The Premier League season is just days away and a whole host of superstars are set to make their debuts, getting us prety excited.
After yet another Manchester City title win last time out, English fans could be forgiven for getting bored of the dominance, but all it seems to have done is provoked the other teams.
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Arsenal have followed up their second-place finish by, so far, being the biggest spenders in the world and winning the Community Shield.
Meanwhile Liverpool are making big moves to recover from a terrible season.
Chelsea are spending yet again, while Newcastle’s new ownership continues to pump money into the club, and things are even filtering down the table.
Tottenham are attempting a rebuild after a woeful campaign last time out.
Brighton and Aston Villa are coming off of great campaigns that secured European football and their owners are making sure their managers are backed in the market.
And lower down the table Bournemouth, Brentford, and newly promoted Burnley have made waves in the window.
That means that all across the league there’s been plenty of investment, with new faces sure to excite fans.
So with that in mind, here’s just a few to keep an eye out for that we can’t wait to see this season.
Andre Onana (Manchester United)
Out of the ashes of David de Gea’s sad Manchester United departure came a new goalkeeper who already has fans buzzing.
Joining from Inter Milan in a £43m deal, the Cameroonian has everything a modern goalkeeper needs.
Expert with his feet and at sweeping up attacks, Onana loves a highlight-reel save, and has already shown his boundless character during a pre-season argument with Harry Maguire.
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Declan Rice (Arsenal)
The biggest deal in the league this season was Declan Rice from West Ham to Arsenal for £105m, and it shouldn’t just be one that excites Gunners fans.
Now an England regular, Rice will be one of the keys to the Three Lions ending their trophyless run and he’ll hope that Mikel Arteta can continue working wonders with younger stars.
An expert at sweeping up in midfield, Rice says he models his game on Patrick Vieira and Yaya Toure, and with higher quality players around him, we could see a new midfield dominator in the division.
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Moussa Diaby (Aston Villa)
Joining Aston Villa from Bayer Leverkusen for a club record £51m, Unai Emery knows exactly what he’s getting from his latest star.
Despite only spending a single season with Paris Saint-Germain after graduating from the club’s academy, Moussa Diaby has all the DNA of a future France regular.
A constant provider of goals and assists during his four years in the Bundesliga, Diaby’s exceptional dribbling skills were often stifled in a league all about cancelling out your opponent.
But with master tactician Emery his coach next term, the Spaniard will find spaces for his new winger to isolate defenders, leaving Villa Park on its feet once Diaby gets up to full speed.
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Dominik Szoboszlai (Liverpool)
Once it was clear he had a release clause ready to trigger, everything about Dominik Szoboszlai’s £60m move from Leipzig to Liverpool made sense.
A crowd pleaser who got better game by game in Germany, Szoboszlai was regularly compared to Cristiano Ronaldo for his athletic broad-shoulder build and wicked dead ball technique.
What will excite most, though, is that the Hungarian is Liverpool’s first goalscoring midfielder since Steven Gerrard, suggesting Jurgen Klopp is ready to add a whole new dimension to his team.
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Joao Pedro (Brighton)
Perhaps the best team in the world in the transfer market on current form, Brighton breaking their club record is a huge deal.
They did so for Brazilian Joao Pedro from Watford, and should he have a similar impact to their other expertly scouted signings, Pedro could explode in front of goal.
Roberto De Zerbi’s brand of football provides chance after chance for strikers, and should their new 21-year-old fit the system, he could easily be near the top of the league’s scoring charts.
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Nicolas Jackson (Chelsea)
With Christopher Nkunku set for a spell on the sideline, it’s likely the start of the season will be Jackson’s time to shine.
He burst into life at the end of last season for Villarreall, earning himself a £32million transfer to west London as they attempt to finally solve their striker crisis.
Jackson has already hit the goal trail in pre-season and has linked well with teammates and it all points to a bright future in blue.
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Sandro Tonali (Newcastle)
Whether the new boy from AC Milan plays as a 6 or an 8 this season, you can expect some magistry.
A precision passer, a powerful runner, and defensively sound too, Tonali will cover all bases for manager Eddie Howe.
The thought of him in a midfield with Joelinton and Bruno Guimaraes is getting Toons hearts racing – and we’re not surprised.
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