BrightonStoke
Southampton – the jury is out. Last season Saints narrowly missed out on Europa League qualification for a second year running, after losing the League Cup final to Manchester United.
That failure ultimately cost Frenchman Claude Puel his job in the St Mary’s hotseat. How successor Mauricio Pellegrino fares remains to be seen.
Much will depend on the Argentine sorting the mess involving Dutch defender Virgil van Dijk, who is trying to force a move to Liverpool.
Mark Hughes’ Stoke may well struggle after losing Arnautovic and Jon Walters and, to date, adding only Darren Fletcher, on-loan defender Kurt Zouma and Josh Tymon to a squad that finished 13th last season.
The same seemed to apply to 2016 champions Leicester – until they completed a £25m deal for Man City’s Nigerian striker Kelechi Iheanacho last week.
That is a huge coup for the Foxes’ head coach Craig Shakespeare, who will be confident of following his fine spell in charge at the end of last term with a decent first full campaign. on) lion) osed) sed) r wer sfer g titive. be hard no. Major arrival: MathewDarren FletcherRyan (Valencia(West Brom– £6million)– free) Major departure: David Marko Stockdale Arnautovic (Birmingham – free) (WestIns: PascalHam – Gross £25million) (Ingolstadt – undisc), Josh Kerr (Celtic Ins: – undisc), Josh MarkusTymon (Hull Suttner– undisc), (Ingolstadt Kurt – Zouma £2million), Izzy Brown (Chelsea (Chelsea– loan) – loan)
Outs: ChrisShay Given O’Grady (released), (ChesterfieldJon – free), Walters Vegard (Burnley Forren– £3mllion), (released), Glenn Rob Hunt (OldhamWhelan (Aston– undisclosed),Villa – £1.25million),Oliver NorwoodPhil Bardsley (Fulham, (Burnley loan)– £750k), Daniel What Bachmann else (Watfordis needed?– Free) Chris
What Hughton’s else side is have needed?a real Withlack of Arnautovic top-flight experience.gone, a striker who scores regularly.