The new Premier League season is nearly upon us and for some fans, the pre-season and transfer window is one of the most exciting times.
With lots of new players snapped up for millions of pounds from around the world, as well as new and talented players rising up from the Championship, there’s lots to look forward to.
In this guide, we discuss some players to keep an eye on for the new season. We also look at some marquee signings, players who enjoyed breakout years last year, and some new players joining the league with newly promoted clubs.
Let’s dive in.
Sandro Tonali – Newcastle
After a very impressive season, Newcastle United has looked to build upon their squad, adding depth in particular, with extra games to play in Europe in 2023/24.
One early signing they’ve made is Italian midfielder Sandro Tonali. Signed from AC Milan on a five-year deal, Newcastle has arguably tied down the 23-year-old for the prime years of his career. The young international has already played in the Champions League, reaching the semifinals in 2022/23, and has a Serie A title under his belt from the 2021/22 season.
Tonali is a bit of an all-round midfielder. He’s physical, hard-working and technically gifted, and can chip in with goals and assists. He scored seven goals and assisted in 13 in 130 games for Milan. He’s certainly one to watch for The Magpies this year.
Erling Haaland – Manchester City
Arguably the sport’s best player of the 2022/23 season, Norwegian striker Erling Haaland proved to the world just how exceptional a player he is.
Haaland scored almost at will last year. He bagged 36 goals in 35 games in the Premier League, with eight assists on top of that. He also proved instrumental in Man City’s fairytale run to the Champions League final, scoring 12 goals in 11 games.
His physical prowess and unrivalled skill and talent make him a must-watch for the year ahead. At just 22, Haaland could even get better.
Eberechi Eze – Crystal Palace
Eberechi Eze enjoyed something of a breakout year for Crystal Palace last season. Eze particularly flourished under manager Roy Hodgson, when he was brought in at the end of last season to save the club from relegation.
Eze proved instrumental in that last push. His driving runs, skill with the ball, and crucial goals and assists propelled Palace up the league and finally had people talking about his ability.
It even led England manager Gareth Southgate to call him up to the squad, and in May 2023, he made his international debut against Malta.
Hopes are high for this talented young man. At 25 years old, it’s potentially a make or break season for Eze. Palace fans will hope he can build upon his impressive form, but only time will tell.
Josh Cullen – Burnley
Republic of Ireland international midfielder Josh Cullen enjoyed a superb year for Burnley as he helped them romp to the Championship title last year.
Cullen began life at West Ham, but unable to break into the team, he joined Vincent Kompany at Anderlecht in 2020. The diminutive playmaker works incredibly hard for the team but also chips in with the odd assist and occasional goal.
When Kompany got the Burnley job, Cullen was his first signing. In his debut year, he was voted Players’ Player of the Season and Fans Player of the Season.
He’s pipped to be ever-present for Burnley again this year, and as he’s proved at international level, the step up in quality in the Premier League won’t faze him.
Which players do the bookies like the look of?
Let’s take a look at what the bookies think about players for the Premier League season ahead. Usually, they conduct lots of research to provide accurate odds on the likes of top goal scorer.
Even with a good few weeks to go, some bookmakers have published early odds. Erling Haaland, someone we’ve covered above, is odds-on favourite at 11/10 to win top goal scorer for a second year in a row. He’s also odds-on to score more than 30 goals in the top flight, and some have even offered odds on 35 or even 40 or more goals.
Also tipped to finish near the top of the goalscoring charts are Harry Kane and Mohamed Salah, though talk of Kane departing for Bayern Munich is rife.
