The new Premier League season begins this weekend and here Sport360 has compiled the ultimate two-part guide to each team including predictions, vital statistics and key transfer news. Part two covers Newcastle United to West Ham United.
NEWCASTLE UNITED
NORWICH CITY
Manager: Alex Neil
Last season: 3rd in Championship (won play-off final)
Key ins: Robbie Brady (Hull, £7m), Graham Dorrans (West Brom, £3m), Youssouf Mulumbu (West Brom, free), Andre Wisdom
(Liverpool, loan)
Key outs: Mark Bunn (Aston Villa, free)
Star man: John Ruddy
One to watch: Robbie Brady
VERDICT: Have a slightly better chance of staying up than when they were last here in 2014. Will be wiser for that and Brady, Dorrans and Mulumbu are useful additions. The latter two have much EPL experience, Brady was good for Hull last term – 17th.
SOUTHAMPTON
Manager: Ronald Koeman
Last season: 7th
Key ins: Jordy Clasie (Feyenoord, £8m), Juanmi (Malaga, £5m), Cedric Soares (Sporting CP, £4.7m), Cuco Martina (FC Twente,
£1m), Maarten Stekelenburg (Fulham, loan), Steven Caulker (QPR, loan)
Key outs: Morgan Schneiderlin (Manchester United, £25m), Nathaniel Clyne (Liverpool, £12.5m), Artur Boruc (Bournemouth, free), Jos Hooiveld (Solna, free), Dani Osvaldo (released)
Star man: Sadio Mane
One to watch: James Ward-Prowse
VERDICT: Clasie should compensate for the departure of Schneiderlin. But just can’t see them going higher than last year – 7th.
STOKE CITY
Manager: Mark Hughes
Last season: 9th
Key ins: Joselu (Hannover 96, £5.75m), Phillipp Wollscheid (Bayer Leverkusen, £2.5m), Moha El Ouriachi (Barcelona, free), Ibrahim Afellay (Barcelona, free), Glen Johnson (Liverpool, free), Shay Given (Aston Villa, free), Marko van Ginkel (Chelsea, loan)
Key outs: Asmir Begovic (Chelsea, £8m), Steven Nzonzi (Sevilla, £7m), Robert Huth (Leicester, £3m)
Star man: Bojan Krkic
One to watch: Ibrahim Afellay
VERDICT: Picked up some decent players and bargains in the summer with Afellay a standout if he can stay fit – 8th.
SUNDERLAND
Manager: Dick Advocaat
Last season: 16th
Key ins: Jeremain Lens (Dynamo Kiev, £8m), Ricky Alvarez (Inter, £7.5m), Younes Kaboul (Tottenham, £3m), Adam Matthews (Celtic, £2m), Sebastian Coates (Liverpool, £2m)
Key outs: El-Hadji Ba (Charlton, free), Santiago Vergini (Getafe, loan), Connor Wickham (Crystal Palace, £9m)
Star man: Jermain Defoe
One to watch: Jeremain Lens
VERDICT: Managed to keep hold of Advocaat after he steered them to safety, but another relegation fight will no doubt follow. Kaboul and Coates will bolster a creaky backline, but they still need more creativity – 16th.
SWANSEA CITY
Manager: Garry Monk
Last season: 8th
Key ins: Eder (Braga, £5m), Franck Tabanou (St Etienne, £3.5m), Kristoffer Nordfelt (Heerenveen, £600,000), Andre Ayew (Marseille, free)
Key outs: Jazz Richards (Fulham, £500,000), Alan Tate (released), Gerhard Tremmel (released) Star man: Bafetimbi Gomis
One to watch: Andre Ayew
VERDICT: Monk and his side will have greater expectation after his impressive debut campaign in charge. Getting the older Ayew on a free could be the signing of a summer if he produces what he is capable of – 11th.
TOTTENHAM HOTSPUR
Manager: Mauricio Pochettino
Last season: 5th
Key ins: Toby Alderweireld (Atletico Madrid, £11.5m), Kevin Wimmer (Cologne, £4.3m), Kieran Trippier (Burnley, £3.5m)
Key outs: Paulinho (Guangzhou Evergrande, £9.8m), Benjamin Stambouli (PSG, £6m), Etienne Capoue (Watford, £5.7m), Vlad Chiriches (Napoli, £4.5m), Lewis Holtby (Hamburg, £4m), Younes Kaboul (Sunderland, £3m)
Star man: Harry Kane
One to watch: Ryan Mason
VERDICT: Difficult to see Kane repeating his heroics, nor his side improving in the standings. Might be wise to take the cup competions more seriously – 6th.
WATFORD
Manager: Quique Sanchez Flores
Last season: 2nd (Championship)
Key ins: Jose Jurado (Spartak Moscow, £6m), Matej Vydra (Udinese, £6m), Etienne Capoue (Tottenham, £5.7m), Steven Berghuis (AZ Alkmaar, £4.6m), Valon Behrami (Hamburg, £2.5m), Jose Holebas (Roma, £1.8m), Miguel Britos (Napoli, free)
Key outs: Lewis McGugan (Sheffield Weds, £350,000), Jon Bond (Reading, £250,000), Juanfran (Deportivo La Coruna, loan)
Star man: Etienne Capoue
One to watch: Troy Deeney
VERDICT: Baptism of fire for Quique on his English football managerial debut. Most players are unknown quantities in the EPL – 20th.
WEST BROMWICH ALBION
Manager: Tony Pulis
Last season: 13th
Key ins: James Chester (Hull, £8m), Rickie Lambert (£3m), James McClean (Wigan, £1.5m)
Key outs: Graham Dorrans (Norwich, £3m), Youssouf Mulumbu (Norwich, free), Chris Baird (Derby, free)
Star man: Saido Berahino
One to watch: James Chester
VERDICT: Haven’t strengthened as much as others and lack of depth could affect them. Pulis has focused on defence with the expensive signing of Chester and will be hard to beat as always. Difficult to see where the goals will come from – 15th.
WEST HAM UNITED
Manager: Slaven Bilic
Last season: 12th
Key ins: Dimitri Payet (Marseille, £10.7m), Angelo Ogbonna (Juventus, £7.9m), Pedro Obiang (Sampdoria, £4.3m), Carl Jenkinson (Arsenal, loan), Manuel Lanzini (Al Jazira, loan)
Key outs: Stewart Downing (Middlesbrough, £5.5m), Carlton Cole (released), Guy Demel (released), Jussi Jaaskelainen (released), Nene (released)
Star man: Dimitri Payet
One to watch: Manuel Lanzini
VERDICT: With Big Sam gone, the spotlight will be on Bilic to improve the fortunes of the Hammers and the playing style. Won’t be easy but Payet could be a great entertainer – 12th.
