No side in what is today considered to be Europe’s elite league wants to be left behind. Whether it’s to avoid relegation or to continue a title charge, money will be spent.
Already discussions are taking place between players and clubs ahead of the transfer window opening on June 10, but everything will be in line with how much the respective owners are willing to invest.
Excluding the playoff finalists Nottingham Forest and Huddersfield, here we take a look at the probable budget that each club featuring in the Premier League next season is likely to have.
Arsenal - €200M
Arsenal’s failure to qualify for next season’s Champions League will not prevent the club from splashing the cash as Mikel Arteta looks to strengthen the youthful side. It is thought that the Spaniard will be handed a significant war chest in a bid to better themselves next campaign.
What they need: A striker, first and foremost. They are still yet to replace Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, who left in January to Barcelona, while the contracts of Eddie Nketiah and Alexandre Lacazette are up in the summer.
Aston Villa - €175M
Steven Gerrard’s side showed real ambition in the January transfer window last season and have already been at work this summer, making Philippe Coutinho’s loan from Barcelona a permanent one. It’s a sure sign of things to come for Aston Villa, with the expectancy that they will smash their transfer record once more in the upcoming window.
What they need: Boubacar Kamara has come in to bolster the midfield, but the side will still be wanting to bring in centre-back, with Tyrone Mings looking likely to leave. A move for Sevilla’s Diego Carlos has been rumoured.
Brentford - €90M
Thomas Frank’s Brentford enjoyed a superb inaugural season in the Premier League - but the ambition now will be to build on their 13th-place finish. And the Bees are one of the shrewdest in the business, making some €150m over the past five years owing to player sales such as Ollie Watkins and Said Benrahma. Of course, they have the TV money on top of that to make some neat signings.
What they need: Christian Eriksen, who they snapped up in January, has been a brilliant signing - and he possesses enough ability to build the attack around. They must persuade him to stay. Elsewhere, the future of Ivan Toney looks tentative, so a replacement for the English attacker and a fresh contract for the Dane will be of high importance.
Bournemouth - €50M
Newly-promoted Bournemouth will have one thing on their mind next season: survival. Despite the promotion, in an interview with the Times, manager Scott Parker stated: “In an ideal world I’d spend £100 million, but I can’t do that.”
What they need: As per Parker’s words, they need pragmatic purchases, in whatever form that comes in. And a fair few of them, too, given they have already released eight players this year.
Brighton & Hove Albion- €70M
It’s been a hugely positive season for Brighton, but they must build on their success. Leandro Trossard, top goal-scorer Neal Maupay, and Alexis Mac Allister, are all out of contract in 18 months, so the priority will be to tie the players down to a fresh deal. The future looks bright under Graham Potter but still investment should be made.
What they need: With all that xG deficit, it’s time to bring the big guns and sign a deadly striker to put away those chances. And with ambitions of a European place next season, many players would surely be interested in taking up the offer.
Chelsea - €234M
It has been quite the rollercoaster for Chelsea this season, with off-the-field matters taking precedence. But the Blues will want to put all that behind them and bolster the squad in the summer, with a number of exits taking place.
What they need: Defenders, defenders, defenders. The West London side have already seen Antonio Rudiger head to Real Madrid, but there’s also the matter of Marcus Alonso, Andreas Christensen, and Cesar Azpilicueta, who all may be departing as well. Thomas Tuchel will need to be active in the market in replacing some of those big names.
Everton
Everton fans will be thanking their lucky stars that they managed to beat the drop. Now it's time for them to stop the rot and bring some positivity around the club again. Frank Lampard has galvanised the side to a degree, but there is still some way to go.
What they need: The Toffees have done enough spending to last a lifetime. They need to get rid of the players taking up the wage bill and bring in young, hungry talent who can flourish under Lampard.
Fulham - €60M
Manchester City might have a problem on their hands now that goal-grabbing Fulham have entered the fold. We jest but their Championship form has been nothing short of remarkable. Even still, the Premier League is a different type of beast and new recruits will be needed.
What they need: With the likes of Liverpool’s Joe Gomez and Torino’s Koffi Djidji linked, it’s clear the Cottagers need to strengthen that central defence. The departure of Fabio Carvalho will need addressing also.
Leeds United - €90M
Leeds survived by the skin of their teeth last season. Now it’s done and dusted, they are able to now focus on making a positive step forward next campaign under Jesse Marsch. They may be boosted by the sales of Raphinha and Kalvin Phillips in the coming months, meaning their American coach should be able to make a good go of the transfer window.
What they need: It all depends on who leaves, but given their precarious league finish, a total overhaul wouldn’t be a bad shout.
Leicester City - €100M
Leicester failed to get off the mark this season. It was a dour campaign by their standards and they will want to come back to the next season in better shape.
Getting rid of the likes of Ayoze Perez and keeping star names such as James Maddison seem to be the most sensible route to take.
What they need: Youri Tielemans looks to be on the way out of the club, if the latest reports are anything to go by, so a solid box-to-box midfielder wouldn’t go amiss. And neither would a striker or two.
Liverpool - €100M
Liverpool are a self-sustaining club but the exposure to the Champions League this season, where they have a good chance of winning it, will no doubt bolster their budget.
Jurgen Klopp is one of the great recruiters of our time so they need not worry about spending a huge amount to ensure they are competitive.
What they need: Gomez might need replacing, and so could Sadio Mane. It will be about organically finding the right player to take over from those who are starting to age. More players like Luis Diaz, if you please.
Manchester City - €140M
Having spent a cool €60m on Erling Haaland from Borussia Dortmund, Manchester City will still have a hefty amount left over to appease Pep Guardiola.
Every player is already disgustingly good in the first-team, while they are well stocked in terms of the youth.
What they need: Indeed, there is no great call for a particular position at Man City, unless Gabriel Jesus departs the club, in which case a bit-part striker would not be out of the question.
Manchester United - €220M
Man Utd will be given a huge sum as Erik ten Hag looks to take charge of his first season in the dugout at Old Trafford.
The last campaign was about atrocious as you can get, so a huge reboot is in order.
What they need: Despite the years of saying it. They are still crying out for a holding midfielder to come in and offer their backline some protection. Maybe even Harry Maguire would come good with some additional support in front of him, who knows.
Newcastle United - €170M
Newcastle performed a minor miracle as they not only managed to survive relegation but also land an impressive 11th-place finish as well.
The ‘richest club in the world’ are trying everything to get rid of that label, but if the previous window is anything to go by, they will be splashing the cash.
What they need: Sean Longstaff has just signed a new deal, while the surprising form of Joelinton and the addition of Bruno Guimaraes means they are pretty well stocked in midfield. Chris Wood didn’t provide them with the goals they needed so a striker will be a huge priority, especially given Callum Wilson’s injury record.
Southampton - €90M
The takeover will certainly help supplement Southampton for the summer window, as they look to continue their trend of buying young talent who they can develop. The Saints had a poor end to the season, but that can work in their favour if the owners see the need to provide more funds.
What they need: Armando Broja will be heading back to Chelsea unless anything dramatic comes into play, while Adam Armstrong’s form has wavered as the season has progressed. So, yes: a striker is a must.
Tottenham Hotspur - €170M
Despite their poor start to the season, Tottenham turned things around and managed to reach a Champions League spot. Meanwhile, the club announced a huge cash injection in revenue, which will certainly be used to appease Antonio Conte.
What they need: First and foremost, whatever Antonio Conte wants. The fiery Italian is yet to commit to a long future with Spurs, so would need assurance by way of bringing in fresh legs.
West Ham - €60M
West Ham missed out on a place in the Europa League, while they failed to reach the final of the competition this season too.
There is a huge sense of belief behind David Moyes - but even so, what good is that if the club’s owners aren’t willing to invest?
What they need: They need to keep Declan Rice in this window so they can prepare for his exit in the next one. After that, they need to find themselves a striker who can bag 15 goals or more in the Premier League. An improvement on Michail Antonio is a must. Now 32 years old and unable to keep consistent form.
Wolves - €120M
Wolves had a great campaign and there seems to be a real bond between the players and Bruno Lage. The Portuguese manager has a good connection to the fanbase and, seemingly, a better understanding of the game than his predecessor. All things are pointing upwards, even if they fell off a bit towards the end.
What they need: A striker, ideally someone who can fill in the shoes of Raul Jimenez.