Premier League club guide: 2016/17

25 July 2016 14:29

ARSENAL

Manager: Arsene Wenger

Position last season: 2nd

Nickname: The Gunners

Ground: Emirates Stadium

Capacity: 60,432

Players In: Granit Xhaka (Borussia Monchengladbach, £35million), Takuma Asano (Sanfrecce Hiroshima, undisclosed)

Players Out: Mikel Arteta (released), Tomas Rosicky (released), Mathieu Flamini (released), Isaac Hayden (Newcastle, undisclosed), Dan Crowley (Oxford, loan), Jon Toral (Granada, loan)

Key Man: Mesut Ozil

Chances: After another summer of limited transfer activity, Arsenal fans will again be left asking themselves if the squad has what it takes to mount a long-overdue sustained title challenge and not come up short once more in what could be Wenger's last season at the helm. With rivals all spending big, 2016/2017 will again test Wenger's resolve - not to mention the patience of Gunners' supporters.

BOURNEMOUTH

Manager: Eddie Howe

Position last season: 16th

Nickname: The Cherries

Ground: Vitality Stadium

Capacity: 11,464

Players In: Jordon Ibe (Liverpool, £15million), Lewis Cook (Leeds, £10million), Lys Mousset (Le Havre, £5.4million), Emerson Hyndman (Fulham, compensation fee), Nathan Ake (Chelsea, loan)

Players Out: Matt Ritchie (Newcastle, £12million), Lee Tomlin (Bristol City, £3million), Tommy Elphick (Aston Villa, £3.6million), Glenn Murray (Brighton, loan), Sylvain Distin (released), Jayden Stockley (Aberdeen, free)

Key Man: Benik Afobe

Chances: The big question for the Cherries is can they avoid second-season syndrome after performing so well on their top-flight debut campaign? Howe's stock continues to rise, having been touted for the England job, and retaining the team work ethic will be key to more progress rather than slipping down into the relegation scrap.

BURNLEY

Manager: Sean Dyche

Position last season: Promoted (Championship winners)

Nickname: The Clarets

Ground: Turf Moor

Capacity: 22,546

Players In: Johann Berg Gudmundsson (Charlton Athletic, £2.5million), Nick Pope (Charlton, £1.1million), Jamie Thomas (Bolton, free), Robbie Leitch (Motherwell, free), Jimmy Dunne (Man Utd, free)

Players Out: Joey Barton (Rangers, free), Matt Gilks (Rangers, free), Matt Taylor (released), Luke Conlan (Morecambe, free)

Key Man: Sam Vokes

Chances: Dyche will certainly be wiser for his experiences of the Clarets' last short-lived Premier League campaign, but whether or not he has the quality of players needed to make the step up from an impressive Championship promotion season remains to be seen. January transfer window will likely be crucial to help boost the squad.

CHELSEA

Manager: Antonio Conte

Position last season: 10th

Nickname: The Blues

Ground: Stamford Bridge

Capacity: 41,663

Players In: Michy Batshuayi (Marseille, £33million), N'Golo Kante (Leicester, £32million)

Players Out: Nathan Ake (Bournemouth, loan), Lewis Baker (Vitesse Arnhem, loan), Charly Musonda (Real Betis, loan), Jeremie Boga (Granada, loan), Alex Kiwomya (Crewe, loan), Tomas Kalas (Fulham, loan), Kasey Palmer (Huddersfield, loan), John Swift (Reading, tribunal)

Key Man: Eden Hazard

Chances: New boss Conte knows he will need to hit the ground running to make sure there can be no repeat of last season's lacklustre displays. Getting the best out of current talent and an immediate impact from the new players will make-or-break Chelsea's campaign, which without the distraction of European football should have plenty of positives once again.

CRYSTAL PALACE

Manager: Alan Pardew

Position last season: 15th

Nickname: The Eagles

Ground: Selhurst Park

Capacity: 26,309

Players In: Andros Townsend (Newcastle, £13million), James Tomkins (West Ham, £10million), Steve Mandanda (Marseille, £1.5million)

Players Out: Dwight Gayle (Newcastle, £10million), Emmanuel Adebayor (released), Marouane Chamakh (released), Brede Hangeland (released), Adrian Mariappa (released)

Key Man: Yohan Cabaye

Chances: Pardew will be looking for a repeat of last season's impressive opening to a campaign which faded badly despite their run to the FA Cup final. Fail to start well this season, and there could be tough times ahead at Selhurst Park, but the squad is nevertheless strong enough to aim high.

EVERTON

Manager: Ronald Koeman

Position last season: 11th

Nickname: The Toffees

Ground: Goodison Park

Capacity: 40,569

Players In: Maarten Stekelenburg (Fulham, undisclosed), Bassala Sambou (Coventry, compensation fee), Chris Renshaw (Oldham, undisclosed)

Players Out: Tim Howard (Colorado Rapids, free), Leon Osman (released), Tony Hibbert (released), Steven Pienaar (released)

Key Man: Romelu Lukaku

Chances: Toffees fans will be hoping new boss Koeman can inject some fresh life into a team which again under-performed with last season's mid-table finish. The pressure, though, will be on the Dutchman to prove his achievements and club progression at Southampton were no fluke.

HULL

Manager: N/A

Position last season: Promoted (via Championship play-offs)

Nickname: The Tigers

Ground: KCOM Stadium

Capacity: 25,404

Players In: Will Mannion (AFC Wimbledon, compensation fee), Jonathan Edwards (Peterborough, free)

Players Out: Sone Aluko (released), Ryan Taylor (released)

Key Man: Tom Huddlestone

Chances: The Tigers bounced straight back following relegation, battling through the play-offs. The club will be determined to put right the shortcomings of two seasons ago, building from the back and aiming for mid-table security - while also no doubt keen to show the Football Association what it missed out on

LEICESTER

Manager: Claudio Ranieri

Position last season: Champions

Nickname: The Foxes

Ground: KP Stadium

Capacity: 32,500

Players In: Ahmed Musa (CSKA Moscow, £16.6million), Nampalys Mendy (Nice, £13million), Ron-Robert Zieler (Hannover, £2.6million), Luis Hernandez (Sporting Gijon, free), Raul Uche Rubio (Valencia, undisclosed)

Players Out: N'Golo Kante (Chelsea, £32million), Andrej Kramaric (Hoffenheim, £7.6million), Paul Konchesky (released), Mark Schwarzer (released), Joe Dodoo (Rangers, undisclosed)

Key Man: Riyad Mahrez

Chances: Just how the champions will build on last season's remarkable campaign is the 5,000/1 question. Most of the Foxes' key men remain on board, but they will now be a prized scalp rather than the plucky underdog. A debut Champions League campaign should bring some entertainment, as will Ranieri's press conferences.

LIVERPOOL

Manager: Jurgen Klopp

Position last season: 8th

Nickname: The Reds

Ground: Anfield

Capacity: 54,500

Players In: Sadio Mane (Southampton, £30million), Loris Karius (Mainz, £4.7million), Joel Matip (Schalke, free), Ragnar Klavan (Augsburg, £5million)

Players Out: Jordon Ibe (Bournemouth, £15million), Martin Skrtel (Fenerbahce, £5million), Jerome Sinclair (Watford, £4million compensation), Sergi Canos (Norwich, £2.5million), Jordan Rossiter (Rangers, free), Joao Teixeira (Porto, free), Adam Bogdan (Wigan, loan), Kolo Toure (released), Jose Enrique (released)

Key Man: Roberto Firmino

Chances: This season will see just what Klopp's side are made of, the German now having settled into Anfield life and tackled a summer transfer window head on. Expect plenty more 'Gegenpressing' which should move the Reds up closer the top four, if still short of a serious title shot.

MANCHESTER CITY

Manager: Pep Guardiola

Position last season: 4th

Nickname: City

Ground: Etihad Stadium

Capacity: 55,097

Players In: Ilkay Gundogan (Borussia Dortmund, £21million), Nolito (Celta Vigo, £14million), Oleksandr Zinchenko (FC Ufa, undisclosed)

Players Out: Martin Demichelis (released), Richard Wright (retired), Seko Fofana (Udinese, £3.8million)

Key Man: Sergio Aguero

Chances: New City boss Guardiola may have done the business in both Spain and Germany, but the hustle and bustle of the English top flight represents a whole new ball game. Still, as ever City's squad remains more than good enough to win the championship and also last the distance in Europe. No pressure then.

MANCHESTER UNITED

Manager: Jose Mourinho

Position last season: 5th

Nickname: The Red Devils

Ground: Old Trafford

Capacity: 76,100

Players In: Eric Bailly (Villarreal, £30million), Henrikh Mkhitaryan (Borussia Dortmund, £26.3million), Zlatan Ibrahimovic (Paris St Germain, free)

Players Out: Victor Valdes (Middlesbrough, free), Nick Powell (released), Ashley Fletcher (West Ham, free), Jimmy Dunne (Burnley, free), Tyler Reid (Swansea, undisclosed)

Key Man: Wayne Rooney

Chances: United fans are hoping Mourinho will bring back some of the swagger which seemed lost under Louis van Gaal, on the pitch anyway. Mourinho was quick to spend big, but dealing with the ego of Zlatan Ibrahimovic and just where to play captain Wayne Rooney are two pressing concerns which if he gets right, could well end up with another trophy for the Special One.

MIDDLESBROUGH

Manager: Aitor Karanka

Position last season: Promoted (Championship runners-up)

Nickname: Boro

Ground: Riverside Stadium

Capacity: 35,100

Players In: Marten De Roon (Atalanta, £12million), Viktor Fischer (Ajax, £3.8m), Bernardo Espinosa (Sporting Gijon, free), Jordan McGhee (Hearts, loan), Victor Valdes (Manchester United, free), Antonio Barragan (Valencia, undisclosed), Alvaro Negredo (Valencia, loan)

Players Out: Jonathan Woodgate (released), Damia Abella (released), Rhys Williams (Perth Glory, free)

Key Man: Alvaro Negredo

Chances: Boro have finally returned to the top flight under the steady guidance of Karanka, who at one stage last season looked to be on the way out of the club. The Spaniard, though, knows bigger tests await, and just how quickly his Championship winners - boosted by some decent summer acquisitions - step up a gear will be key to avoiding a long relegation scrap.

SOUTHAMPTON

Manager: Claude Puel

Position last season: 6th

Nickname: The Saints

Ground: St Mary's Stadium

Capacity: 32,689

Players In: Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg (Bayern Munich, (£12.8million), Nathan Redmond (Norwich, £11million)

Players Out: Sadio Mane (Liverpool, £30million), Graziano Pelle (Shandong Luneng, £13million), Victor Wanyama (Tottenham, £11million), Juanmi (Real Sociedad, £5million), Gaston Ramirez (released), Kelvin Davis (retired)

Key Man: Fraser Forster

Chances: The Saints continued their progression under Koeman and it remains to be seen just how new manager Puel can take things forwards. A Europa League campaign must not prove a distraction from securing another top-half finish.

STOKE

Manager: Mark Hughes

Position last season: 9th

Nickname: The Potters

Ground: Bet365 Stadium

Capacity: 28,383

Players In: -

Players Out: Peter Odemwingie (released), Steve Sidwell (released), Alberto Paloschi (Atalanta, undisclosed)

Key Man: Xherdan Shaqiri

Chances: The continued stability provided by the steady hand of Hughes often goes overlooked, as does the Potters' stylish approach, boosted by the creativity of Swiss playmaker Shaqiri. Could have done with a few more fresh faces, but expect positive advancement - and an outside shot of breaking the top six.

SUNDERLAND

Manager: TBC

Position last season: 17th

Nickname: The Black Cats

Ground: Stadium of Light

Capacity: 49,000

Players In: -

Players Out: Steven Fletcher (Sheffield Wednesday, free), Emanuele Giaccherini (Napoli, £2million), Santiago Vergini (Boca Juniors, £1.5million), Danny Graham (Blackburn, free), Wes Brown (released), Steve Harper (released)

Key Man: Jermain Defoe

Chances: Sunderland were less than impressed by the timing of the Football Association's recruitment of soon-to-be England boss Sam Allardyce. The new man will have little time to make sure the squad get off to a good start, which will be crucial if the Black Cats are to build on the euphoric end to last season and avoid a drawn-out relegation scrap once again.

SWANSEA

Manager: Francesco Guidolin

Position last season: 12th

Nickname: The Swans

Ground: Liberty Stadium

Capacity: 20,814

Players In: Leroy Fer (QPR, £4.75million), Mike van der Hoorn (Ajax, £2million), Tyler Reid (Manchester United, undisclosed), George Byers (Watford, free), Mark Birighetti (Newcaste Jets, free)

Players Out: Eder (Lille, £3.4million), Alberto Paloschi (Atalanta, undisclosed), Raheem Hanley (Northampton, free), Matthew Grimes (Leeds, loan), Kyle Bartley (Leeds, loan)

Key Man: Gylfi Sigurdsson

Chances: Some astute summer business should see the Swans steer clear of any trouble and start to look up the table once again, with a decent cup run a realistic target for the now established Welsh member of England's elite.

TOTTENHAM

Manager: Mauricio Pochettino

Position last season: 3rd

Nickname: Spurs

Ground: White Hart Lane

Capacity: 36,274

Players In: Vincent Janssen (AZ Alkmaar, £18.6million), Victor Wanyama (Southampton, £11million)

Players Out: Filip Lesniak (Slovan Liberec, loan)

Key Man: Harry Kane

Chances: So near yet so far last season for Spurs, who ended up below arch rivals Arsenal in third place. Pochettino believes his squad will return hungry from their bitter disappointment and some decent transfer deals should see Tottenham continue progress once again, even if the title might still be just out of reach as they experience Champions League football at Wembley.

WATFORD

Manager: Walter Mazzarri

Position last season: 13th

Nickname: The Hornets

Ground: Vicarage Road

Capacity: 21,977

Players In: Isaac Success (Granada, £12million), Christian Kabasele (Genk, £5.8million), Jerome Sinclair (Liverpool, £4million compensation), Juan Camilo Zuniga (Napoli, loan), Brice Dja Djedie (Marseille, £4million)

Players Out: Jose Manuel Jurado (Espanyol, £2.1million), Joel Ekstrand (released), Josh Doherty (Leyton Orient, free), George Byers (Swansea, free), Gabriele Angella (Udinese, undisclosed)

Key Man: Troy Deeney

Chances: Watford appear well set up to go on and establish themselves in the Premier League, having fended off interest in striker Troy Deeney from champions Leicester while also spending soundly. However, the jury remains out on just how new manager Mazzarri will find life in England. Hornets fans will hope the Italian former Napoli and Inter boss proves a quick learner.

WEST BROM

Manager: Tony Pulis

Position last season: 14th

Nickname: The Baggies

Ground: The Hawthorns

Capacity: 26,500

Players In: Matty Phillips (QPR, £5.5million)

Players Out: Stephane Sessegnon (released), Victor Anichebe (released), Anders Lindegaard (Preston, free)

Key Man: Saido Berahino

Chances: There are some rumblings of discontent at The Hawthorns over the direction of the club under Pulis, which before he arrived looked heading only one way. Baggies fans should expect more of the same again next season, the team doing just what it says on the tin, and be careful what they wish for if mid-table security is just not enough to placate the masses.

WEST HAM

Manager: Slaven Bilic

Position last season: 7th

Nickname: The Hammers

Ground: Olympic Stadium

Capacity: 60,000

Players In: Manuel Lanzini (Al Jazira Club, £9.4million), Toni Martinez (Valencia, £2.4million), Havard Nordtveit (Borussia Monchengladbach, free), Sofiane Feghouli (Valencia, free), Gokhan Tore (Besiktas, loan), Ashley Fletcher (Manchester United, free)

Players Out: James Tomkins (Crystal Palace, £10million), Stephen Hendrie (Blackburn, loan), Joey O'Brien (released), Elliott Lee (Barnsley, undisclosed)

Key Man: Dimitri Payet

Chances: West Ham will start life after Upton Park full of genuine hope the east London club can build on their expanding fanbase at the Olympic Stadium to eventually break into the top four. With the likes of France playmaker Payet in the squad, there is every reason to be positive for exciting times ahead in Stratford.

*Reported transfer fees, confirmed where available

Source: PA-WIRE