Premier League

Football writer Adrian Clarke identifies 10 overseas stars who could headline the Premier League’s summer transfer window.

See: All the deals announced by Premier League clubs so far

Julian Alvarez (Argentina, Atletico Madrid)

Alvarez is a wonderfully gifted, versatile attacker, able to lead the line on his own or play in behind a centre-forward.

The 26-year-old enjoyed a phenomenal UEFA Champions League campaign, scoring 10 goals and making four assists for Atletico Madrid last season. His ball striking is up there with the very best, with his right foot especially deadly, even from long range.

Quick, nimble and capable of taking the ball past defenders with a dribble, Alvarez is always a slippery forward for defenders to contain.

Scoring 49 goals in 106 club appearances for Diego Simeone’s side, the former Manchester City player has strong numbers too, so it is no surprise champions Arsenal are being heavily linked with him, as well as Barcelona.

Watch: Alvarez's top five Premier League goals

Yan Diomande (Ivory Coast, RB Leipzig)

Reports suggest that Liverpool lead the chase for RB Leipzig’s 19-year-old sensation Diomande, who is one of the most coveted wingers in European football.

The Ivorian is left-footed but can score off either foot. He is also capable of operating on both flanks, although left wing is his most natural position.

Only three players in the Bundesliga created more chances than Diomande's 56 last season, with eight of those turning into assists. He also scored 12 league goals in a terrific breakthrough campaign.

When he runs with the ball, Diomande is a difficult man to stop. He laid on a league-high 32 opportunities (and seven assists) from ball carries in 2025/26, and six of his goals also came off the back of a dribble.

See: All you need to know about summer transfer window

Bradley Barcola (France, Paris Saint-Germain)

With just two years left on his contract with Paris Saint-Germain, the exciting wide man Barcola is being linked with a move to Arsenal or Liverpool to get more game time.

The 23-year-old Frenchman is quick, with an acceleration that always stretches opponents. A threat in behind, but also with the ball at his feet, only two players in the UEFA Champions League created more chances from a ball carry than Barcola's 15 last season.

Domestically, the 2025/26 season saw Barcola’s numbers dip, with 12 direct goal involvements in Ligue 1, only half of the previous campaign. Finishing remains an area for improvement, but talent-wise the winger is elite.

Ousmane Diomande (Ivory Coast, Sporting)

One of the most cultured young centre-backs in European football is attracting strong interest, including from Leeds United and Chelsea, if reports are to be believed.

The Ivory Coast star is excellent on the ball, averaging over 63 passes per 90 minutes in the UEFA Champions League for Sporting last season. His 93.49 per cent pass accuracy is also right up there among the very best, showing how calm and press-resistant he is in possession.

Tall and strong in the air, he physically dominates duels with opposing strikers. The 22-year-old is also quick across the turf, making some standout interventions in 2025/26.

Victor Munoz (Spain, Osasuna)

Newcastle United are reportedly looking to sign Spanish international Munoz from Osasuna in this transfer window.

The attacking midfielder is small and stocky in stature, but blessed with outstanding speed, using his low centre of gravity to explode past defenders. Clever in tight areas, Munoz uses a bright mind and quick feet to great effect.

The 22-year-old averages 15.3 metres per progressive ball carry – the best in LaLiga – meaning his directness on the ball is a real standout quality.

Munoz, who scored six league goals last season, is also adaptable and can shine off the left or right wing, as well as in behind the centre-forward.

Rafael Leao (Portugal, AC Milan)

Reaching double figures for goals in each of his last five seasons with AC Milan, Leao marries strong end product with attacking dynamism to great effect.

Tall, lean and fast, the Portugal international has always been recognised as a match-winner in waiting, but until Max Allegri arrived at San Siro that was always as an out-and-out left-winger.

Now used in a roving striker’s role, as part of a front two, Leao has developed another string to his bow and shown he can adapt to playing down the middle. According to reports, the 27-year-old is being monitored by Manchester United and Chelsea.

Maghnes Akliouche (France, AS Monaco)

Liverpool, Tottenham Hotspur and Man Utd are said to be among the clubs keeping tabs on Monaco’s classy attacking midfielder.

Akliouche is a player with great imagination, smoothly cutting inside from the right or playing as a central No 10.

He topped Monaco’s rankings for chances created (44) and assists (six) last season, completing over 100 more passes inside the final third than any of his team-mates.

Sharp in tight spaces, and with an eye for opening rival teams up, Akliouche, now 24, looks ready to handle the challenge of Premier League football.

Lamine Camara (Senegal, AS Monaco)

Liverpool, Newcastle and Sunderland are all said to be keeping tabs on Monaco’s top-class central midfielder Camara.

The 22-year-old has been likened to N’Golo Kante as he is equally impressive on and off the ball. Very much the complete midfielder, the Senegal international destroys and creates in equal measure.

A fine technician, he created 35 chances and delivered four assists in Ligue 1 last season. Yet he is also hugely impressive when it comes to regaining possession, topping his club’s rankings for ball recoveries and duels won.

Capable of driving forward with the ball at his feet, and delivering accurate set pieces, Camara is an all-round gem.

Zion Suzuki (Japan, Parma)

Japan’s No 1 goalkeeper stands at 6ft 3in, with a muscular build, and is dominant when crosses come into his box, coming out to catch or punch the ball with conviction. His remarkable spring is regarded as a strength.

The 23-year-old Parma star uses his athletic frame very well when it comes to his shot-stopping too, building a reputation for making fabulous reflex saves.

These are qualities which have put the US-born player on the radar of several Premier League clubs across the last two years.

Valentin Barco (Argentina, Strasbourg)

Chelsea are being tipped to bring the former Brighton & Hove Albion youngster back to England from Strasbourg.

The Argentinian has played as a left-back and as a winger, but during his time at Strasbourg under Liam Rosenior and Gary O’Neil, the 5ft 7in star has become a highly rated central midfielder.

A master of the through-ball, Barco made 39 in Ligue 1 action last season, a full 22 more than Paris Saint-Germain's Vitinha and Ousmane Dembele, who were the next closest. Calm and intelligent on the ball, the 21-year-old is a young player with stacks of technical ability.

Players not at World Cup who might join Premier League

Hayden Hackney

The EFL Championship Player of the Season, Hackney is a box-to-box central midfielder who always sets the tone for Middlesbrough, making them tick with his willingness to get on the ball and make things happen.

Excellent at drifting into space, the 23-year-old captain averaged 2.65 shots per 90 last season and created a very impressive 2.29 chances per game too.

A return of five goals and seven assists does not do justice to the influence Hackney had for Boro across 2025/26. His injury issues late on in the campaign undoubtedly derailed their promotion campaign. Hackney is ready to make the step up, with Everton said to be leading the race of a number of Premier League clubs.

Imran Louza

Morocco international Louza was by some distance Watford’s standout player last season.

From a central-midfield berth he created 26 more chances than anyone else at the club, with 74, as well as attempting 17 more shots than any of his team-mates (85). Scoring seven times, and making nine assists, he was a real talisman for the side.

The 27-year-old left-footer, who has blossomed across the past two seasons, is a wonderful long-range passer who wants to take matches by the scruff of the neck, prompting moves from a box-to-box position.

Tough in the tackle too, he is a well-rounded midfield talent.

It is little wonder Brighton, Fulham and Everton are all reportedly interested in bringing him to the Premier League.

Leo Scienza

The Brazilian wide man lit up the Championship across 2025/26 with a string of stellar individual displays for Southampton.

No one in the division came close to matching his 11 direct goal involvements from ball carries (six goals, five assists) as he constantly raided with quality down the left.

Smooth on the ball, and an exceptionally quick dribbler, the 27-year-old ended his first year in English football with seven league goals and 10 assists.

There is reportedly interest from Brazilian club Palmeiras, but Everton and Leeds are also said to be keen on Scienza.

Christos Tzolis

Producing an incredible 17 goals and 23 assists for Club Brugge in the Belgian top flight last season, Tzolis is linked with a move to Arsenal this summer.

Those are top-class numbers for a left-winger, who is renowned for making smart decisions at decisive moments. A clinical finisher, but also unselfish when a better option is available, the 24-year-old Greece international is maturing into an outstanding player.

Tzolis, who played 14 Premier League matches for Norwich City in 2021/22, is a terrific dribbler with electric pace, but his two-footedness gives him the biggest advantage. He may prefer his right, but many of the 24-year-old’s goals and assists also came via his left too.

Left to right: Hayden Hackney, Imran Louza, Leo Scienza and Christos Tzolis

With the summer transfer window opening on Monday 15 June, football writer Alex Keble assesses each of the 20 Premier League clubs and the area each squad could strengthen with a new signing.

Arsenal – Direct left-winger

If Arsenal are to embrace their status as Premier League champions and “reach another level” by being “very ambitious, very fast and very smart,” as Mikel Arteta said after the UEFA Champions League final, they need to build an attack to match their world-leading defence.

The place to start is on the left wing, where only 33 per cent of their attacks were funnelled last season compared with 43 per cent down the right.

Arsenal's flank attacks 25/26

Arsenal are sometimes accused of playing too slowly in the final third, lacking directness or urgency outside of Bukayo Saka, and the stats agree.

The champions ranked eighth in the Premier League last season for take-ons attempted (700) and 10th for percentage of take-ons completed (38.9 per cent). A fast, dribbling left-winger could correct that.

Aston Villa – Creative No 10

Opta’s "Expected table", based on a team’s Expected Goals (xG) for and against, had Aston Villa all the way down in 12th, on 48.7 points, rather than their actual fourth. This discrepancy is explained by Villa’s remarkable tendency to score long-range goals.

Unai Emery’s side scored 14 goals from outside the box in 2025/26, helping them to outperform their xG by 7.8, the second-most in the division behind Tottenham Hotspur.

Aston Villa's goal map 25/26

While this is hugely impressive, and while Villa’s season-long form scoring screamers flies in the face of those who claim outperforming your xG is unsustainable, it suggests Villa could do with a player who has better accurate-passing creativity to create high-quality chances inside the box.

Bournemouth – Towering centre-back

It was a brilliant campaign for Bournemouth, which means little room for improvement, although a statistical deep dive tells us the Cherries need a new centre-back – and not just because Marcos Senesi left.

Bournemouth won 46.7 per cent of their aerial duels last season, the lowest figure in the Premier League after relegated Burnley. It might explain why Bournemouth conceded the highest xG from set-pieces in the division (18.3xG) and conceded the joint-second most goals from set-pieces (18).

When new head coach Marco Rose looks to replace Senesi, he will need to prioritise a commanding presence in the air.

Brentford – Consistent left-back

A magnificent first season for Keith Andrews was almost perfect, although there was one area that could improve, as evidenced by the fact the Brentford manager never quite settled on a first-choice left-back.

Rico Henry, Keane Lewis-Potter and Aaron Hickey alternated the role despite two of those players not being natural left-backs.

More quality in this position may be all it would have taken to win that one extra point Brentford needed to get into Europe: on the last day, Mohamed Salah had acres of space on Liverpool’s right to pick out a cross for the goal that denied the Bees that spot.

It followed a trend. Brentford shipped 52 goals last season, one more than 16th-place Nottingham Forest, and as the following graphic of Brentford’s concessions shows, far more were assisted from Brentford’s left byline than their right.

Brentford's goals conceded map 25/26

Brighton – Ruthless striker

Danny Welbeck enjoyed the best goalscoring season of his career, registering 13 goals in the Premier League, but the 35-year-old cannot be relied upon indefinitely – and Welbeck aside, Brighton’s top league goalscorer was Diego Gomez, with five.

That statistics make it all the more remarkable Fabian Hurzeler’s side finished eighth and qualified for Europe, but with just seven points separating them and Liverpool in the Champions League places, who knows how far they could have gone with a reliable goalscorer.

Brighton underperformed their xG by 5.90 goals, the fourth-most in the division. Ruthlessness is, once again, all they are missing.

Chelsea – Defender with back-three know-how

Ten teams conceded fewer goals than Chelsea’s 52 and seven recorded a lower xG against than their 52.26.

That’s reason enough to seek defensive reinforcements, but it’s an even higher priority considering new manager Xabi Alonso tends to prefer a back three.

With an average starting XI age of 24 years and 191 days, the youngest team in the Premier League needs an experienced defender who can lead by example in a back three.

Coventry City – Experienced Premier League midfielder

Sunderland’s 2025/26 set a template for how to succeed following promotion, and it looks as though Frank Lampard is aware of that.

“There are so many stories about how hard that gap is to bridge and we know that,” the Coventry boss told Sky Sports last month. “We haven’t got Premier League experience. We haven’t got players who have really played there.”

Granit Xhaka’s experience – dictating the tempo, breaking up play, leading in the dressing-room – was invaluable to Sunderland, while the power in Leeds United’s midfield drove their safety. Coventry must follow their examples.

In the Championship last season, Coventry ranked bottom for interceptions (331), the lowest of the top six for recoveries (2,152), and 10th for percentage of ground duels won.

Crystal Palace – Goalscoring attacker

Palace need goals, and not just from a No 9.

They lacked a ruthless touch last season, not only recording the worst goals-to-expected-goals ratio (-17.18) but also ending with the lowest conversion rate in the division (9.28 per cent) after Wolverhampton Wanderers.

Tellingly, despite Oliver Glasner’s tactics focusing so heavily on counter-attacks, Palace failed to score a single goal from their 37 "fast breaks" in 2025/26.

Everton – Creative winger

Last season only two non-relegated teams scored fewer goals than Everton’s 47, and only three non-relegated teams created fewer "big chances" than their 53.

If Jack Grealish returns to Manchester City after his loan, Everton need creative support for Iliman Ndiaye and Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall.

Fulham – Creative winger

Harry Wilson is set to be out of contract at the end of this month but has been offered a new deal, after contributing 17 goals and assists in the Premier League last season, 36 per cent of Fulham’s total of 47.

Fulham were bottom of the Premier League for "big chances" created (41), while of the non-relegated teams only Sunderland had fewer shots on target than Fulham’s 140.

No matter who replaces Marco Silva in the dugout next season, Fulham may need to replace Wilson’s creativity from out wide if he decides not to stay.

Hull City – Experienced centre-back

Hull’s promotion was a huge upset, at least according to Opta’s "expected points" table, which had them all the way down in 23rd out of 24 clubs.

This is based on Hull’s defensive record. Their Expected Goals against total was 82.5, the second-highest in the Championship, but thanks to either luck or good goalkeeping they conceded 19.5 goals fewer than that.

Hull boss Sergej Jakirovic will know his defence needs reinforcements to cope with the step up.

Ipswich Town – Powerful centre-back

Ipswich know from recent experience what they need to do.

After conceding 82 goals in their previous Premier League season in 2024/25, Ipswich must improve their defence this time around to make more of an impact.

That season, only Man City and Chelsea completed fewer tackles than Ipswich’s 589. A battling, aggressive centre-back would help correct that.

Leeds United – Dribbling winger

Daniel Farke’s switch to a 3-5-2 formation facilitated Leeds’ climb away from relegation trouble, but the one downside of the system is a lack of space for Wilfried Gnonto.

Leeds lack pace and dribbling ability out wide. They attempted 608 take-ons last season, the sixth-fewest in the Premier League, and only 35.2 per cent of their take-ons were successful, which was the fourth-lowest.

Leeds also played the joint-fewest through-balls (28). A bit more invention, especially out wide, can help Farke’s side build on an impressive first year back.

Liverpool – Salah-style right-winger

It goes without saying that Salah’s departure leaves a hole on Liverpool’s right, and despite the clear need for a centre-back, especially after Ibrahima Konate's exit, the biggest concern is how to replace Salah’s goals and assists.

Even in a relatively poor season by his standards, Salah hit 14 goals and assists in just 23 starts.

The only recognisable right-wingers in the squad now are 17-year-old Rio Ngumoha and Federico Chiesa. New manager Andoni Iraola – whose Bournemouth were all about their fast wingers – will want more.

Manchester City – Metronomic central midfielder

Bernardo Silva’s departure only exacerbates an issue that plagued Man City’s 2025/26, a season arguably defined by their very un-Guardiola-like struggle to control the tempo, slow things down, and prevent spacious midfield battles.

City missed a player to dictate the play. It is telling that last season City’s "direct speed" of 1.6 metres/second was their highest for six years, while their total number of build-up attacks was the lowest since Pep Guardiola’s somewhat chaotic opening season in charge.

Season Direct speed (m/s) Build-up attacks 2016/17 1.91 174 2017/18 1.80 247 2018/19 1.69 260 2019/20 1.64 252 2020/21 1.56 220 2021/22 1.56 276 2022/23 1.48 225 2023/24 1.38 294 2024/25 1.43 244 2025/26 1.60 202

If Enzo Maresca, the reported leading contender to replace Guardiola, does come in and instil his slow, chess-inspired (and Pep-inspired) possession football, he may target a new deep-lying playmaker.

Manchester United – Roving central midfielder

It is widely reported Man Utd are in the hunt for central midfielders, with BBC Sport and The Athletic reporting they have agreed a deal to sign Atalanta's Brazilian Ederson.

It has been a problem area for the club for a while, and despite the improved performance of the now-departed Casemiro and a return to the starting XI for Kobbie Mainoo, United’s average possession share (51.6 per cent) was their second-lowest in the last 10 years while their number of open-play passing sequences greater than 10 was their lowest in a decade.

Season Possession No. 10+ pass open-play sequences 2016/17 56.6% 473 2017/18 55.2% 511 2018/19 54.5% 436 2019/20 55.9% 480 2020/21 55.6% 562 2021/22 52.2% 438 2022/23 53.7% 423 2023/24 50.4% 404 2024/25 53.5% 470 2025/26 51.6% 410

Newcastle United – Clinical wide forward

One telling stat captures why Eddie Howe’s transition-focused tactics worked less well in 2025/26: Newcastle had 37 "fast breaks", the seventh-most in the Premier League, but scored just three "fast break" goals, the 15th-most.

For Nick Woltemade and Yoane Wissa to improve on their debut campaigns up front, Newcastle need clinical delivery and finishing from out wide, especially after Anthony Gordon’s sale to Barcelona.

Nottingham Forest – Second striker

Vitor Pereira got a tune out of Forest towards the end of the season by moving to a 4-4-2 formation, but if that is to stay, he may need a striker who can drop off the front to help the system shift into something closer to a 4-2-3-1.

Morgan Gibbs-White was the club’s top Premier League goalscorer, with 15, and the next highest was Igor Jesus, with six.

Jesus and Chris Wood both struggled to find the back of the net. Forest’s conversion rate of 10.1 per cent was the fourth-worst in the division last season.

Sunderland – No 10

Head coach Regis Le Bris will need reinforcements to juggle European and domestic football, which will force a rethink in how Sunderland set up: they made 63 changes to their Premier League starting XIs last season, the joint-fewest in the competition.

They also took just 396 shots, the fewest of the non-relegated clubs, and produced an xG of 38.9, with only Wolves and Burnley lower.

Enzo Le Fee was excellent in the No 10 role, but Sunderland lack depth in that position.

Tottenham Hotspur – Aggressive left-winger

Roberto De Zerbi’s football relies upon creating "artificial transitions", baiting the opposition into pressing his centre-backs, who, passing out from the back and through that press, trigger attacking scenarios that look a lot like counter-attacks.

When it works, it creates one-on-ones out wide and opportunities for aggressive wingers to burst into the final third (think Kaoru Mitoma at De Zerbi’s Brighton). It should suit Mohammed Kudus on the right, but Spurs lack options on the left.

Between them, Mathys Tel and Wilson Odobert contributed seven Premier League goals and assists in 2,325 minutes of action in 2025/26, or 0.27 per 90.

As the following graphic shows, few of Spurs’ assists last season were built down their left.

Spurs' goals and assists 25/26

Ahead of 2026/27 Fantasy Premier League, The Scout analyses some of the biggest transfers of the summer 2026 window.

Marcos Senesi has joined Tottenham Hotspur from AFC Bournemouth on a free transfer, where he's just had his best season in Fantasy Premier League.

The Argentinian amassed 175 points in 2025/26, making him Fantasy's third highest-scoring defender.

He racked up 11 clean sheets, six assists, 14 bonus points and, perhaps most importantly, a massive 50 points from defensive contributions (DC), more than any other defender.

He reached the required threshold for two DC points in 25 of his 37 starts, an impressive success rate of 67.6 per cent.

Top defenders for defensive contribution points 25/26

Player DC pts Team Matches played Senesi 50 BOU 37 Tarkowski 44 EVE 37 Andersen 40 FUL 33 Lacroix 40 CRY 35 Esteve 38 BUR 34

Scroll across on mobile to see full table

The big question is whether Senesi will maintain his success with defensive contributions after switching teams. Is it something Senesi will offer in Fantasy at ANY club?

Notably, his fellow Bournemouth defender James Hill also performed well for defensive contributions in 2025/26. Despite starting only 22 matches over the season, he returned 28 DC points, a total bettered by just 10 defenders.

This suggests the Cherries' style of play helped their centre-backs to rack up defensive contributions, and that Senesi's success last season was largely due to who he was playing for, rather than something he will naturally offer for any club.

Do Spurs centre-backs get defensive contributions?

Let's look at how Spurs' centre-backs performed in their seven matches under Roberto De Zerbi at the end of last season, after he took charge ahead of Gameweek 32.

Only two defenders managed to return defensive contributions points in that period - Kevin Danso and Pedro Porro.

But the pair did so consistently, each hitting the threshold in five of their seven appearances. Danso's tally, intriguingly for Senesi as a centre-back, came in just 572 minutes played.

See: Why Senesi looks a perfect fit for De Zerbi's Spurs

On the flip side, Micky van de Ven, who played every minute under De Zerbi, failed to get any DC points. In fact, he never got close - his best tally in a match was seven defensive contributions, which he only managed once.

This suggests De Zerbi has clearly defined roles in his back four which has a big impact on which players get defensive contributions, and that Senesi's potential will depend on who he replaces in the Lilywhites' backline.

How Spurs defenders performed under De Zerbi (GW32-GW38)

Player DC pts Matches Mins Danso 10 7 572 Porro 10 7 630 Van de Ven 0 7 630 Romero 0 1 63 Spence 0 6 279 Udogie 0 6 487 Dragusin 0 2 17

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Senesi also offers attacking returns

Importantly, Senesi isn't solely reliant on defensive contributions. Only two defenders got more assists last season than his six.

Defenders with most assists 25/26

Player Total Team Nunes 8 MCI Digne 7 AVL Timber 6 ARS Hartman 6 BUR Senesi 6 BOU Truffert 6 BOU James 6 CHE Dalot 6 MUN Diouf 6 WHU

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Although it is rare for a central defender to produce that many assists, his Expected Goal Involvement tally of 6.2 suggests Senesi more or less delivered the goal contributions that he deserved over the season.

The 29-year-old laid on seven big chances for his team-mates, ranking joint-third among all defenders, and created a chance every 137 minutes.

Senesi also showed his attacking threat two seasons previously, in 2023/24, returning four goals and five assists for Bournemouth.

So, will he offer the same attacking returns at Spurs?

Encouragingly, Spurs' first-choice centre-backs Van de Ven and Cristian Romero scored eight goals between them in 2025/26.

There is other data that suggests Spurs will give Senesi chances from set-plays. Only five players took more successful corners than right-back Pedro Porro in 2025/26, and midfielder James Maddison's return from injury should also increase the set-piece threat.

So, will Senesi be a good Fantasy asset in 2026/27?

It remains to be seen whether Senesi can carry over his impressive Fantasy form at his new club.

Spurs have six senior centre-backs in their squad, which suggests that - barring any departures - Senesi will have to fight for his place at the start of the season.

However, there are encouraging conclusions to be drawn. The Argentinian's underlying attacking data is strong, and Danso has proved there is potential for regular defensive contribution points from a centre-back in De Zerbi's Spurs team.

As the FIFA World Cup kicks off, Premier League fans will see plenty of familiar faces – and a few unfamiliar ones – as the tournament unfolds across the USA, Mexico and Canada over the next five weeks.

Here’s everything Premier League fans should look out for during the summer’s festival of football:

World Cup key dates

Group stage: 11 June to 27 June

Round of 32: 28 June to 3 July

Round of 16: 4 July to 7 July

Quarter-finals: 9 July to 11 July

Semi-finals: 14 July to 15 July

Third-place play-off ('Bronze final'): 18 July

Final: 19 July

Premier League players participating

The Premier League will have more representatives than any other league in the world and they will undoubtedly be some of the stars of the tournament.

As expected, England have the most Premier League stars, with 22 of the 26-man squad featuring – including recent Premier League winners Bukayo Saka, Eberechi Eze, Declan Rice and Noni Madueke at Arsenal, and Manchester City players James Trafford, Marc Guehi, Nico O’Reilly, John Stones, who they pipped to the title.

The Netherlands have the next most, with an impressive 15. Among them are Virgil van Dijk and Ryan Gravenberch, previous Premier League winners at Liverpool, and Tijjani Reijnders, who helped Man City lift the FA Cup and EFL Cup last season.

Belgium and Senegal each have eight Premier League representatives. Spain, Norway, France and Portugal all have seven.

Following a standout season for Man City, Rayan Cherki will play in his first World Cup for France.

Team-mate Erling Haaland, who wasn’t born the last time Norway qualified, will spearhead his country’s attack.

Manchester United’s Bruno Fernandes, the EA SPORTS Player of the Season who broke the assists record, will aim to win it with Portugal.

Man City with most representatives

Every Premier League club from the 2025/26 and 2026/27 seasons – including relegated and promoted sides – has at least one player taking part.

Man City lead the way, with an extraordinary 19 squad players involved across 12 countries, including Abdukodir Khusanov – the first Uzbek to appear in the Premier League – representing World Cup debutants Uzbekistan, and four England players.

Arsenal follow with 15 representatives, four of whom are in the England squad.

Trailing them, Man Utd have 13, while Crystal Palace and Sunderland each have 12 players represented.

Chelsea, meanwhile, have 11. Newly-promoted Coventry City, Hull City and Ipswich Town each have two.

Team-mate clashes

The World Cup always throws up the exciting prospect of Premier League team-mates, who train and play alongside each other all season, facing each other on the biggest stage.

Group L is likely to produce the most clashes, particularly in England’s fixtures.

The Man City contingent – which includes Trafford, though as backup goalkeeper he is unlikely to play – can face Josko Gvardiol and Mateo Kovacic in their opening match against Croatia, then January arrival Antoine Semenyo when England meet Ghana.

England v Croatia - Wednesday 17 June, kick-off 21:00 BST

England v Ghana - Tuesday 23 June, kick-off 21:00 BST

In Group E, Arsenal’s Kai Havertz, representing Germany, could come up against club colleague Piero Hincapie of Ecuador.

Ecuador v Germany - Thursday 25 June, kick-off 21:00 BST

Group L and E

Group L Group E England Germany Croatia Curacao Ghana Ivory Coast Panama Ecuador

Tottenham Hotspur captain Cristian Romero and new signing Marcos Senesi could find themselves on the opposite side of the pitch to club team-mate Kevin Danso when Argentina face Austria in Group J.

Argentina v Austria - Monday 22 June, kick-off 18:00 BST

And while not club colleagues, Group I will pit Norway against France, meaning striker Haaland and centre-back William Saliba are likely to rekindle their club rivalry of recent years.

Norway v France - Friday June 26, kick-off 20:00 BST

Group J and I

Group J Group I Argentina France Algeria Senegal Austria Iraq Jordan Norway

Football writer Adrian Clarke analyses Marcos Senesi's time at AFC Bournemouth and why Tottenham Hotspur made the move to sign him.

Given that Tottenham Hotspur conceded 122 goals across the last two league seasons, the most of any Premier League side, it is not surprising they are trying to strengthen their defence this summer.

Following their recent signing of former Liverpool left-back Andy Robertson, Spurs have now recruited a central defender who offers leadership and quality, both in and out of possession.

Marcos Senesi, who recently turned 29, enjoyed four excellent campaigns with AFC Bournemouth, proving himself as a consistent top-flight performer.

Assertive, brilliant with the ball at his feet, and durable – starting 37 matches last season – he feels like an extremely low-risk acquisition.

Watch: The best of Senesi at Bournemouth

A resilient presence

Like many South American defenders, Senesi plays with fierce determination.

The experienced centre-back ranked second for clearances and blocks in 2025/26, only behind Liverpool's Virgil van Dijk and Everton's James Tarkowski, respectively.

His 47 blocks for the Cherries were 25 more than Spurs’ top defender in that department, Micky van de Ven (22).

PL centre-backs, most interceptions/blocks/clearances 25/26

Interceptions Blocks Clearances Senesi (BOU) 56 Tarkowski (EVE) 52 Van Dijk (LIV) 275 Ampadu (LEE) 50 Senesi (BOU) 47 Senesi (BOU) 253 Guehi (MCI) 50 Collins (BRE) 41 Lacroix (CRY) 252

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Spurs supporters will also enjoy Senesi's proactive reading of the game.

No Premier League defender came close to matching his 56 interceptions, as he regularly stepped forward to break up opposition attacks with ease.

Senesi also relishes his duels with opposition forwards.

It is little wonder he was so popular at Bournemouth.

Made for De Zerbi?

To ensure safety, Spurs head coach Roberto De Zerbi kept his messaging simple during the run-in, resisting the temptation to implement his own style of play.

In 2026/27, the Italian will almost certainly place a greater emphasis on higher possession and building play from the back.

And in that sense, Senesi looks a terrific fit.

In his only full season in charge of Brighton & Hove Albion in 2023/24, De Zerbi’s centre-backs, Lewis Dunk and Jan Paul van Hecke, ranked first and sixth among top-flight defenders for the most successful passes.

Last season, despite playing for a Bournemouth side who were not possession-based, the only defenders to attempt more passes than Senesi were those two Brighton stars, plus Van Dijk.

Senesi wants the ball at his feet, and his confident distribution will get Spurs up the pitch quicker.

PL centre-backs, most passes into final third and successful long passes 25/26

Passes into final third Successful long passes Senesi 516 Senesi 182 Van Dijk 425 Andersen 166 Van Hecke 383 Van Dijk 137

His forte is to make progressive forward passes, finding team-mates inside the final third more frequently than anyone else in his position.

These accurate long passes could be good news for striker Dominic Solanke, who played alongside Senesi for two seasons at Bournemouth.

The England international’s hold-up play, and willingness to run the channels, is sure to provide Senesi with a useful target.

The division’s most creative central defender?

Spurs have signed a centre-back who offers a surprising amount of imagination with the ball at his feet, creating 24 chances, including 22 from open play,

Striding forward to support attacks, the Argentinian’s laser-guided left foot tends to make things happen inside the final third.

The key-pass map (below) shows how impactful Senesi’s forward passes were for the Cherries throughout 2025/26.

He pushes on to great effect before feeding the ball into forwards.

Senesi's chances created in open play 25/26

The Argentinian defender made an incredible 144 line-breaking passes into the final third last season, ranking him between two of the Premier League's best midfielders, Man Utd captain Bruno Fernandes and Liverpool's Dominik Szoboszlai.

For a defender to be remotely close to those star talents proves how unique his skill set is.

Only one player in the entire division made more line-breaking passes overall, and that was former De Zerbi protege Van Hecke.

Having a defender who moves the ball forward with quality is clearly very important to the Spurs head coach.

It points towards his team being more press-resistant, and possibly more direct in their tactical approach next season.

PL players with most line-breaking passes 25/26

Line-breaking passes Successful line-breaking passes Van Hecke (BHA) 457 Fernandes (MUN) 145 Senesi (BOU) 424 Senesi (BOU) 144 Anderson (NFO) 375 Szoboszlai (LIV) 137

Fans at his new club know all about Senesi’s distribution of course.

In one of 14 through-balls he made in 2025/26, the defender fed a fantastic pass into the box for Evanilson to score the winner in a 1-0 success at Spurs.

Watch: Senesi's assist for Evanilson against Spurs

These two assists against West Ham United and Leeds United (below) also outline Senesi's credentials when it comes to splitting an opposition defence open.

Spurs as a side delivered just 28 through-balls (a joint low with Leeds) so having someone willing to make these forward passes could be a game changer for their attacking play.

The assist below, for Junior Kroupi against Leeds, came from an initial interception inside the opposition half, which was followed by a purposeful dribble.

Unafraid to carry the ball towards goal, it is Brighton’s Van Hecke, once again, who is the only Premier League defender to have attempted more ball carries.

Most ball carries, 25/26

Player Total Van Hecke (BHA) 920 Bernardo Silva (MCI) 649 Anderson (NFO) 636 Rice (ARS) 624 Senesi (BOU) 591

How will Spurs look at the back next season?

As one of the division’s best centre-backs, with and without the ball, Senesi is sure to nail down a place in De Zerbi’s starting XI.

He always plays on the left of a pairing in central defence though, so it will be interesting to see what happens with Van de Ven this summer.

The Netherlands international occupies that spot but could in theory play at left-back as well.

De Zerbi also currently has Cristian Romero, Kevin Danso, Radu Dragusin, youngster Luka Vuskovic and potentially Ben Davies available to play in central defence.

It is too early to say with any certainty how they will line up in August.

However, with Robertson having also been signed, it looks like De Zerbi is going to unleash a new-look pair of left footers within his back four in 2026/27.

Football writer Adrian Clarke analyses Andy Robertson's stellar career at Liverpool and assesses what he can add to Tottenham Hotspur after joining the north London club.

A true Liverpool great

There will be many people who feel Andy Robertson, a virtual ever-present during a hugely successful period for Liverpool, is one of the world's greatest left-backs.

He is the best Liverpool have had in the Premier League era for sure; in terms of the best in the club's entire history, Alan Kennedy — the scorer of two European Cup-winning goals — is Robertson's main competition.

Trophy-wise, Robertson won it all in Liverpool colours — the Premier League (twice), the UEFA Champions League, the FA Cup, the League Cup (twice) and the FIFA Club World Cup.

Watch: The BEST of Robertson at Liverpool

Jurgen Klopp’s high-intensity football was tailor-made for the tenacious Scot.

Flying up and down the flank, in and out of possession with equal enthusiasm, his energetic style married perfectly with the tone and tactics of the German’s outstanding side.

It was a match made in heaven.

At his peak, Robertson was also greatly admired by other head coaches around the world.

After his side had lost 3-1 to Liverpool in December 2018, Manchester United's manager at the time, Jose Mourinho said: "They are fast, they are intense, they are aggressive, they are physical, they are objective.

"They play 200 miles per hour with and without the ball. I am still tired from looking at Robertson. He makes 100-metre sprints every minute, absolutely incredible."

A running machine

Robertson’s amazing energy levels set him apart from most full-backs during his peak years.

In the 2020/21 season, he ran a total of 389.3km, which was the second-furthest distance by any full-back, finishing just behind Leeds United right-back Luke Ayling.

Noted for his sprinting ability, Robertson topped the Premier League full-backs' sprint charts for three successive seasons between 2019 and 2022.

PL full-backs with the most sprints

Season Player Sprints 2019/20 Robertson 567 Digne 438 Chilwell 427 2020/21 Robertson 843 Digne 583 Coufal 574 2021/22 Robertson 656 Cash 648 Cucurella 599

Robertson's pressing has always been relentless, and it is a trait which will instantly adhere him to Spurs supporters.

He famously earned the affection of the Anfield fans with a sensational 13-second press in a 4-3 win against Manchester City in January 2018.

Closing down Bernardo Silva, Kyle Walker, John Stones, Ederson and Nicolas Otamendi in one outrageous, continuous sprint, the tigerish Scotland international produced one of the most iconic pieces of defending seen in the history of the Premier League.

Watch: Robertson's incredible pressing v Man City

Stellar stats

Only two Premier League full-backs have ever produced 10+ assists in three different seasons: Trent Alexander-Arnold and Robertson in 2018/19, 2019/20 and 2021/22.

Liverpool full-backs' PL assist totals

Season Robertson Alexander-Arnold 2018/19 11 12 2019/20 12 13 2021/22 10 12

Robertson has been the leading Premier League left-back in a wide variety of metrics since the start of 2017/18, the first season after his reported £8million transfer from Hull City to Liverpool.

During that period he is ranked first in a string of attacking departments, including chances created, touches in the opposition box, big chances created and successful passes ending in the final third.

He has a fabulous 56 assists to his name (the most by any Premier League left-back).

Aston Villa’s Lucas Digne is the only left-back with more successful open-play crosses.

How Robertson's attacking stats rank among PL left-backs since 17/18

Statistic Total Left-back rank Defender rank Touches in opp. box 612 1st 1st Chances created (inc. assists) 430 1st 2nd Big chances created 88 1st 2nd Assists 56 1st 2nd Open-play crosses 973 1st 2nd Succ. open-play crosses 191 2nd 3rd Succ. passes ending in final third 4,000 1st 1st

Scroll across on mobile to see the full table

So is Robertson the Premier League’s greatest left-back ever?

Arsenal and Chelsea legend Ashley Cole perhaps shades him for that accolade, but few would argue that Robertson is only just behind Cole in the pecking order.

Why are Spurs signing Robertson?

Spurs were one of many suitors looking to persuade Robertson to join them on a free transfer when his Liverpool contract expires at the end of the month.

The north London club reportedly tried to recruit him in January, a move which fell through when Liverpool could not recall Kostas Tsimikas from his loan spell with Roma.

New Spurs head coach Roberto de Zerbi was keen to revive the deal, and after fighting off reported interest from Juventus, he has secured the services of the 32-year-old.

Spurs already have Destiny Udogie and Djed Spence as left-back options, but their dressing room is currently light on senior figures and strong role models. "He brings experience, mentality and qualities," De Zerbi said after the signing was announced. "He's a big player for us."

Watch De Zerbi on what Robertson brings

Robertson is a serial winner, accustomed to high standards being kept on and off the pitch, and knows how to drive the culture needed to achieve success.

That is a very attractive quality Spurs need right now after back-to-back 17th-place finishes.

Robertson’s vast experience, strong character and burning desire to win is likely to have a positive impact.

Can he reach the lofty heights of old?

Robertson, 32, will lead Scotland at the FIFA World Cup 2026, so he has plenty to offer in the short term.

In 2025/26, he started 11 Premier League games for Liverpool, making a further 13 substitute appearances. Across all club competitions, he was involved in 35 matches.

Robertson will provide great width and balance for Spurs, and although he does not surge into the opposition penalty area as often as he once did, the Scot will still get forward.

Robertson’s heat map from the season which has just ended (below) shows how attack-minded he remains.

Robertson’s numbers are also still impressive.

In terms of tackling, productivity from crosses and chance creation per 90 minutes, he outperformed every Spurs defender in 2025/26.

For this reason, Robertson can quickly establish himself as a regular starter for his new club.

Robertson v Spurs left-backs 25/26*

Passes played into box Tackle success Robertson 5.07 Robertson 75.00% Spence 2.67 Spence 61.36% Udogie 1.75 Udogie 61.29%

Succ. open-play crosses Chances created Robertson 0.92 Robertson 1.54 Spence 0.44 Spence 0.81 Udogie 0.34 Udogie 0.44

*Stats per 90 mins

This feels like a very astute signing from Spurs, who are guaranteed to benefit from the quality and leadership skills Robertson will bring.

He may not be at the peak of his powers anymore, but Robertson has the class and personality required to raise standards on and off the pitch.

De Zerbi wants intelligent, technical players who also play with determination and courage. The 32-year Scot certainly ticks those boxes.

It was a final-day fairytale for Sunderland after they made history by qualifying for Europe for the first time in 52 years despite beginning the afternoon outside the qualification places.

In a final day full of twists in the race for Europe, the promoted team sprang the biggest surprise, taking the lead against Chelsea in the 25th minute to climb into eighth – the final UEFA Europa League qualification place – above their opponents.

When Brighton & Hove Albion fell behind to Manchester United on 33 minutes, they dropped below Sunderland, who had trailed them on goal difference – moving the Black Cats into seventh and the UEFA Europa League.

It was where they remained when the final whistles blew, jumping from 10th to seventh in an astonishing climax to the campaign. Fans at the Stadium of Light wildly celebrated an unexpected end to an unexpectedly amazing season for a side who had come up via the Championship playoffs only a year ago.

They become just the fifth promoted team to qualify for Europe on league position.

“A steward came and tried to show us the other scores on his phone but the 4G didn't work but then we found out we had done it,” Sunderland player Trai Hume, who scored the opener, said.

“It hasn't sunk in yet. Coming up to the start of the season I don't think anyone gave us a chance to stay up let alone Europe."

Brighton were three goals down within three minutes of the second half, meaning Brentford – drawing 1-1 with Liverpool after 64 minutes – knew a win would take them into Europe.

Who else but Bruno Fernandes to set up Patrick Dorgu’s opener, giving the Man Utd captain the outright Premier League single-season assists record with 21, one clear of Thierry Henry and Kevin De Bruyne.

When the Brighton game concluded, Seagulls fans nervously checked their phones for news of a Brentford goal. But, as Brentford were unable to find one, the Brighton fans celebrated a Europa Conference League place, alongside the players, while Brentford agonisingly missed out on a first season in Europe on goal difference.

It is only the second time Brighton have qualified for Europe.

The point also meant Bournemouth – who needed a huge goal-difference swing – could not pip Liverpool for the top five and the Champions League. Their draw at Nottingham Forest secured sixth spot, nonetheless, and a place in the Europa League, a first-ever European qualification in the club’s history, in Andoni Iraola’s final game as their head coach.

“I cannot ask for much more,” Iraola said. “I have been so lucky to be in this moment with this group of players with this club. I think it is the perfect ending and I am so thankful.”

In a disappointing end to a disappointing season, Chelsea’s defeat left them 10th.

Spurs edge tense relegation fight

At the other end of the table, Tottenham Hotspur came through an excruciating afternoon to escape relegation on the final day.

At home to Everton Spurs had been knocking on the door all half – registering their most first-half shots in a Premier League game this season – when it finally opened in the 43rd minute.

Joao Palhinha headed against a post but converted the rebound. The ball inched just over the line – and was enough, in the end, to inch Spurs to safety.

At the break, West Ham United – still goalless with Leeds United despite needing a win – trailed by four points and knew chances of survival were slipping away.

But a glimmer of hope arrived in the 67th minute when January signing Valentin Castellanos gave them the lead, cutting the gap to one point. West Ham were an Everton comeback away from safety.

Jarrod Bowen added a second 13 minutes later, and anxiety rippled around the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium. Phones were checked. Nails were bitten. Groans escaped lips.

Callum Wilson struck a third in stoppage time and West Ham had done all they could. Back in north London, tension rose again when nine minutes of stoppage time were flashed on the fourth official’s board.

Everton pushed hard for a goal, but Spurs fans finally chanted, “We are staying up!” when the clock ticked to 99 minutes.

Spurs captain Micky van de Ven is confident there would not be a repeat next season. “With the right people now here – the right manager – I'm confident,” he said. “Finishing 17th two years in a row is unacceptable for us.”

A despondent West Ham captain Bowen said: “I want this club to be in the Premier League. It's a club that means so much to me and has given me so much so my vision is to get this club back in the Premier League."

Departing legends

It was an afternoon of farewells at Manchester City and Liverpool, where key players and one of the greatest managers in Premier League history said their goodbyes.

At Anfield, Mohamed Salah left with a farewell assist – giving him the outright most in the Premier League of any Liverpool player – and struck the post before he was substituted with 16 minutes remaining, leaving the field to hugs with his team-mates.

His team-mate Andy Robertson was also applauded off for a final time.

Both received a guard of honour from Liverpool’s players and staff after the match, with Liverpool legends Kenny Dalglish and Ian Rush greeting them at the end.

WATCH: Salah and Robertson receive guard of honour

“I cried a lot – I think more than I did in my whole life!" Salah said.

At the Etihad, Bernardo Silva and John Stones were given guards of honour by their team-mates as they left the field in Manchester City's game against Aston Villa.

Pep Guardiola took charge of City for the final time – making one more piece of history after a decade full of it. His 593rd match in charge overtook Les McDowall’s club record.

Guardiola’s 95-year-old father, Valenti, applauded his son at the end. A montage of his 10 years at the club played on the big screens to an acoustic version of the Oasis song "Live Forever".

"I'm so nervous right now,” Guardiola said, addressing the crowd. “Why do you love me so much? Why do you do that to me?

"I never imagined the amount of love. It has been an incredible, tremendous honour to be your manager for 10 years.”

Arsenal celebrate like champions

Arsenal’s players were given a guard of honour by Crystal Palace as they walked out at Selhurst Park, having been crowned champions when Man City failed to win in midweek.

They finished the campaign in style, winning 2-1 to finish on 85 points – seven clear of Man City – before lifting the Premier League Trophy on the pitch.

WATCH: Arsenal lift the Premier League Trophy

“It was beautiful, look at how happy they are,” Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta said, gesturing towards the fans.

His Palace counterpart Oliver Glasner took charge of his last game at Selhurst Park. “I will definitely miss all of the people here,” he told Sky Sports.

He signs off with a Europa Conference League final against Rayo Vallecano on Wednesday.

Elsewhere, Fulham beat Newcastle United to finish in 11th, one place ahead of the Magpies, concluding a frustrating campaign for Eddie Howe’s side.

West Ham United have been relegated from the Premier League after Tottenham Hotspur avoided defeat against Everton on the final day, ending the Hammers' 14-year stay in the top flight.

The Hammers needed to beat Leeds United at London Stadium in their final fixture and Spurs to lose against the Toffees at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium in order to avoid the drop.

Although West Ham won 3-0 at home to Leeds, Spurs beat Everton 1-0, meaning Nuno Espirito Santo's side will play in the Championship in the 2026/27 season.

West Ham are relegated with 39 points, considerably higher than the average points tally of 34.5 for the team finishing in 17th place, safe from relegation, since the Premier League was reduced from 22 to 20 teams in 1995/96.

The Hammers mounted a fightback in the second half of the season, but Spurs' improved form under Roberto De Zerbi, who joined on 31 March, lifted them above West Ham and out of the relegation places.

It means Spurs preserve their status as one of only six ever-present sides in the Premier League, along with Arsenal, Chelsea, Everton, Liverpool and Manchester United.

Spurs and West Ham's recent results

It confirms all three relegated sides, with West Ham joining Burnley and Wolverhampton Wanderers in dropping into the Championship.

They will be replaced by Coventry City, Ipswich Town and Hull City. The latter earned their spot with a 1-0 playoff final win over Middlesbrough at Wembley on Saturday.

Nuno was appointed to replace Graham Potter as West Ham head coach at the end of September, but despite overseeing a good run of form this year, the Portuguese boss was unable to keep them up.

Relegated for a third time

It is the third time the Hammers have been relegated from the Premier League.

They dropped out in 2003 with 42 points – a record for a relegated side – then narrowly missed out on promotion the following season, losing the playoff final 1-0 to Crystal Palace.

They returned at the second attempt, however, beating Preston North End 1-0 in the 2004/05 playoff final.

Their next relegation came in 2011 – the last time West Ham were outside the top flight. They appointed Sam Allardyce that summer and he guided them straight back up via the playoffs, beating Blackpool 2-1 in the final at Wembley.

Since then, their highest finish was sixth, in 2020/21, followed by seventh the following season.

Under David Moyes, West Ham qualified for the UEFA Conference League and won the tournament in 2023 – the club’s first major trophy in 43 years.

Football writer Ben Bloom has predicted the line-up for every Premier League club in action on the Final Day.

See: Injury updates for every club and player

See: Who's suspended or close to a ban?

Brighton v Man Utd predicted line-ups

Brighton: The return of Diego Gomez off the bench last weekend could see the Paraguayan start here as Brighton bid for a European spot. That would see Ferdi Kadioglu pushed back into defence at the likely expense of either Joel Veltman or Maxim De Cuyper, unless Mats Wieffer is deemed fit enough to start following an ankle injury. James Milner has not got a look-in since his injury, with the Pascal Gross/Carlos Baleba axis standing strong in the middle of the pitch.

See: Brighton team news

Man Utd: While promising to “respect this last game”, Michael Carrick suggested he will give some of his young players a chance here. That could mean minutes for youngsters such as Tyler Fletcher and Shea Lacey. Ayden Heaven may be given an opportunity at the back, while Manuel Ugarte or Mason Mount are the most obvious candidates to replace the departing Casemiro, who will not be involved. Benjamin Sesko has missed the last two games and remains a significant doubt. Amad could lose his starting spot to one of Patrick Dorgu or Mount.

See: Man Utd team news

Burnley v Wolves predicted line-ups

Burnley: The battle to avoid finishing bottom of the Premier League features two clubs desperate for the season to end. Mike Jackson has suggested he will “give people some minutes” and “manipulate the squad a little bit”, so team prediction is something of a lottery. The side that lost to Arsenal last time out performed admirably enough, so ordinarily an unchanged line-up might be possible. But expect a few fresh faces here, with the likes of Bashir Humphreys, Josh Laurent, Zeki Amdouni, Marcus Edwards, Quilindschy Hartman and Jacob Bruun Larsen all candidates to come in.

See: Burnley team news

Wolves: Can Wolves produce a win that would see them end the season in the dizzy heights of 19th? Rob Edwards opted for a rare back four in the draw with Fulham last week, and he could well stick with the same personnel from that match, given they suit both a 4-2-3-1 and a 3-4-2-1. Should he replicate last week’s system, Rodrigo Gomes’ spot on the right wing is perhaps most in jeopardy, with Jackson Tchatchoua or Pedro Lima offering alternatives. Hugo Bueno could also return at left-back.

See: Wolves team news

Crystal Palace v Arsenal predicted line-ups

Crystal Palace: With Wednesday’s UEFA Conference League final looming, Oliver Glasner suggested he changes his mind multiple times a day “from full rotation, to no rotation, to half rotation” for this match. Chris Richards will certainly miss out after damaging ankle ligaments, and is also a major doubt for Wednesday. That should mean no defensive changes here, unless Jefferson Lerma is drafted in at the back. Selection is far less certain higher up the pitch, where Glasner will not want to risk injury to any of his players ahead of such a big game.

See: Crystal Palace team news

Arsenal: The Premier League champions will be eager to use this match to reward squad members and arrive at next week’s UEFA Champions League final in peak condition. Expect plenty of changes, then. William Saliba, Bukayo Saka and David Raya worked individually on Thursday, so are all leading candidates for a rest. Youngsters Marli Salmon and Max Dowman may well be given starts, with various squad members earning chances to show what they can do from the outset.

See: Arsenal team news

Fulham v Newcastle predicted line-ups

Fulham: Ryan Sessegnon is back in training, but seems an unlikely starter even if he does return to action here. It was an underwhelming performance at Wolves last time out so there may well be attacking changes. Harry Wilson was dropped to the bench for that game, but could return here, alongside the likes of Josh King, Samuel Chukwueze and Kevin, who are all candidates to feature.

See: Fulham team news

Newcastle: Kieran Trippier started last weekend, so Eddie Howe must decide whether to stick with the same back four or shift Lewis Hall over to right-back and play Dan Burn on the opposite flank. Sandro Tonali will “potentially” be available after tweaking his hamstring, with Howe suggesting it is not “too serious”. Joe Willock or Jacob Ramsey could replace Tonali if he does not make it. The front four worked well last time out against West Ham, so there is no obvious need to make changes, although Jacob Murphy and Anthony Elanga are options, while Anthony Gordon has not featured for five games ahead of a potential departure.

See: Newcastle team news

Liverpool v Brentford predicted line-ups

Liverpool: Arne Slot declined to reveal whether Mohamed Salah will make a final appearance for the club. Alisson Becker and Alexander Isak have both returned to training, but their availability remains uncertain, while Jeremie Frimpong is also a doubt. Andrew Robertson could be given one last start before he leaves this summer, with one of Curtis Jones or Joe Gomez likely to play at right-back. Salah’s potential involvement could determine whether Rio Ngumoha starts a third consecutive match.

See: Liverpool team news

Brentford: With European qualification at stake, Keith Andrews will pick his strongest team available. Kristoffer Ajer has started the last two games in place of Sepp van den Berg so it will be interesting to see who gets the nod here. Kevin Schade was rested last weekend following a barren run, with Vitaly Janelt starting after injury. An unchanged team is perhaps most likely here, but Schade may return and Jordan Henderson is waiting in the wings.

See: Brentford team news

Man City v Aston Villa predicted line-ups

Man City: Expect Pep Guardiola to make plenty of changes in his final match in charge. John Stones and Bernardo Silva could both start in what will be their last games before leaving the club. The likes of Phil Foden, Savinho and Rayan Cherki will all be hoping to feature. There must be a fair chance that Omar Marmoush comes in for Erling Haaland, but Guardiola could well want his star striker leading the line in his farewell game. Predict your Man City XI at your peril.

See: Man City team news

Aston Villa: Unai Emery said he “will try to be serious” with his team selection for this match, but admitted that “it’s not easy” to regain focus after winning the UEFA Europa League earlier in the week. As to who he opts for, that’s difficult to say. Goalkeeper Emiliano Martinez may well miss out after breaking his finger before kick-off in that Europa League final. Expect a host of other squad players to be given a chance from the outset.

See: Villa team news

Nottingham Forest v Bournemouth predicted line-ups

Nottingham Forest: Vitor Pereira says his side can “relax a bit”, with Premier League safety assured and no need to take any risks with half-fit players. Murillo and Ola Aina remain out, while Dan Ndoye could feature at some point. Ibrahim Sangare returned off the bench last time out and could start here, while Jair Cunha is an option to come into defence. Taiwo Awoniyi might also be handed a start at the expense of either Igor Jesus or Chris Wood.

Bournemouth: There appears no reason for anything to change where Bournemouth are concerned with the Cherries unbeaten in 17 games and fresh from an excellent draw against Man City. Ryan Christie remains suspended. Justin Kluivert and Lewis Cook returned off the bench on Tuesday night, but it would be a leap for them to start here.

See: Bournemouth team news

Sunderland v Chelsea predicted line-ups

Sunderland: Regis Le Bris must be inclined to change little after his side beat Everton last time out, although a “late decision” will be taken on Omar Aldarete, who departed early through injury in that win. Should he not make it, Luke O’Nien is the likely deputy. Chemsdine Talbi is unavailable after picking up an injury off the bench last weekend. Habib Diarra and Chris Rigg may well be consigned to substitute duties again.

See: Sunderland team news

Chelsea: Calum McFarlane delivered encouraging news on a number of Chelsea players before this match, confirming that Levi Colwill, Joao Pedro and Reece James had all been training since the victory over Spurs. That trio could start if deemed sufficiently fit. James may be deployed in defence or midfield, which will affect whether Malo Gusto or Andrey Santos play. Trevoh Chalobah could come in for Wesley Fofana, with the possibility of changes to both centre-backs.

See: Chelsea team news

Spurs v Everton predicted line-ups

Spurs: Having stuck with the same XI last time out, Roberto De Zerbi confirmed Dominic Solanke is available again, while James Maddison’s increasing minutes must make a start a possibility. Djed Spence is also available despite picking up a jaw injury in the Chelsea defeat. The big questions are how long De Zerbi believes Solanke and Maddison can last, and whether he tries to alter things by replacing Randal Kolo Muani with Spence, Lucas Bergvall or someone else.

See: Spurs team news

Everton: David Moyes stuck with an unchanged XI last weekend, but saw his Everton side lose to Sunderland. Despite not yet training with the team before Friday’s press conference, Idrissa Gueye has a “50/50 chance” of being involved, according to Moyes. The same starting team appears plausible here, especially after Merlin Rohl scored Everton’s only goal last weekend. Any changes would likely involve Dwight McNeil, Tyrique George or Thierno Barry

See: Everton team news

West Ham v Leeds predicted line-ups

West Ham: Having stuck with a back three to face Newcastle last weekend, Nuno Espirito Santo ripped up his plan within half an hour and reverted to a four-man defence. Expect that to remain here for this must-win game. The only real questions are whether he opts for Kyle Walker-Peters or Aaron Wan-Bissaka at right-back, and Pablo or Callum Wilson as the support for Valentin Castellanos.

See: West Ham team news

Leeds: Leeds continue to endure a number of injury problems to end the season, although that did not prevent them from beating Brighton last weekend. Ilia Gruev, Noah Okafor and Gabriel Gudmundsson remain out, and the absentees have now been joined by Anton Stach and Sean Longstaff. Pascal Struijk and Jayden Bogle are at least back in training, but their availability is uncertain. Brenden Aaronson should be available after picking up a dead leg last time out. The final spot appears to be between him and Wilfried Gnonto, with Daniel Farke facing few attacking options.

Arsenal have been crowned Premier League champions for the first time in 22 years, but there is still plenty to play for elsewhere on the final day of the season.

Indeed, six of the 10 games to be played on the last day still carry significant stakes.

Places in the UEFA Champions League, UEFA Europa League and UEFA Conference League are still to be determined, while one of Tottenham Hotspur and West Ham United will be relegated to the EFL Championship, joining Burnley and Wolverhampton Wanderers.

Race for Europe

Aston Villa

Current position: 4th

Possible final positions: 4th or 5th

Villa would confirm fourth place by avoiding defeat at Manchester City.

Unai Emery's side had already secured a place in next season’s Champions League by confirming a top-five finish, thanks to the Premier League being given a European Performance Spot (EPS). However, their Europa League triumph means that if they drop down to fifth, the extra Champions League berth would instead go to the team in sixth.

For that to happen, Villa would have to lose to Man City and fifth-placed Liverpool would have to beat Brentford.

No matter what happens on the final day, fifth place will qualify for the Champions League and eighth place will qualify for the Conference League.

If Villa finish fourth, then both sixth and seventh would qualify for the Europa League. But if Villa finish fifth, sixth will qualify for the Champions League and seventh for the Europa League.

Liverpool

Current position: 5th

Possible final positions: 4th, 5th or 6th

Due to their superior goal difference, Liverpool can leapfrog Villa into fourth place if they defeat Brentford and Villa lose against Man City.

Liverpool are three points clear of sixth-placed AFC Bournemouth and only need a point against Brentford to confirm their Champions League place. If they lose against Brentford, they will only not finish fifth if Bournemouth win against Nottingham Forest while overturning a six-goal deficit in goal difference.

Bournemouth

Current position: 6th

Possible final positions: 5th, 6th or 7th

Bournemouth have already confirmed a spot in Europe next season, but in which competition is still to be determined.

If Villa lose against Man City and Liverpool beat Brentford, Bournemouth can qualify for the Champions League by avoiding defeat at Forest, or if Brighton & Hove Albion fail to beat Manchester United.

There is also the remote possibility of an end-of-season playoff to decide the final Champions League place. This would require Liverpool to lose 1-0 to Brentford and Bournemouth win 5-0 at Forest. Their goals scored, goals conceded, head-to-head points and away goals against one another would all be identical.

Brighton & Hove Albion

Current position: 7th

Possible final positions: 6th, 7th, 8th or 9th

Brighton are three points behind Bournemouth, but they have a superior goal difference, which means they would leapfrog the Cherries into sixth place if they beat Man Utd and Andoni Iraola’s side lose against Forest.

In this scenario, Brighton would also require Villa to lose against Man City and Liverpool beat Brentford, in order to qualify for the Champions League.

Victory for Brighton would ensure that they qualify for the Europa League at the very least, but defeat risks the possibility of dropping down to ninth place and missing out on Europe altogether.

Chelsea

Current position: 8th

Possible final positions: 7th, 8th, 9th 10th or 11th

Chelsea, in eighth, currently hold the Conference League spot. Because of their superior goal difference over Brentford, if they beat Sunderland at the Stadium of Light and Brighton fail to beat Man Utd, they will almost certainly finish seventh.

If Brighton lose by two goals and Brentford fail to win at Liverpool, Chelsea can also overtake the Seagulls with a draw.

Defeat for Chelsea would mean they fail to qualify for any European competition next season.

Brentford

Current position: 9th

Possible final positions: 7th, 8th, 9th 10th, 11th or 12th

Brentford currently sit one place outside of European qualification, level on points with Chelsea but with a +3 goal difference to the Blues' +7.

The Bees must better Chelsea’s result against Sunderland to secure a top-eight finish, but they can qualify for the Europa League if they defeat Liverpool at Anfield, and Chelsea and Brighton fail to win.

Sunderland

Current position: 10th

Possible final positions: 7th, 8th, 9th 10th, 11th or 12th

Sunderland are the lowest-placed team in the table that can still finish in the top eight, but defeating Chelsea is a prerequisite to do so.

They will qualify for Europe if they beat Chelsea and Brentford do not beat Liverpool. If both of those results occur and Brighton also lose against Man Utd, the Black Cats will finish seventh.

Relegation battle

Spurs

Current position: 17th

Possible final positions: 17th or 18th

West Ham

Current position: 18th

Possible final positions: 17th or 18th

Victory for Spurs against Everton guarantees safety.

Roberto De Zerbi’s side are two points clear of West Ham heading into the final day, but they have a superior goal difference of -10 to the Hammers' -22.

Even if Spurs draw with Everton, West Ham would need to beat Leeds United by 12 goals or more to finish above them. The largest winning margin in Premier League history is nine goals.

West Ham have to beat Leeds to have a chance of avoiding relegation. If they win and Spurs lose against Everton, the Hammers will stay up.