 2/1 drop down at the end of this coming season.

Elliot Anderson has arrived from Newcastle after making 23 appearances for the Magpies last term and highly-rated defender Nikola Milenkovic joins from Fiorentina after reaching two consecutive Conference League finals but it likely won’t be enough to avoid Forest from being dragged into a dogfight at the wrong end of the Premier League again.

Southampton

Will Saints march straight back to the Championship?

Southampton have not been shy about making additions to try and help them stay in the top flight this season. Twelve players have walked through the door at St Mary’s this summer and two more have agreed to join in January from Sao Paulo – but is there enough Premier League quality for the Saints to survive?

Taylor Harwood-Bellis and Flynn Downes have permanently moved to the south coast after successful loan spells in the Championship but the former has never made an appearance in the Premier League and the latter could only muster seven starts at West Ham.

The standout signing that could pay dividends if Southampton were to avoid the drop is Ben Brereton Diaz. The Chile international spent the second half of last season on loan at Sheffield United and averaged 0.49 goals per 90 minutes in a team that was toothless offensively. For context, that is a better ratio than Jarrod Bowen, Darwin Nunez and Nicolas Jackson.

If Diaz and last season’s top scorer Adam Armstrong can strike up a tune together, the Saints may be able to fight back against the drop.

Tottenham

Big season for Big Ange?

Ange Postecoglou has made a career out of impressive sophomore seasons. He won titles at both Brisbane Roar and Yokohama F Marinos during his second year at the clubs while, at Celtic, he followed up a double in his debut year with a treble in the following campaign.

What, then, should we expect this season from Spurs?

Firstly, fans will no doubt be hoping they can tighten up a tad defensively. For all the impressive attacking football Tottenham played last year they were often left far too open at the back and conceded 61 goals in the Premier League last season, worse than the likes of Everton, Manchester United and Crystal Palace.

Spurs’ attacking threat has been bolstered, though. Timo Werner returns after impressing while on loan last term and Solanke has joined the ranks for a club record £65 million after scoring 19 Premier League goals for Bournemouth last year.

Asking Postecoglou to continue the trend of bringing home the league title in his second year may be a stretch at 25/1 but a return to the top four at 2/1 might be a smart bet while they are 16/ to lift the EFL Cup and 14/1 for FA Cup glory.

West Ham

Solid spine has Hammers looking upwards

Which team ‘won the transfer window’ is often entirely subjective but an early case can be made for West Ham, who have reinvigorated their squad under Julen Lopetegui.

Wolves captain Max Kilman is the most expensive purchase the Hammers have made this summer and he brings a wealth of Premier League experience with 127 appearances in the top flight. His new defensive partner will be Jean-Clair Todibo, who joins from Nice after leading the French club to two fifth-placed finishes in five years.

Argentinian two-time Copa America and World Cup winner Guido Rodriguez checks in at the London Stadium on a free transfer from Real Betis to bolster the midfield. While Luis Guilherme and third-highest contributor in the Championship last season, Crysencio Summerville, have joined to add competition on the wings.

Finally, Niclas Fullkrug is the standout addition up front. The German joins from Borussia Dortmund after scoring 16 goals across 46 games as he spearheaded Dortmund’s run to the Champions League final last season before netting two goals from three shots on target at Euro 2024.

This West Ham United feels fresh and they could be an outside contender to challenge for Europe this season – at 4/1 for a top-six finish the market suggests that aim mightn’t be far wrong.

Wolves

Can Molineux men build on last season?

O’Neil worked wonders at Wolves last season. He joined five days before the season began with a threadbare squad after the likes of Joao Moutinho and Ruben Neves were allowed to leave Molineux.

Despite this, he masterminded a victory over Manchester City and a double over Tottenham Hotspur, propelling Wolves to a comfortable 14th-placed finish.

O’Neil’s impressive tutelage provides a foundation for the Old Gold to build off this campaign. They will, however, be building without winger Pedro Neto after he joined Chelsea for a reported £54 million. Neto leaves after providing nine assists in 20 matches last campaign and ranking within the top 10 in the league for goal-creating actions per 90 minutes.

His absence will certainly be felt but Wolves have had to be without Neto for 108 games due to injury in his five years at Molineux, so they could be accustomed to it by now. If Hwang Hee-chan, Matheus Cunha and the other offensive additions can stay fit, O’Neil could have the Old Gold looking up the table in 2024/25 and beyond.

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Odds correct at time of publication but subject to change

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