Category: Football

For the third time this season Champions League Group Stage football is back underway as the best sides in Europe battle it out in the hope of finding themselves playing knockout football. This season has already produced some shock results, notably involving English sides including victory for Galatasary at Old Trafford, Newcastle thrashing PSG as well as a shock defeat in France for Arsenal.

However, next season the Champions League will be changing from how we know it with more teams, more games and a whole new format.

That’s right, in the 2024/25 season the Champions League will be undergoing some structural changes. Currently the competition hosts 32 teams but it will be increasing to 36 teams next season in one big league. The 36 teams will be divided into four pots of nine with each pot ordered 1 to 4 with each side’s coefficient for example, pot 1 will hold the winners of the Champions League as well as eight teams with the best coefficients.

Fans can expect more fixtures as well with each club drawn to play two teams from each pot. This will include four home games and four away games as sides will come up against eight different teams in the group stages rather than playing each side twice. It also allows for teams to be drawn against two other sides in their pot meaning the bigger sides will play some of the other bigger sides before the knockout stages.

UEFA Champions League Hospitality

Enquire Now

From the final table, the top eight will go through to the round of 16 while positions 9 to 24 will be involved in a playoff. Teams from positions 25 to 36 will be eliminated from European competition; there will be no drop down to the Europa League. There will be only one knockout-round draw for the round of 16 onwards with the route a team takes depending on how high the side finishes in the league.

So what’s the reason for this change? The change creates more revenue for sides competing in the Champions League as well as the possibility for more exciting matches. It will also enable fans to see an extra 64 Champions League games next season totalling 189 rather than 125 games while being able to see their own team play two extra games in the group stage. Not to mention, the chance for opponents to play teams of a similar skill-level.

It is an opportunity for the big teams to excel while also giving a chance to the smaller teams while increasing the stature of one of the biggest competitions in world football.

So where do the other four teams come from? Two places will be awarded to the best performing leagues in the current season for example, this would have been Liverpool and Atlanta if the format was in place last season. One place will be awarded to the third placed team from the league that is ranked fifth in the UEFA coefficient and the other placed will be awarded through the qualifying path for champions.

So what do you think? Are you impressed with the new system or do you just want to stick with the old? Football fans around the world will be hoping that it’s a system that will produce thrilling matches as well as a good chance to see their respective teams progress through the tournament. It will be interesting to see how it will pan out and whether or not it is a good move by UEFA.

Want to see the best teams in Europe in action? Watch it live from the best seats in the house with Engage Hospitality.

With the final of the Women’s World Cup fast approaching, we can look back on a tournament that has inspired women, men and children alike across the world. It has been a tournament that has touched the hearts of many with inspirational moments throughout.

In a tournament that has provided us with some scintillating football, emphatic results and shock upsets, it has been the biggest yet. It is the first Women’s World Cup to be held across multiple nations with Australia and New Zealand both hosting games. It has been branded the most successful ‘Women’s World Cup in history’ with record breaking viewing figures across the last five weeks. An astonishing 7.2 million people tuned in to ITV to watch England’s 2-1 victory over Colombia.

And it’s not just England who are breaking viewing records. An incredible 7 million people (a quarter of the population) viewed Australia’s penalty shootout win over France on Australia’s Channel 7, the highest viewed sports programme in over a decade.

Not only on the screens have viewing figures skyrocketed but in the stands, there has rarely been an empty seat with Football Australia announcing at the conclusion of the group stage ticket sales had surpassed 1.7 million ticket sales smashing the record set by Canada in 2015 of 1.35 million making it the most popular Women’s tournament yet. Has hosting the competition in a sport obsessed country helped to drive interest levels or is the sport simply becoming more popular on the whole?

According to the FA, ‘since October 2021, there’s been a 17% increase in female affiliated players across all levels of the game, a 30% increase in female registered football teams, and a 15% increase in female youth teams’. You can’t help but think after the World Cup, as more and more people watch the game, this will only increase.

The growth of the women’s game is inspiring women across the world to get involved in football and other sports around the world. And it’s not just the impressive standard of football that has got people talking. The 2023 Women’s World Cup has not been without its touching moments. In Morocco’s 1-0 win over South Korea we Nouhalia Benzina made history by becoming the first player to wear a hijab inspiring Muslim women all over the world that they too can be involved in this sport.

People have also been struck by the sportsmanship specifically from Lionesses’ star Chloe Kelly when she scored the winning penalty to send England through against Nigeria. Before Kelly celebrated properly with teammates she consoled, clearly distraught, Nigeria goalkeeper Chiamaka Nnadozie, blocking the television cameras from zooming in on the goalkeeper’s face.

Like in any World Cup we’ve seen great goals, milestone achievements and shock upsets from some of the countries involved. A shock result saw Sweden knockout holders USA on penalties as the Americans saw their hopes of a third consecutive trophy stripped away. It was made all the more painful for the US as the final Swedish penalty was decided by a millimetre to have crossed the line. There was agony as well for Megan Rapinoe as the two time World Cup winner blazed her spot kick over the bar in what will likely be her final competitive game after announcing her retirement.

With the US out, there is going to be a new name on the trophy and this week four teams battled it out for a place in the final of the most prestigious competition. First up, Spain faced Sweden. After an extra time winner in the quarter finals, the Spaniards once again left it late to open the scoring as Salma Paralluelo broke the deadlock in the 81st minute with her second goal of the tournament. Sweden, runners-up, in 2003 hit back late on in the 88th minute as Rebecka Blomqvist continued her impressive goal-scoring form but only moments later Spain were back in front late on courtesy of an Olga Carmona stunner that hit the underside of the cross-bar on the way in.

So Sweden will have to wait for that desired title, one which they have come close to all too many times. Spain, on the other hand, find themselves in new territory with their previous best finish being the round of 16 in 2019. Now it’s no doubt how successful the men’s team have been in major championships in the last 20 years; can they replicate it in the women’s game?

With Spain through, all eyes were on the home nation as Australia faced England. Fresh from being crowned European Champions in 2022 as well as beating Brazil in the Women’s Finalissima in 2023, the Lionesses went into the tournament with their heads held high. With that said, up against an Australian team with the home crowd behind them not to mention England being less than convincing in previous rounds, it was going to be all to play for.

The game certainly lived up to the expectation as 75,000 fans inside the stadium, and millions on television witnessed the Lionesses march to their first ever World Cup final. It was Ella Toone who opened the scoring inside 36 minutes with a brilliant finish inside the box. Just after the hour, Australia’s golden girl Sam Kerr equalised with a screamer into the top left hand corner. However, goals from Lauren Hemp and Alessia Russo sealed the win for England and will see them play in yet another major final.

So all eyes of the footballing world will be on Sunday as England’s women will play Spain’s women with both countries making their debut in a World Cup final. England remain unbeaten in the tournament unlike Spain who in their opening group game saw themselves thumped 4-0 by 2011 champions Japan. It has to be said, the Lionesses go into the final as favourites especially considering their experience of major finals in the last couple of years.

What an incredible achievement it would be for England if they can win it. Not only would it be an achievement for women’s football but also women’s sport in England as a whole. It would inspire women young and old to get involved with sport, showing that anything is possible.

The new Premier League season is upon us. With major changes to cut down on time wasting and dissent being applied this season, here is the breakdown of all the new rule changes to be aware of heading into the start of the new football season.

Significant changes to stoppage time

The biggest change to be implemented this upcoming season will be substantial changes to added time. As was the case at the Qatar World Cup, match officials will be firm with adding on the specific amount of time that is lost during periods when play is stopped, such as goal kicks, penalty kicks, free kicks, goals celebrations, substitutions or injuries.

This has come off the back of concerns about time wasting across the Football League. The average ball in play over the past 10 seasons in the Premier League averages around 55 minutes per game, with some matches last season such as Brentford v Aston Villa leaving fans short-changed with the ball in-play for under 45 minutes.

Therefore, the Premier League’s initiative to combat this issue will see games lasting far longer than the norm. These new plans were implemented during the EFL’s opening match week, where all but two games ticked over 10 minutes of added time due to these new changes in the law.

This extra time added onto matches could result in more drama beyond the 90 minutes with more late goals potentially being scored in injury time. But there is an argument that this new rule change will benefit the bigger teams like Manchester City or Arsenal who will be given more time to wear down their opponents and stamp their authority on matches.

Whichever the case, more stoppage time will give the season an interesting new dynamic to watch out for during the first few months.

Stamping out dissent

Another area of the game that often prevents new fans from watching the league is dissent from players towards the referee.

Last year the numbers of incidents that involved groups of players crowding around the match officials attempting to aggressively argue their case began to rise dramatically, meaning referees will take a stricter stance in order to stamp it out of the game.

In the new laws automatic yellow cards will be shown to players who approach the referee or run from a distance towards them.

Football has often come under criticism for a lack of respect between players and those in charge of running the game, so this is a change that could be universally applauded.

A crackdown on manager behaviour

In line with the changes around dissent, the Premier League will also be cracking down on abuse and aggression from the touchlines aimed at the fourth official.

In domestic competitions alone in 2023, Brighton’s manager Roberto De Zerbi, Tottenham head coach at the time Cristian Stellini and Fulham’s Marco Silva have all been sent off during matches, and Liverpool’s Jürgen Klopp has been charged with improper conduct by the FA due to the way he acted and spoke about match officials.

Consequently, stricter rules are being brought in to limit the amount of dissent from the benches. In 2023/24 only one coach will be allowed in the technical area and aggression from coaches will be firmly met with red cards.

These crackdowns on the behaviour of players and managers were witnessed during Arsenal’s clash with Manchester City in the Community Shield, where several players, as well as Mikel Arteta, received cards for kicking the ball away and trying to argue with the referee – giving us a good insight into how the new rules will be applied this season.

Allowing the game to run smoothly

One of the league’s biggest initiatives during the past few seasons is trying to allow the games to flow better, making it a better product to watch for fans.

This will continue in 2023/24 with a higher threshold to be applied to physical contact in the hope that this will lead to fewer free kicks and more free flowing games of football.

The traditional rules will still be applied to reckless challenges or tackles that are overly physical but, like the other changes planned for this season, the league will hope this will make the game more enjoyable to watch and lead to another unforgettable season of Premier League football.

We have hospitality options for some of the biggest clubs in the world who will all be fighting for the Premier League title, including Manchester United, Liverpool, Arsenal, Chelsea, Tottenham, Manchester City and more so embrace the new season with a premium package of your choice.

With pre-season well underway and the new Premier League season racing towards us, we take a look at the battle for the season’s first piece of silverware, The Community Shield.

The Community Shield is a contest between the reigning Premier League Champions and the holders of the FA Cup. As a result of Manchester City winning both trophies last season, the game will be between Manchester City and Arsenal at Wembley next Sunday. It is a chance to see the treble winners and the Premier League runners up in competitive action with their new signings before the season starts.

The clash of the two favourites for the league next season will hopefully give us a taste of how the Premier League title race will unfold. Will City win the league for the fourth consecutive year or can Arsenal throw the cat amongst the pigeons after some incredible new signings. It’s safe to say both teams will be keen to make a statement victory in London next Sunday in order to set themselves up for the beginning of the new campaign.

Football Hospitality

Enquire Today

We start with Arsenal. After what was an ultimately disappointing finish to the season last year having the title snatched from their grasp as a result of a poor run in April seeing them drop points in four consecutive matches, they will be eager to make amends.

Mikel Arteta has wasted no time in getting down to business in the transfer market with the signing of Kai Havertz from Chelsea, Jurrien Timber from Ajax and most notably winning the race for Declan Rice.

The former West Ham midfielder, who captained them to Europa Conference League champions, joined for £105 million, making him the second most expensive Englishman ever as well as Arsenal’s record signing. After a battle to sign Rice with City, it will be interesting to see how he plays football under Arteta and whether he will take time to gel with his new teammates.

They have not been hesitant to splash the cash on other players as well with Havertz joining for a fee of £65 million as well as Timber for £38 million. Arsenal will be a force to be reckoned with this season and it seems the Gunners are after revenge in the hope to go one better than last term. What better way to do it than starting with a win over the treble winners?

With that said, Manchester City will certainly not make it easy for them. After winning the treble last season (Premier League, FA Cup and Champions League) Pep Guardiola showed the world that he has a well drilled, persevering and dominant group of players at his disposable that are capable of pushing any team aside.

Not only was he blessed with Erling Haaland’s incredible scoring form, a lot of the credit must be given to him due to the way he conducts his players and the scintillating football he instructs his team to play. With Haaland’s record breaking goal tally in the Premier League, they could not be stopped as they marched to their 3rd consecutive Premier League title, an FA Cup win and their first Champions League.

So how have they strengthened? The only signing so far for Guardiola has been midfielder Mateo Kovacic for £30 million. The Croatian was a standout for Chelsea last season in what was a poor campaign for the London side and he will be keen to win trophies under the Spaniard in Manchester. At the moment, this is the Citizens’ only business in the market as they continue to chase RB Leipzig defender Josko Gvardiol.

However, City will be without winger Riyad Mahrez and midfielder Ilkay Gundogan after they both completed moves away from the club. Two players who have been pivotal in City’s success in recent years, will they be a big miss for Guardiola and his side?

So what can we expect? In a game that will be a close-fought encounter we will see new signings from either side, how each side will set up for the season and if Arsenal look threatening enough to maintain a title challenge all the way to the finish line this term.

It will hopefully give fans of both clubs as well as the Premier League an insight into how the season will pan out. A test of fitness and how City and Arsenal have come back from the summer break is what many will be looking out for, however, both teams will know a win could be fundamental to getting the psychological edge over one another before the beginning of the season. There is a lot more to this game than meets the eye.

Fancy watching Declan Rice come up against Erling Haaland for the first time this season? Watch it live from the best seats in the house with Engage Hospitality.

Premier League Transfer Sagas Continue

Almost 2 weeks have passed since the beginning of the Premier League transfer window and as predicted it’s not been quiet. With teams getting down to business immediately, the rumours have been flying around with some huge names tipped for a move.

Premier League Hospitality

Enquire Today

The Battle for Rice

The future of Declan Rice has remained uncertain for over a year now after his consistent impressive form for both West Ham and England. Arsenal have made it clear for some time now that they want Rice and are willing to pay big money to sign the midfielder.

However, similarly to how the title race panned out, Manchester City have joined the battle for the West Ham captain. It is believed Arsenal are still hopeful of completing a deal before City have the chance, but with numerous Arsenal bids rejected as well as City’s first offer of £90 million rejected, they are running out of time.

With Manchester City captain Ilkay Gundogan likely to be departing for Barcelona, Rice could be the perfect fit to play alongside Croatian international Mateo Kovacic. The Chelsea man is set to sign for the treble winners, having undergone a medical on Friday. Kovacic was one of the standout players last season in what was a disappointing campaign for Chelsea.

Another big money signing could also be on the horizon for Manchester City with interest shown for RB Leipzig defender Josko Gvardiol. It is reported that the German side would only let the Croatian leave if the asking price of £85 million including bonuses was met. If the deal was to go through it would make Gvardiol the most expensive defender in the world.

Arsenal have business of their own as well with the announcement of Chelsea star Kai Havertz close. The German scored Chelsea’s winning goal in the Champions League Final in 2021 and he is expected to sign for £65 million. The Gunners are also in advanced talks with Ajax defender Jurrien Timber with a deal expected soon.

Although somewhat of an outsider in the race for Rice, Manchester United are also interested in the 24 year old. If Arsenal and Manchester City both fail to offer an acceptable bid, Ten Haag might be licking his lips at the possibility of enticing Rice with a move to the Red Devils.

Ten Haag’s hunt for a midfielder

With that said, the Stretford club have their eyes set on another London midfielder in Chelsea star Mason Mount. The England international was only involved in five goal contributions last season, however, United have had a third bid of £55 million pounds rejected. A counter proposal from Chelsea sees Mount’s price tag at £58 million but with no signings made so far, will the Reds take their interest elsewhere?

There is also the question over David De Gea’s future at the club after the Spaniard’s poor season that was littered with mistakes. He is out of contract at the end of the month and even if he were to stay, there is no guarantee he would be the number one as Man United have been linked with Brentford goalkeeper David Raya and Porto’s Diogo Costa.

The Chelsea Clearout

Mauricio Pochettino’s overhaul of the Chelsea team is well underway. With 9 players possibly departing the club and Kante already making the move to Saudi Arabia, the Argentine has made it clear what his mission is.

With the possible departures of Mason Mount, Kai Havertz and Kovacic’s all but confirmed move to Manchester City, Chelsea have no time to waste in getting down to business. And that they have done with the signing of Christopher Nkunku for £52 million from RB Leipzig. The French forward scored 16 goals in 25 appearances in the Bundesliga last season.

The Blues are also close to signing another goalscorer, Nicolas Jackson from Villareal. The Senegalese man is thought to have undergone a medical on Saturday and is expected to join for a fee of £35 million. He scored 12 goals in La Liga last season and Chelsea will hope he can be a fitting replacement for Romelu Lukaku who is looking increasingly likely to remain at Inter Milan after his loan spell.

With Hakim Ziyech and Edouard Mendy soon to be following Kalidou Koulibaly to Saudi Arabia, Chelsea are expected to approach Brighton over the signing of midfielder Moises Caceido once a number of these deals have been completed.

The Saudi Revolution

One of the big talking points of this summer’s transfer window so far is the marquee signings being made by teams in the Saudi Pro League. Cristiano Ronaldo, Karim Benzema and N’golo Kante are all blockbuster names that have introduced themselves to Saudi Arabia.

This is a common occurrence for players nearing the end of their career to move to a club outside of Europe and receive a healthy paycheck. However, this time it is a little bit different with players entering their prime making the move to the Middle East with the latest one being Ruben Neves.

The 26 year old Portuguese midfielder has signed for Al Hilal for a fee of £47 million, much to the disappointment of many Wolves fans. Often the first name on the team sheet at Molineux, the move seems a strange decision, however, who could blame him with a rumoured salary of £300,000 a week. Neves isn’t the only player in his prime being linked with Saudi Arabian clubs. Chelsea goalkeeper Edouard Mendy is heavily linked with a move to Southwest Asia as well as teammates Kalidou Koulibaly and Hakim Ziyech.

The Race for Maddison

Not quite as high profile as the Declan Rice saga, another battle between two Premier League clubs unfolds. Both Tottenham Hotspur and Newcastle United are thought to be battling it out for the signature of Leicester City midfielder James Maddison. Another England man caught up in a transfer war, the 26 year old has been on the wishlist of both clubs for some time and as a result of Leicester’s relegation, a deal is looking promising.

Could this be a way of new Spurs boss, Ange Postecoglou, making a first statement signing in order to gain disgruntled fans back on side after last season’s misery? It is thought that Spurs lead the race for the midfielder and are close to a deal although Newcastle’s offer of Champions League football next season may make the North East a more tempting move.

Aside from the Maddison battle both sides are carrying out business of their own. With reports that long-time goalkeeper Hugo Lloris could be on the way out, Spurs have agreed a deal with Serie A club Empoli for goalkeeper Guglielmo Vicario. The 26 year old is expected to undergo a medical in the coming days and could replace the French international after 11 years at the club.

With the future of Harry Kane remaining in the balance after a bid from Bayern Munich was rejected, which striker will Spurs target to replace their starman if he was to leave?

Newcastle on the other hand have had a quiet start to the window with no signings as of yet, however, they are expected to announce the signing of Sandro Tonali from AC Milan in the next few days.

The Italian defensive midfielder captains Italy under 21s and is expected to arrive on Tyneside for £55 million much to the disappointment of many AC Milan supporters. It’s safe to say this will not be Eddie Howe’s only signing considering their shock qualification for the Champions League and they will still be very keen on drafting in Maddison to bolster their attacking strength.

Klopp’s lack of squad depth

With the signing of Alexis Mac Allister announced before the window had even opened, Liverpool were limbering up to do some serious business this summer. Yet since the signing of the Argentine they have been relatively quiet with no other signings made.

After missing out on Champions League football for the first time since 2016, fans are worried about their side’s squad depth next season. The departure of James Milner, Alex Oxlade Chamberlain, Roberto Firmino and Naby Keita, their squad is beginning to look a bit bare.

With that said, there are reports Liverpool are hoping to have talks with Napoli striker Victor Osimhen in the coming days. The Nigerian international was pivotal in Napoli’s title winning success last season scoring 26 goals in 32 appearances in the Serie A. However, it is thought Liverpool will be faced by competition from Chelsea and Manchester United for Osimhen’s signature.

At this early stage, it is still hard to predict who will be the signing of the summer but with rumours surrounding Harry Kane and Declan Rice, not to mention the transfer of Jude Belligham to Real Madrid, there are going to be some big deals made.

Why not see how some of these stars perform at their possible new clubs from the best seats in the house with Engage Hospitality.

Premier League Transfer Window is open for business!

It seems like an age since the last action of an exhilarating period of Premier League football doesn’t it? A season of twists and turns saw some shock results, a relegation battle and a thrilling title race. Although the start of the new Premier League season is still two months away, the summer transfer window is just around the corner with the domestic window commencing on June 14th and the overseas window beginning on the 1st July.

What better way to prepare for the upcoming season than by looking at some of the Premier League teams looking to do big business in the window?

Premier League Hospitality

Enquire Today

Manchester City

We start with the champions/treble winners. Pep Guardiola’s men treated us to some scintillating football with some remarkable talent on show, most notably star man Erling Haaland scoring 36 goals breaking the record for most goals scored in a Premier League season.

It’s hard to say how this transfer window will pan out for the Citizens but it would be unusual for Guardiola not to spend money. Interest in Chelsea midfielder Mateo Kovacic has resulted in the London club allowing him to have talks with City. The Croatian international only scored once and assisted twice in the league last term and a move away from Stamford Bridge is looking increasingly likely.

City are also considering a move for highly-rated defender Josko Gvardiol. The £80 million rated defender has impressed many with his form at RB Leipzig alongside performances in the Qatar World Cup and his ability to play at centre-back and left-back makes him an anntractive target for the Manchester club.

Arsenal

After an exciting battle with Manchester City, Mikel Arteta’s men must look back on the 2022/23 season as runners up. Ultimately, it was the lack of squad depth that let the Gunners down and Arteta will be looking to strengthen before the first game on 14th August but who will he bring in?

It is believed the Frenchman is targeting two midfielders over the summer, especially with the possible departure of Granit Xhaka. The first of whom being West Ham and England star Declan Rice. The central midfielder is sought after by many Premier League clubs and has been for some time after his good form for club and country. However, if the 24 year-old is wanting to leave the Olympic Stadium, he will not come cheaply with a rumoured asking price of £100 million.

The second of Arteta’s transfer targets is Moises Caceido. The Ecuadorian defensive midfielder impressed at Brighton last season and attracted attention from many of Europe’s elite, notably Arsenal in January when they had two bids rejected.

Manchester United

It has been a season of ups and downs for the Red Devils with a Carabao Cup win, a hint of a title charge, the prospect of new ownership and an FA Cup final defeat to their neighbours. Not only has their season been hectic, their transfer window promises to be busy as well. Manchester United’s heightened interest in Napoli defender Kim-Min Jae could see the departure of captain Harry Maguire. The England International’s time in Manchester has been turbulent and with a replacement looming, it could be the perfect opportunity for him to progress his career elsewhere.

Erik Ten Haag is another man in pursuit of Declan Rice but it is believed he will have to better Arsenal’s bid in order to persuade a move away from London. One of the big summer signings could be that of Harry Kane to Manchester United. Kane scored 30 goals in the league last season only second in the standings to Erling Haaland. He would certainly be a statement signing at Old Trafford, but will he really leave Tottenham?

Liverpool

It was a somewhat disappointing season for Jurgen Klopp’s men with a finish outside of the top four, however, they have wasted no time in getting down to business with the signing of World Cup winner Alexis Mac Allister for an initial fee of £35 million. The Argentine scored 12 times in all competitions for Brighton last season and made a name for himself starting 6 games in Argentina’s triumphant World Cup Finals.

Klopp is also looking for more men to strengthen his midfield line up including OGC Nice’s youngster Kephren Thuram. The playmaker scored 2 goals and had 4 assists in Ligue 1 last season and his exciting style of play has seen him described as one of Europe’s hottest talents. He could be another statement signing if Liverpool are willing to splash out the rumoured £50 million price tag.

Tottenham

In what was a campaign of disappointment for Tottenham, after failure to achieve European Football next season for the first time since 2010, things might be starting to look up for Spurs fans. With the appointment of, Celtic treble winner Ange Postecoglou things are looking more hopeful and perhaps the lack of European Football may allow for some respite and better focus on the league next season.

With that said, there is no time for rest in the transfer window for Spurs. The biggest challenge to begin with will be keeping a hold of Harry Kane. Interest from both Manchester United and Real Madrid are casting doubt on his North London future. It’s safe to say his departure would be a huge miss and Postecoglou would have to think of a big name to replace him.

In terms of arrivals, Harry Maguire is someone who Spurs would consider if he was looking for a move out of Manchester and could easily be a replacement captain for Harry Kane, if Kane was to leave. The destination Kane will end the summer at is still very uncertain and it is sure to be an ongoing saga over the next couple of months.

Chelsea

It’s hard to sum up Chelsea’s season without saying it was a disaster. Three managers, over £600 million spent and an extremely poor twelfth placed finish saw a rather disgruntled Chelsea faithful by the end of the season. So where do they go from here?

With the possible outgoings of N’Golo Kante to Saudi Arabia and Mason Mount, Chelsea have to do some smart business in the forthcoming window. The appointment of manager Mauricio Pochettino will be of benefit with his wealth of experience and he is throwing his hat in the ring for the signature of Moises Caceido from Brighton. They are also joining the race for Celta Vigo youngster Gabri Veiga who scored 11 goals and had 4 assists in La Liga last season. However, the Blues will have to battle with Liverpool and Barcelona if they want any chance of signing the talented midfielder.

Newcastle

Even most Newcastle fans couldn’t have predicted a top four finish in the first full season of their new ownership. But that’s exactly what Eddie Howe managed to do and the Magpies can look forward to Champions League Football for the first time since 2003. Now there is no doubt that Newcastle must strengthen to deal with the extra game time and higher quality of football. However, they will not be afraid to spend big, already targeting Arsenal full back Kieran Tierney. The Scottish International played as a backup to Oleksandr Zinchenko last season and is hoping for some more regular game time with a move away from the Emirates.

In terms of marquee signings that Eddie Howe may make this summer, Leicester midfielder James Maddison and Chelsea midfielder Connor Gallagher are names that have been thrown around. Newcastle are also interested in Lyon’s talented attacking midfielder Rayan Cherki. The 19 year-old has impressed many European Clubs including French giants PSG, which may end up being the more attractive option for the youngster.

Aston Villa

Having only taken 13 points from 12 games at the beginning of the season under Steven Gerrard, it was looking like a gloomy campaign in the West Midlands. That is until Unai Emery arrived and propelled them to a 7th place finish with European Football on the horizon. After a horrendous start to the season, Villa secured a place in the European Conference League with a win over Brighton on the final day. So how will Emery be looking to improve his side with an additional set of fixtures next season?

The Spaniard is rumoured to have a number of players on his wishlist with the key target being Leicester playmaker Youri Tielemans. The Belgian is a likely candidate to leave Leicester after their relegation to the Championship last season and he has been on the radar of many Premier League clubs over the last few years. It would be an excellent start to the summer for Villa and a signing that would issue a statement of intent to the rest of the Premier League.

Everton

Another team who had a pretty woeful season, only avoiding relegation by the skin of their teeth on the final day. For the second season running, the Toffees found themselves fighting for their lives in the Premier League. Unless some very good investment is carried out over the summer, they may see themselves in a similar position next season.

Possible players on Everton’s radar include Harry Maguire, one of multiple clubs looking for the England man’s signature. Brennan Johnson is another reportedly being watched keenly by the Everton scouts. The Nottingham Forest forward played a key role in their survival last season scoring 8 goals in the league along with 3 assists. He would be a good start to the summer business for Dyche while wounding a rival.

So there is a lot to ponder before the first kick of a ball on the 14th August. Will we see Harry Kane making a move? With Jude Bellingham rumoured to be set on Real Madrid, is there any chance an English club may hijack the deal?

At this stage, it’s uncertain who will go where and which team will be the biggest spenders in this transfer window before the window closes on 1st September.

Make sure you can watch the newest transfers in action next season with Engage Hospitality.