With just 4 days to go before the first weekend of games and the long awaited Premier League kick off, I preview four more teams who are all now seen as established sides and will be looking to kick on and progress.
Stoke City have had a mini cull during the summer break, releasing Delap, Whitehead and Upson. They may have only spent £3m so far but the players they have brought in will definitely improve what they've already got. Marc Muniesa from Barcelona on a free transfer can't really be argued with and £3m for PSV's Erik Pieters is a very good one too.
Norwich City fans will be delighted with their teams summer dealings and will be very optimistic about what's to come. 7 new players have arrived over the past month or so including strikers Gary Hooper and Ricky van Wolfswinkel after Grant Holt left for recently relegated side Wigan Athletic in early July. It was clear towards the end of last season that this area needed strengthening as Norwich went 15 games with only one win before they managed to steady the ship and win three of their last five games.
They've also bought in Martin Olsson from Blackburn for around £2.5m and made the Javier Garrido loan deal a permanent one back in May; both of which will be fighting for that left back position. Another new addition is goalkeeper Carlo Nash. He will provide additional back-up to John Ruddy and Mark Bunn after Jed Steer left the club and Declan Rudd joined Preston on loan for the season.
Spending £25m so far shows the great intentions of the Canaries who start their campaign at home to Everton. They'll be looking to improve on their 11th place finish last season and I think they'll be there or there about this time around.
Prediction: 11th
Southampton have made a fairly promising start to pre season and have spent big on two new players. Dejan Lovren, a towering central defender from Lyon believed to have cost around £8m will certainly provide competition between the defenders they already have and should ideally walk straight into the starting eleven. They've also bought in Victor Wanyama, costing an additional £12m, a strong holding midfielder from Celtic who played amongst the likes of Xavi and Iniesta, could fit in nicely next to Schneiderlin who won many plaudits himself last year.
With a lot of the dead wood from the previous two seasons now sold or released, the wage bill will have lowered, leaving space for another possible new face. The Saints are looking to lighten the load off Rickie Lambert's shoulders and bring in another proven goalscorer and have been linked with the likes of Leandro Damiao. Lambert will always be on his toes though and with his first England call up coming this week, he'll want his success to continue.
I believe with another signing or two they can really push on from last seasons 14th place finish and get into the top 10. That has to be their aim and after getting results against Chelsea, Manchester City and Liverpool last year it's clear they've got the squad and ability to do it.
Prediction: 10th
New boss Mark Hughes will be wanting to impose his own playing style at the Britannia Stadium and lose the long ball tactic that ex manager Tony Pulis was so keen on. The fans certainly weren't happy with the direction Pulis was taking their club despite the success in gaining Europa League football. They will be looking forward to watching something new for sure and must believe this is the start of a new era.
They must be targeting a new centre forward and although agreeing a deal with Juan Agudelo of New England, he won't sign until his contract expires in January. Interest had been shown in a loan deal for Nelson Oliveira but he chose to go to Rennes rather than the Potters. Ex United striker Mame Biram Diouf has also been mention, however this looks unlikely with his ?unrealistic? price tag of £7m.
I think Stoke will struggle this year and it'll take a little longer to get used to life after Pulis than many will expect. They have enough to survive, but only just!
Prediction: 17th
Di Canio will have seen his start at Sunderland as a good one. He guided the Black Cats to safety and grabbed a impressive win over rivals Newcastle in the derby. The squad has seen a lot of change since their 1-0 defeat at White Hart Lane on the final day last season. Ahmed Elmohamady and Danny Graham have both agreed deals with Hull City, the latter being a season-long loan. The money from those deals and the £9m received from Liverpool for goalkeeper Simon Mignolet has been spent wisely by the gaffer.
They'll be hoping Jozy Altidore can repay his huge £8m price tag with goals when they begin the year at home to Fulham. New boy Emanuele Giaccherini from Juventus will also be looking for an instant impact along with free transfers Diakite, Cabral, Roberge and El Hadji Ba. It looks as if it will be a big year for keeper Vito Mannone, who will be fighting alongside Westwood for that number one spot after Mignolet left for Merseyside.
Di Canio has promised passion, desire and honour from his players this time around along with better football and maybe a different style too. I believe they'll be a lot stronger and will be more than safe from relegation.
Prediction: 13th
They'll be hoping Jozy Altidore can repay his huge £8m price tag with goals when they begin the year at home to Fulham. New boy Emanuele Giaccherini from Juventus will also be looking for an instant impact along with free transfers Diakite, Cabral, Roberge and El Hadji Ba. It looks as if it will be a big year for keeper Vito Mannone, who will be fighting alongside Westwood for that number one spot after Mignolet left for Merseyside.
Di Canio has promised passion, desire and honour from his players this time around along with better football and maybe a different style too. I believe they'll be a lot stronger and will be more than safe from relegation.
Prediction: 13th
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