The Premier League roars back into action this weekend, kicking off with reigning champions Liverpool hosting Bournemouth under the Anfield lights on Friday night. A blockbuster opening round also features Manchester United welcoming Arsenal, while Leeds United mark their return to the top flight by hosting Everton on Monday.
Summer of Change: Transfers, Trophies, and Turnover
It’s been a whirlwind summer both on and off the pitch. Chelsea lifted the Club World Cup in the United States, while Manchester City bowed out in the last 16. Tottenham, under Ange Postecoglou, clinched the Europa League title with a 1–0 win over Manchester United in Bilbao on 21 May. Yet, just 16 days later, Postecoglou was dismissed, making way for Thomas Frank, who crossed London from Brentford. The Bees promoted set-piece coach Keith Andrews to fill Frank’s shoes.
Liverpool, fresh off their record-equalling 20th league title, have been the summer’s biggest spenders. Arne Slot’s side secured Germany midfielder Florian Wirtz from Bayer Leverkusen for an initial £100m—potentially rising to £116m. The Reds also added striker Hugo Ekitike, left-back Milos Kerkez, and right-back Jeremie Frimpong, and are reportedly chasing Newcastle’s Alexander Isak in what could be another record-breaking deal.
Arsenal and Manchester United have also reinforced their attacking lines. The Gunners signed Viktor Gyokeres from Sporting for up to £64m, while United brought in Benjamin Sesko from RB Leipzig for a fee that could reach £73.7m. Arsenal further strengthened with Martin Zubimendi from Real Sociedad and winger Noni Madueke from Chelsea. United added Bryan Mbeumo from Brentford and Matheus Cunha from Wolves.
Chelsea, meanwhile, signed strikers Joao Pedro and Liam Delap, along with winger Jamie Gittens from Borussia Dortmund. Newcastle secured Anthony Elanga from Nottingham Forest for £52m, Manchester City signed Tijjani Reijnders from AC Milan for £46.5m, and Tottenham paid £55m for Mohammed Kudus from West Ham.
Back in the Big Time
Leeds United and Burnley both stormed the Championship with 100-point seasons to earn promotion. Burnley return after a yo-yo spell of relegation and promotion, while Leeds are back after two seasons away. Sunderland joined them via a dramatic 2–1 play-off final win over Sheffield United, with Tom Watson scoring a 95th-minute winner at Wembley. Watson has since moved to Brighton, while teammate Jobe Bellingham joined Borussia Dortmund.
All three promoted sides have invested heavily to avoid the fate of last season’s newcomers—Southampton, Ipswich Town, and Leicester City—who were all relegated after just one campaign.
New Laws for a New Era
This season introduces several rule changes aimed at improving fairness and flow:
- Goalkeeper Time Limit: Keepers holding the ball for more than eight seconds will concede a corner. Previously, the limit was six seconds with an indirect free-kick, but enforcement was rare. Referees will now issue a five-second countdown warning.
- Referee Interaction: Only captains may approach referees during matches. Any other player doing so disrespectfully risks a yellow card. If the captain is a goalkeeper, teams may nominate an outfield player before kick-off.
- Penalty Retakes: Players who accidentally double-touch the ball during a penalty may retake it—if the shot goes in. This rule was tested during the Women’s European Championship final, where England’s Beth Mead had to retake her successful penalty after slipping.