• Can Chelsea repeat last summer’s successes? Jose Mourinho was the most decisive manager in last summer’s transfer market. It was not merely because that his two biggest buys, Diego Costa and Cesc Fabregas, became pivotal figures. Both deals were tied up comparatively early, offering clear proof Mourinho had identified his targets long before the previous season ended and had acted. Then it was clear Chelsea needed a potent striker and a classy midfielder. Now the gaps in their squad are less obvious, although, with Didier Drogba going, back-up for Costa will be a priority and a replacement for Petr Cech is probably on the agenda. Chelsea could benefit from another outstanding talent to join Eden Hazard in the ranks of their creators, and perhaps a defensive midfielder. But Mourinho has made life hard for himself: it will not be easy to enjoy such success for a second consecutive summer. Reuters / Tony O’Brien
    Can Chelsea repeat last summer’s successes? Jose Mourinho was the most decisive manager in last summer’s transfer market. It was not merely because that his two biggest buys, Diego Costa and Cesc Fabregas, became pivotal figures. Both deals were tied up comparatively early, offering clear proof Mourinho had identified his targets long before the previous season ended and had acted. Then it was clear Chelsea needed a potent striker and a classy midfielder. Now the gaps in their squad are less obvious, although, with Didier Drogba going, back-up for Costa will be a priority and a replacement for Petr Cech is probably on the agenda. Chelsea could benefit from another outstanding talent to join Eden Hazard in the ranks of their creators, and perhaps a defensive midfielder. But Mourinho has made life hard for himself: it will not be easy to enjoy such success for a second consecutive summer. Reuters / Tony O’Brien
  • Can Manchester United get their signings right? Manchester United achieved their goal of a top-four finish this season, but while financial muscle gives them a huge advantage, they could have expected a better return from their £152 million (Dh853.4m) outlay. Only Ander Herrera was even a qualified success, and he spent several months on the bench. Angel Di Maria was a major disappointment and Radamel Falcao a complete failure. Louis van Gaal has the benefit of a similar budget this summer. He has to spend it better. It helps that Van Gaal has had a year to assess his squad and is not distracted by the World Cup. United have acted quicker than in previous years, too, tying up a £25m move for PSV Eindhoven winger Memphis Depay. Yet with a centre-back, a right-back, a midfielder and another forward on the agenda, they will have to buy better in another expensive overhaul if they are to challenge for the title. EPA/Ronald Bonestroo
    Can Manchester United get their signings right? Manchester United achieved their goal of a top-four finish this season, but while financial muscle gives them a huge advantage, they could have expected a better return from their £152 million (Dh853.4m) outlay. Only Ander Herrera was even a qualified success, and he spent several months on the bench. Angel Di Maria was a major disappointment and Radamel Falcao a complete failure. Louis van Gaal has the benefit of a similar budget this summer. He has to spend it better. It helps that Van Gaal has had a year to assess his squad and is not distracted by the World Cup. United have acted quicker than in previous years, too, tying up a £25m move for PSV Eindhoven winger Memphis Depay. Yet with a centre-back, a right-back, a midfielder and another forward on the agenda, they will have to buy better in another expensive overhaul if they are to challenge for the title. EPA/Ronald Bonestroo
  • Will Arsenal get the buys to make them title contenders? Other clubs may need six, seven or eight signings. Arsenal do not. They have a fine squad with quality, depth and youth. What they require are high-class additions along the spine of the side, ones who rank among the best in the division in their position and who can give them potentially the best starting 11 in the league and render them possible champions. David Ospina has done well in goal, but Petr Cech would be a superior option. Francis Coquelin has been a revelation, but Arsenal are over-reliant on him and have to sign another defensive midfielder. Morgan Schneiderlin would be ideal. In attack, Olivier Giroud is a better player than his critics acknowledge, but if a world-class striker is on the market, Arsene Wenger should enter the bidding. EPA/ANDREW COWIE
    Will Arsenal get the buys to make them title contenders? Other clubs may need six, seven or eight signings. Arsenal do not. They have a fine squad with quality, depth and youth. What they require are high-class additions along the spine of the side, ones who rank among the best in the division in their position and who can give them potentially the best starting 11 in the league and render them possible champions. David Ospina has done well in goal, but Petr Cech would be a superior option. Francis Coquelin has been a revelation, but Arsenal are over-reliant on him and have to sign another defensive midfielder. Morgan Schneiderlin would be ideal. In attack, Olivier Giroud is a better player than his critics acknowledge, but if a world-class striker is on the market, Arsene Wenger should enter the bidding. EPA/ANDREW COWIE
  • Can Liverpool finally get transfer business right? Liverpool have an unfortunate tendency to create more problems than they solve in the transfer market. Last summer’s £117m outlay was a case in point. Only one newcomer, Emre Can, offered much cause for optimism, and even he needs to be used in midfield rather than defence. Now they have a squad with too many players they need to sell – another issue that has proved problematic over the years – too few automatic choices and too many places in the side to fill. They will not have another £117m to spend and are at risk of losing touch with the top four. If they can sign James Milner, he would be an excellent acquisition. But they also need a goalkeeper, a centre-back, a right-back and a striker. Shaun Botterill/Getty Images
    Can Liverpool finally get transfer business right? Liverpool have an unfortunate tendency to create more problems than they solve in the transfer market. Last summer’s £117m outlay was a case in point. Only one newcomer, Emre Can, offered much cause for optimism, and even he needs to be used in midfield rather than defence. Now they have a squad with too many players they need to sell – another issue that has proved problematic over the years – too few automatic choices and too many places in the side to fill. They will not have another £117m to spend and are at risk of losing touch with the top four. If they can sign James Milner, he would be an excellent acquisition. But they also need a goalkeeper, a centre-back, a right-back and a striker. Shaun Botterill/Getty Images
  • Can Pochettino make his mark in the market? Tottenham Hotspur were a team who prospered in spite, rather than because of, their signings. Harry Kane was a sensation and Mauricio Pochettino showed a willingness to promote young players who were already at White Hart Lane, such as Nabil Bentaleb and Ryan Mason. They bought Michel Vorm, Ben Davies and Benjamin Stambouli, none of whom were first choices; Federico Fazio, who lost his spot in the side; and Eric Dier, who endured a mixed campaign. Pochettino’s progress at Southampton owed little to his buys, Dejan Lovren apart, but if Tottenham are to improve enough to finish in the top four, fine coaching alone will not be enough. They need to import players with the quality to improve a starting 11 that overachieved to finish fifth. They have begun by targeting the Burnley pair of Kieran Trippier and Danny Ings. Stanley Chou/Getty Images
    Can Pochettino make his mark in the market? Tottenham Hotspur were a team who prospered in spite, rather than because of, their signings. Harry Kane was a sensation and Mauricio Pochettino showed a willingness to promote young players who were already at White Hart Lane, such as Nabil Bentaleb and Ryan Mason. They bought Michel Vorm, Ben Davies and Benjamin Stambouli, none of whom were first choices; Federico Fazio, who lost his spot in the side; and Eric Dier, who endured a mixed campaign. Pochettino’s progress at Southampton owed little to his buys, Dejan Lovren apart, but if Tottenham are to improve enough to finish in the top four, fine coaching alone will not be enough. They need to import players with the quality to improve a starting 11 that overachieved to finish fifth. They have begun by targeting the Burnley pair of Kieran Trippier and Danny Ings. Stanley Chou/Getty Images
  • What now for West Ham United? Few clubs face a bigger summer than West Ham. Few have a shorter one, either, as their participation in the Europa League qualifiers means their season could start on July 2. To add to their complications, they do not have a manager. Two of their more impressive performers this season, right-back Carl Jenkinson and midfielder Alex Song, were only on loan, and their most able striker, Enner Valencia, will surely miss their July fixtures because of the Copa America. The departed manager Sam Allardyce created another sort of problem by his successor by bequeathing him the record signing Andy Carroll and captain Kevin Nolan. The two favourites of ”Big Sam” will not always play a part in the plans of more purist managers. Whomever is appointed will have several decisions to make in a very short space of time. Shaun Botterill/Getty Images
    What now for West Ham United? Few clubs face a bigger summer than West Ham. Few have a shorter one, either, as their participation in the Europa League qualifiers means their season could start on July 2. To add to their complications, they do not have a manager. Two of their more impressive performers this season, right-back Carl Jenkinson and midfielder Alex Song, were only on loan, and their most able striker, Enner Valencia, will surely miss their July fixtures because of the Copa America. The departed manager Sam Allardyce created another sort of problem by his successor by bequeathing him the record signing Andy Carroll and captain Kevin Nolan. The two favourites of ”Big Sam” will not always play a part in the plans of more purist managers. Whomever is appointed will have several decisions to make in a very short space of time. Shaun Botterill/Getty Images
  • Can Tim Sherwood keep Aston Villa’s key men? If every club’s aim is to improve the side in the summer transfer market, the first objective is to prevent it from declining. Tim Sherwood is a manager who has never actually signed a player, but his powers of persuasion will be tested by three who are already at Villa Park. The FA Cup finalists could lose the spine of their side: striker Christian Benteke is interesting Liverpool, on-loan midfielder Tom Cleverley is available on a free transfer and a target for Everton and centre-back Ron Vlaar is out of contract. Keep all three and Sherwood will have had a successful summer. Lose the trio and Villa will face an uphill task simply to construct a squad of the standard of this season’s. AFP PHOTO / GLYN KIRK
    Can Tim Sherwood keep Aston Villa’s key men? If every club’s aim is to improve the side in the summer transfer market, the first objective is to prevent it from declining. Tim Sherwood is a manager who has never actually signed a player, but his powers of persuasion will be tested by three who are already at Villa Park. The FA Cup finalists could lose the spine of their side: striker Christian Benteke is interesting Liverpool, on-loan midfielder Tom Cleverley is available on a free transfer and a target for Everton and centre-back Ron Vlaar is out of contract. Keep all three and Sherwood will have had a successful summer. Lose the trio and Villa will face an uphill task simply to construct a squad of the standard of this season’s. AFP PHOTO / GLYN KIRK
  • Will Watford take the Pozzos’ top talents? It is safe to say Watford do not abide by conventional wisdom. Their promotion to the Premier League came under their fourth manager of the campaign, Slavisa Jokanovic, and they responded to elevation by parting company with him. In the transfer market, too, they do things differently. Their owners, the Pozzo family, also run Udinese and Granada, and Watford have benefited from cross-pollination, with players who have moved between those three clubs excelling. Odion Ighalo, scorer of 20 goals for them this season, was owned by Udinese and had been on loan at Granada for four years. But while Udinese have tended to have the strongest squad and while all three will play top-division football next season, the financial rewards for Premier League participation are so vast the Pozzos must be tempted to send more of their finest players to Vicarage Road. Jordan Mansfield/Getty Images
    Will Watford take the Pozzos’ top talents? It is safe to say Watford do not abide by conventional wisdom. Their promotion to the Premier League came under their fourth manager of the campaign, Slavisa Jokanovic, and they responded to elevation by parting company with him. In the transfer market, too, they do things differently. Their owners, the Pozzo family, also run Udinese and Granada, and Watford have benefited from cross-pollination, with players who have moved between those three clubs excelling. Odion Ighalo, scorer of 20 goals for them this season, was owned by Udinese and had been on loan at Granada for four years. But while Udinese have tended to have the strongest squad and while all three will play top-division football next season, the financial rewards for Premier League participation are so vast the Pozzos must be tempted to send more of their finest players to Vicarage Road. Jordan Mansfield/Getty Images
  • Can Bournemouth continue a British-is-best approach? Bournemouth were nearly relegated from the Football League in 2009. Six years later, they were promoted to the Premier League. It is a wonderful story and, while some complain that underdogs’ spending was greater than is often acknowledged, there were common denominators. Most of their players come from humble backgrounds – midfielder Harry Arter, a £4,000 signing from non-league Woking, in particular – and even most of the recent arrivals have a background in League One and League Two. Most are British, too, and Bournemouth ally team spirit with an attacking brand of football. But can manager Eddie Howe carry on unearthing bargains in the lower divisions who have the ability to keep them in the top flight? Charlie Crowhurst/Getty Images
    Can Bournemouth continue a British-is-best approach? Bournemouth were nearly relegated from the Football League in 2009. Six years later, they were promoted to the Premier League. It is a wonderful story and, while some complain that underdogs’ spending was greater than is often acknowledged, there were common denominators. Most of their players come from humble backgrounds – midfielder Harry Arter, a £4,000 signing from non-league Woking, in particular – and even most of the recent arrivals have a background in League One and League Two. Most are British, too, and Bournemouth ally team spirit with an attacking brand of football. But can manager Eddie Howe carry on unearthing bargains in the lower divisions who have the ability to keep them in the top flight? Charlie Crowhurst/Getty Images

Sport

Can Man United and Liverpool get signings right? Will Arsenal be contenders? 10 questions for next season

Aaron Gray

May 28, 2015

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English football correspondent Richard Jolly examines what may come next: from Chelsea manager Jose Mourinho in the transfer market to if Bournemouth can continue their British-is-best approach in the Premier League. Click the arrows below to scroll through the photos.

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