Premier League ‘Big Six’: Who Needs the Summer Transfer Window Most?

The division’s financial elite are ready to splash the cash once again to best prepare themselves for 2026–27.

There will be a battle market supremacy this summer. | Visionhaus/Getty Images

The 2025–26 season drew to a close in Budapest, as Paris Saint-Germain denied Arsenal their first Champions League crown by edging the Premier League champions out on penalties.

Less than two weeks separate that final and the start of the first summer World Cup since 2018, with players involved in the upcoming tournament barely having time to take a breath, especially with warm-up matches scheduled.

The World Cup does complicate transfer plans and almost guarantees that plenty of clubs will be suckered into an overpay late in the window. Still, there’s unlikely to be a major downturn in spend from the Premier League’s financial elite.

It was certainly a mixed campaign for the so-called ’Big Six’, and each of the members will feel as if they’ve work to do this summer. Some more than others, of course.

Here’s Sports Illustrated’s ranking of the Premier League’s ’Big Six’, based on how badly they need the summer transfer window.

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6. Manchester City

Enzo Maresca has the impossible task of succeeding Pep Guardiola. | Martin Rickett/PA Images/Getty Images

A summer of change is projected on the sky-blue half of Manchester, but primarily because of who Manchester City have lost.

Pep Guardiola is out as manager after spearheading a decade of City dominance, and the club has also said its goodbyes to stalwarts John Stones and Bernardo Silva.

Enzo Maresca, in all likelihood, has the impossible task of replacing Guardiola in the dugout, and City are poised to bolster their midfield by signing England international Elliot Anderson.


Otherwise, City will feel as if much of their necessary roster building for the new manager has been conducted. They’ve been big spenders in the previous three windows in a bid to ease the harshness of their transition, with a mammoth splurge on an array of players unlikely this summer.

City are set to target a right back to compete with Matheus Nunes, and they’ll likely add a winger if Savinho departs amid interest from Tottenham Hotspur.

This is an imperfect squad despite recent high-profile additions, but just a couple more signings in the right areas should give Maresca a good chance of enjoying a prosperous start to his City career.

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5. Arsenal

Arsenal still need more quality in the final third. | Alex Burstow/Arsenal FC/Getty Images

It was clear throughout the 2025–26 season what Arsenal required, right up until their penalty shootout defeat in Budapest.

They sorted their depth issue last summer. Now, the Premier League champions need superior quality in the final third.

Leandro Trossard offered clutch moments down the stretch, but it’s time for Arsenal to find an upgrade. Viktor Gyökeres gradually looked more comfortable as the season progressed, but his limitations were laid bare in the Champions League final.

Arteta has to be ruthless and oversee a clear-out in forward areas to facilitate the necessary signings that’d allow Arsenal to go toe-to-toe with teams like PSG.

While outstanding defensive security and set-piece proficiency may continue to be enough for more domestic honors, Arsenal must improve in forward areas if they’re to be remembered less harshly by the wider soccer world.

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4. Chelsea

Alonso has a big job on his hands. | Angel Martinez/Getty Images

A season of indifference allowed apathy to prevail across Stamford Bridge, but the appointment of Xabi Alonso as manager has allowed optimism to resurface in west London.

BlueCo, having churned through five permanent managers already, are biting the bullet and handing the Spaniard the keys. Alonso’s getting the power Maresca craved, and he’s set to target experienced heads in the transfer market.

Chelsea’s core is pretty strong, but they sorely need more inspiration in wide areas. Another center back is a must, too, and the club may be in the market for a left back if Marc Cucurella says adios.

The fact that they’re not in Europe means Alonso doesn’t need to boast the deepest of rosters, with BlueCo’s player trading prowess leaving his predecessors with far too many options in some areas of the pitch.

The Spaniard may prioritise streamlining his roster.

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3. Manchester United

Man Utd are set to make Éderson their first summer purchase. | sportinfoto/DeFodi Images/Getty Images

Manchester United had a starting lineup last season that was absolutely fine with playing once a week. The absence of Europe allowed the Red Devils to soar up to third in the Premier League table after they hired a competent coach who wasn‘t blinded by a particular configuration.

Michael Carrick has so far worked wonders, but the real work starts here. With United back in the Champions League, they don’t merely need ready-made players to improve their midfield and full back positions.

Depth is required around the park if United are to compete on multiple fronts next season. They need another left-sided attacker and at least two midfielders after Casemiro‘s departure.

It looks like Atalanta’s Éderson will become their first signing of the summer, but the Brazilian alone won’t suffice.

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2. Liverpool

Liverpool need to replace an icon. | Molly Darlington/Getty Images

Despite committing to a record-breaking summer spend in 2025, Liverpool may be in a position to go big again in preparation for the 2026–27 campaign.

The Reds’ splurge is yet to pay off, and former Bournemouth manager Andoni Iraola could be the man inheriting a squad with major holes after Arne Slot lost his job.

Liverpool need to replace a modern-day icon in Mohamed Salah, and must think about how they can eventually mitigate Virgil van Dijk’s departure. With Ibrahima Konaté seemingly heading to Real Madrid, the promising duo of Jérémy Jacquet and Giovanni Leoni might not be enough, especially with the latter returning from a long-term knee injury.

Full back is a serious issue, too, after Milos Kerkez and Jeremie Frimpong endured poor debut seasons. The club will hope for distinct improvements from Alexander Isak and Florian Wirtz in their sophomore years, and plead that Alexis Mac Allister’s slump comes to an end. Otherwise, they’ll certainly be needing to make a midfield addition, too.

There’s plenty of work for Iraola, or whomever else gets the job, to get stuck into during the first couple of months at the club.

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1. Tottenham Hotspur

Spurs have the manager. | Alex Pantling/Getty Images

Of course, Tottenham Hotspur are the most desperate.

There were mitigating factors in their second, and far more frightening, 17th-place Premier League finish in succession, including an injury crisis and two woeful managerial hires. Still, this Spurs squad needs a ton of work.

The club will believe they at least have the right manager at the helm after Roberto De Zerbi guided them to safety. The Italian knows exactly what must be achieved this summer, having coaxed the competence out of a broken squad down the stretch.

Spurs are seemingly adding a pair of free agents to bolster their defense, Andy Robertson and Marcos Senesi, but there‘s so much more to be done. They need improvements across their frontline, and a passer in midfield.

Cristian Romero’s replacement will likely have to be sounded out, too, and there‘s no guarantee that Antonín Kinsky will remain their No. 1 in the event of Guglielmo Vicario‘s departure. Spurs should be in the market for another goalkeeper to at least compete with Kinsky.

Having lived with the threat of relegation for months, expect unpopular owners ENIC and the stooges running the show in north London to at least attempt to appease supporters this summer.

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