The short answer to the above question is: anybody can win it. You only have to look at the achievements of Claudio Ranieri and Leicester City the season before last for proof of that particular pudding.
The more reasonable and logical answer is that the winners will, more than likely, come from one of the current big six with dark horses for a top six finish being West Ham United, Everton or even Newcastle United, rather than a lower ranked team pulling off a major shock.
The main contenders are shaping up as follows:-
CHELSEA – The current champions will be looking to do some business during the upcoming transfer window due to their involvement in the Champion’s League next season. Two games per week will be a shock to the system for some of their players so reinforcements are the order of the day.
It would appear that Nemanja Matic to Manchester United is virtually a done deal which, apparently, allows Chelsea to buy Tiemoue Bakayoko from Monaco. They are also interested in Alex Sandro of Juventus and Romelu Lukaku, currently with Everton. Assuming that these three signings are made the club should be challenging for the title and should also negotiate the group stage of the Champion’s League, though they will go no further.
TOTTENHAM HOTSPUR – Spurs are going to struggle to make the top four next season if current reports are to be believed. Kyle Walker is on his way to Manchester City and Danny Rose may not be far behind him. Eric Dier has been priced out of a move and so it remains to be seen whether his heart is still with the club.
On the positive side, Harry Kane won’t be going anywhere which is good news for all those Wembley-bound Spurs fans. Oh, and that is the other reason Tottenham will struggle to make the top four, Wembley.
As far as the Champion’s League is concerned that is a competition Spurs have yet to work out. They couldn’t fathom how to play in it last season and next won’t be any different, so expect an early exit.
MANCHESTER CITY – This will be a defining season for Pep Guardiola and many “experts” feel that he has to win something to keep his job. The problem at this level is that the “something” he has to win will be either the Premier League or the Champion’s League, or both of course.
Currently addressing the full back problem, he appears to be putting together a squad capable of competing in both but, as yet, his methods are still to be proven in the Premier League. We will be surprised if City don’t go very close in the two competitions next time out.
LIVERPOOL – A relatively unknown quantity in European football recently although Liverpool have a fantastic pedigree in the competition and Jürgen Klopp hasn’t fared too badly to date.
New signings are expected at Anfield although cards there are being kept much closer to the chest than elsewhere. Or is it that the rumourmongers are leaving Liverpool alone for the time being? Maybe the Virgil van Dijk episode has stunned them into silence!
Doubtful though that may be, Liverpool won’t be considered serious challengers unless they make a couple of big signings.
ARSENAL – Demoted to the Europa League after finally failing to reach the top four, it is time Arsenal realised that Arsene Wenger, despite being their greatest ever manager, is now past his sell-by date and is taking the club backwards.
It remains to be seen whether or not the two best players will remain at the club and one of them, Alexis Sanchez, appears to be agitating for a move to Manchester City.
There is talk of Arsenal trying to sign Kylian M’Bappe and Alexander Lacazette but that is all it is at present, talk. Fans of other teams will not stop sniggering at Arsenal until the club actually make one of these big signings on a regular basis.
We at WSA feel that, as long as Arsene Wenger is manager, Arsenal will continue ro struggle in the Premier League and, as always, will fail to make any kind of mark in Europe, even in the Europa League.
MANCHESTER UNITED – Along with Manchester City they are likely to be the club spending the most money this transfer window providing, of course, that dithering Ed can get the deals over the line.
It would appear that José Mourinho is sparing no expense in his quest to win the title with a fifth club and the Champion’s League with a third.
The biggest problem United face, having secured the signature of Victor Lindelof, appears to be getting the players they want. Nemanja Matic, for example, is Mourinho’s third choice for his position if the press is to be believed. There will be positions in the team where there is no third choice so we have to hope that United can buy option one or two
With the influx of new faces at Old Trafford, the Red Devils can be expected to mount a serious title challenge next season. They should also be adequately prepared for a decent run in the Champion’s League.
That was a brief look at the probable contenders for next season BEFORE transfer business has been completed. We will revisit this question at the end of the transfer window to see if anything has changed.
WHY SAY ANYTHING? 