Premier League big seven transfer situation – Looking positive for Newcastle United

Looking at the Premier League big seven transfer situation, I seem to have a very different take on it to many Newcastle United fans.

Like supporters of all football clubs I/we want Newcastle to come out of this summer 2023 transfer window in better shape compared to last season.

So how is it going so far?

Like I say, I have been looking at the Premier League big seven, as well as Brighton, to see how they are getting on.

Premier League big seven (and Brighton) summer 2023 transfer activity:

Man City – Kovacic arrives, Gundogan has left.

Arsenal – Havertz has arrived and Rice also set to join, Xhaka set to leave.

Man Utd – Nobody has arrived yet but Mount expected to sign, David De Gea looks set to leave.

Newcastle United – Minteh has signed for NUFC and Tonali set to do the same, nobody has left as yet.

Liverpool – Mac Allister has arrived and Szoboszlai set to sign, with Firmino, Milner, Keita and Oxlade-Chamberlain all leaving.

Brighton – Dahoud, Pedro, Milner have arrived, Mac Allister has left.

Tottenham – Maddison and Vicario have arrived, Moura and Winks have left and Lloris set to follow, with rumours continuing that Kane will finally leave.

Chelsea – Nkunku and Jackson have arrived, whilst Havertz, Mendy, Koulibaly, Kante, Kovacic and Loftus-Cheek have left, with Mount expected to also leave very shortly.

On top of the business in and out above, I think we then have to also judge what state the Premier League big seven (and Brighton) were in by the end of last season, what the 2022/23 Premier League campaign had told us.

Conclusions

Starting from the bottom up…

Chelsea were a total mess last season and under these owners, has / will anything significant change?

Pochettino has shown that he can do perform in the Premier League but will the interfering Chelsea owners let him get on with it? Plus, whilst he did well at Tottenham, he didn’t perform miracles. With a new manager and still question marks on who is making transfer decisions, plus yet another major overhaul of players this summer, I think Chelsea really up against it in terms of bouncing back. I think sixth or seventh is the upper end of their likely league position.

Tottenham a very similar story. They were / are in decline for sure, like Chelsea they now have a new manager and look set to be bringing in more players and trying to move others on. Like Chelsea, I think Tottenham improving to sixth or seventh is the highest they will end up. Lose Harry Kane and then…

Brighton face a year on year struggle, no matter how well they do they will lose some of their best players. Mac Allister an expected but massive blow, even if their recruitment proves positive, they are another club where sixth would be an excellent finish. Also of course the worry that this window will see one or more of their other top performers also leaving.

Liverpool did really well to finish as high as fifth, carried some serious luck as well in getting so close to the top four. As was repeatedly said during that last campaign, the scousers needing their own overhaul, especially in midfield. Despite losing some established players, looking to be a positive window for Liverpool as they rebuild / restructure this summer, where strengthening as clearly needed.

Man U still messed around by the Glazers as they pretend they are trying to sell the club. Their treatment of club legend David de Gea has been a disgrace and their long-term number one is set to leave. Mount looks like he would be a decent addition but not game changing.

Arsenal went so close and then collapsed late in the season. Seemingly heading in the right direction though and whilst I am not convinced by Havertz and Xhaka will be a loss, difficult to see them anything but stronger if Rice confirmed.

Quite a simple equation with Man City. Sure to be favourites once again for the title but with Gundogan outstanding last season and he was their captain, even though signing Kovacic, at this point they definitely aren’t as strong as how they finished last season.

As for Newcastle United?

It is massive that as things stand, NUFC are almost the only club at the top end who hasn’t lost key / decent players who contributed last season. You then add in Sandro Tonali and I think that is another major step forward.

Retaining all your best players AND adding others of the same quality or better, is obviously the dream.

Taking everything into consideration (state of play last season, players arriving and leaving this summer, overall situation with the squad), I would say that Arsenal, Newcastle United and Liverpool are the three of the Premier League big seven (and Brighton…) who can be most pleased with how things have gone so far.