Morgan Rogers (Chelsea). Photograph: AFP
LONDON:
The brand new Premier League season kicks off on Friday, setting the stage for a galaxy of stars to shine within the 2026-27 marketing campaign.
AFP Sports activities seems at 5 gamers to look at:
Morgan Rogers (Chelsea)
Signed for a British document £117 million ($158 million) from Aston Villa, the England midfielder shall be anticipated to steer the Xabi Alonso revolution at Stamford Bridge.
Rogers is Chelsea’s marquee close-season recruit and should dwell as much as his eye-watering price ticket if Alonso is to revitalise the Blues after their dismal Tenth-place end within the Premier League final season.
The 24-year-old arrives recent from serving to Villa finish their 30-year trophy drought by profitable the Europa League.
Rogers’ friendship with Chelsea ahead Cole Palmer from their time collectively in Manchester Metropolis’s youth academy will assist his acclimation, however Alonso should discover a strategy to harness the abilities of two gamers that function in comparable areas of the pitch.
Elliot Anderson (Manchester Metropolis)
The 23-year-old held the document as the most costly British participant for only a matter of days earlier than being eclipsed by Morgan Rogers’ transfer to Chelsea.
Signed from Nottingham Forest for £116 million, Anderson has the formidable job of changing the prodigious output of Rodri and Bernardo Silva.
Spain World Cup winner Rodri has joined Barcelona, whereas Silva moved to Actual Madrid, leaving an enormous void in Metropolis’s midfield that Anderson should fill for brand spanking new boss Enzo Maresca to get pleasure from a profitable debut season.
Anderson’s astute studying of the sport, easy passing and composed manner earned the England worldwide his big-money transfer and an enormous pay rise.
Now he has to justify that massive expense as Metropolis attempt to dethrone champions Arsenal after two years and not using a Premier League title.
Bruno Guimaraes (Arsenal)
The Brazil midfielder was Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta’s comfort prize after lacking out on Morgan Rogers.
The Gunners declined to match Chelsea’s record-breaking supply for Rogers and pivoted to Guimaraes, who makes the champions’ already formidable squad even stronger.
Arsenal paid £75 million to signal the Newcastle captain and he’ll slot in alongside Declan Rice and Martin Odegaard in midfield.
“Because the first day he got here in, it has been such a pure factor,” Arsenal captain Odegaard mentioned of Guimaraes’ transition.
“Though we had some large fights with him up to now, he has simply are available as an actual pure a part of the staff.
“He can win the ball, he is a fighter. However he additionally has a lot high quality and is calm on the ball.”
Sandro Tonali (Tottenham)
The Italy midfielder took simply 10 minutes to comply with turn out to be Tottenham’s document signing. Now he should present that speedy determination was the precise transfer for himself and his new membership.
Together with his relentless work ethic and high quality in possession, the 26-year-old was a key determine in Newcastle’s renaissance earlier than their dip final season.
Seeking to take his profession to new heights, Tonali was rapidly satisfied to hitch Tottenham supervisor Roberto De Zerbi’s overhaul of a membership which can be wanting upwards after narrowly avoiding relegation in Could.
“If you end up glad after a 10-minute chat, the whole lot is ideal,” mentioned Tonali, who acknowledged the dimensions of his charge brings “a whole lot of stress”.
Jeremy Jacquet (Liverpool)
Jacquet has been signed to quell the mounting concern a couple of creaky defence that lacked the authority of Liverpool’s title-winning unit in 2025.
Now 35, Virgil van Dijk now not seems impregnable.
The Liverpool captain’s struggles have been exacerbated by the woes of his defensive colleagues final time period.
Ibrahima Konate has joined Actual Madrid, whereas Andrew Robertson moved to Tottenham.
Jacquet, 21, needed to look forward to his Anfield transfer after a £60 million swap from Rennes was agreed within the winter switch window.
And Van Dijk acknowledged their nascent partnership on the coronary heart of Liverpool’s defence is a piece in progress.
“It is fairly clear that you could type a connection collectively and that takes a little bit of time,” he mentioned.
“That is completely regular, however hopefully we will get that going as rapidly as attainable.”