MANCHESTER UNITED
Manager: Sir Alex Ferguson
Last season: Premiership champions, Champions League semi-finalists, FA Cup runners-up, League Cup fourth round
IN: Owen Hargreaves (Bayern Munich) 17m, Nani (Sporting Lisbon) 16m, Anderson (Porto) 13m
OUT: Kieran Richardson (Sunderland) 5.5m
OUTLOOK: The Premiership's most successful club are back on their throne as the kings of English football, but Sir Alex Ferguson knows the battle to stay there will be more brutal than ever.
Ferguson defied predictions that he has lost his touch by clinching a ninth Premiership title, his first in four seasons, last term and he is determined to keep Chelsea and Liverpool at bay.
The United manager fears the two main challengers to his title will be stronger this year and, with that in mind, he has moved to give United an edge with a series of major signings.
Owen Hargreaves finally completed his protracted transfer just weeks after Ferguson had swooped for Anderson and Nani, two of the game's brightest young stars, and Carlos Tevez is still likely to arrive once the legal wrangles with West Ham are resolved.
Those additions will add further lustre to a side already stocked with dazzling talents. If Cristiano Ronaldo and Wayne Rooney gel with their new team-mates, Ferguson has every reason to expect another season at the top.
KEY PLAYER: Cristiano Ronaldo. Rightly feted as the outstanding attacking talent in the Premiership, but now the Portuguese winger has to start dominating on Europe's grand stages as well.
CHELSEA
Manager: Jose Mourinho
Last season: Second in Premiership, Champions League semi-finalists, FA Cup winners, League Cup winners
IN: Florent Malouda (Lyon) 13.5m, Steve Sidwell (Reading) free, Claudio Pizarro (Bayern Munich) free, Tal Ben Haim (Bolton) free
OUT: Geremi (Newcastle) free, Nuno Morais (Apoel Nicosia) free, Yves Ma Kalambay (Hibernian) free, Khalid Boulahrouz (Sevilla) season-loan, Michael Mancienne (QPR) season-loan, Jimmy Smith (Norwich) season-loan, Ben Sahar (QPR) three-month loan
OUTLOOK: For the first time in five years Jose Mourinho begins a season without a league title to defend but he is already scheming to regain that winning feeling.
A tumultuous season that embraced pleasure and pain in equal measure ended with two cups in the Stamford Bridge trophy cabinet, but the Premiership crown was wrestled away by Manchester United.
That was an unusual experience for the Portuguese coach, who had won four successive titles with Porto and Chelsea, but he has no plans to suffer the same fate again.
He believes a return to the 4-3-3 formation that served Chelsea so well in his first two seasons will tip the balance back in the London club's favour. Wingers are crucial in that system so he swooped for Lyon's French international Florent Malouda and is keen to rebuff Real Madrids interest in Arjen Robben.
There has even been an outbreak of detente in the corridors of power after Mourinho and Roman Abramovich called a truce following their bitter dispute. With politics on the backburner at last, Chelsea should be stronger than ever this season.
KEY PLAYER: Didier Drogba. His Herculean efforts almost single-handedly kept Chelsea in the hunt for the quadruple and established the Ivory Coast forward as one of the Premiership's superstars.
LIVERPOOL
Manager: Rafa Benitez
Last season: Third in Premiership, Champions League runners-up, FA Cup third round, League Cup quarter-finals
IN: Fernando Torres (Atletico Madrid) 26.5m, Ryan Babel (Ajax) 11.5m, Yossi Benayoun (West Ham) 5m, David Amoo (Millwall) 150,000, Andriy Voronin (Bayer Leverkusen) free, Ryan Crowther (Stockport) undisclosed
OUT: Craig Bellamy (West Ham) 7.5m, Djibril Cisse (Marseille) 6m, Luis Garcia (Atletico Madrid) 3.3m, Boudewijn Zenden (Marseille) free, Jerzy Dudek (Real Madrid) free, Robbie Fowler (Cardiff) free, Adam Hammill (Southampton) season-loan, Godwin Antwi (Hartlepool) season-loan
OUTLOOK: Rafa Benitez is ready to throw caution to the wind as he tries to end Liverpool's 17-year wait for a league title.
Benitez's defensive tactics have flourished in the Champions League, but that game-plan has come unstuck in the helter-skelter Premiership and Liverpool are yet to get close to mounting a sustained title challenge under the Spaniard.
Success on home soil has to be Benitez's main objective now and to achieve that he finally seems to have realised that Liverpool must start to show more attacking verve.
All his significant close-season signings have been made with the intention of adding pace and power to a previously prosaic forward line.
There is no doubt the likes of Fernando Torres and Ryan Babel will bring quality to the club, but the change in philosophy will take time and Liverpool could be too far off the pace by the time everything clicks.
KEY PLAYER: Fernando Torres. The Spanish striker, the club's record signing, has all the attributes to become an Anfield idol as long as he can cope with the burden of that weighty fee.
ARSENAL
Manager: Arsene Wenger
Last season: Fourth in Premiership, Champions League last 16, FA Cup fifth round, League Cup runners-up
IN: Eduardo Da Silva (Dinamo Zagreb) 7.5m, Bacary Sagna (Auxerre) 6m, Havard Nordtveit (Haugesund) 2m, Lukasz Fabianski (Legia Warsaw) undisclosed
OUT: Thierry Henry (Barcelona) 16m, Freddie Ljungberg (West Ham) 3.5m, Jeremie Aliadiere (Middlesbrough) 2m, Arturo Lupoli (Fiorentina) free, Mart Poom (Watford) free, Matthew Connolly (Colchester) season-loan
OUTLOOK: You have to go back a decade for the last time Arsenal entered a new campaign with so much uncertainty surrounding the club.
Back in August 1996, Arsene Wenger was still weeks away from arriving in north London and there was little for the Gunners faithful to get excited about.
Wenger eventually changed all that, but Arsenal are at a crossroads again 11 years later. The departure of Thierry Henry has dented the confidence of players and fans and the futures of Wenger and the club's hierarchy are far from certain.
Wenger at least managed to convince Cesc Fabregas to reject Real Madrid's advances and that could turn out to be the most significant close season decision at the Emirates.
With Fabregas, Kolo Toure and Robin van Persie, Wenger has the nucleus of a bright young team in place, but it is hard to shake the suspicion that Arsenal are destined for another season in the shadows of their title rivals.
KEY PLAYER: Cesc Fabregas. With Thierry Henry gone, it is time for the elegant Spanish midfielder to come of age and establish himself as the Gunners' creative fulcrum.
TOTTENHAM
Manager: Martin Jol
Last season: Fifth in Premiership, UEFA Cup quarter-finalists, FA Cup quarter-finalists, League Cup semi-finalists
IN: Darren Bent (Charlton) 16.5m, Gareth Bale (Southampton) 10m, Younes Kaboul (Auxerre) 3m, Adel Taarabt (Lens) undisclosed, Danny Rose (Leeds) undisclosed
OUT: Reto Ziegler (Sampdoria) free, Rob Burch (Sheffield Wednesday) free, Mark Yeates (Colchester) free), Charlie Lee (Peterborough) free
OUTLOOK: Once again Martin Jol has been a major player in the transfer market and his expensive signings have heightened the feeling that Spurs are ready to test the top four's staying power.
There is no question Spurs play some of the most eye-catching football in the country on their day and Chelsea manager Jose Mourinho believes they could even be title challengers.
But after spending the last two seasons on the fringes of the Champions League places, Jol knows he must start turning plaudits into prizes.
Goals shouldn't be a problem as England striker Darren Bent brings enough pace and poise to compliment the skills of Dimitar Berbatov and Robbie Keane.
Tottenham's Achilles heel has been a defence that looks weak when Ledley King is sidelined. The England defender must stay fit for Jol's side to make that move into the Premiership's elite.
KEY PLAYER: Dimitar Berbatov. The Bulgarian has to give a repeat performance of the sublime skills, stunning goals and impressive work ethic that made him the signing of last season.
EVERTON
Manager: David Moyes
Last season: Sixth in Premiership, FA Cup third round, League Cup fourth round
IN: Phil Jagielka (Sheffield United) 4m, Lucas Jutkiewicz (Swindon) free, Steven Pienaar (Borussia Dortmund) season-loan
OUT: Gary Naysmith (Sheffield United) 1m, Richard Wright (West Ham) free
OUTLOOK: The financial power of the top four makes it hard for Everton to harbour ambitions of emulating their title triumphs of the 1980s, but success in the cups is a realistic goal.
With European football in the UEFA Cup on the agenda, as well as the domestic knock-out competitions, David Moyes's side have plenty to aim for.
Moyes has established himself as one of the Premiership's top managers by cleverly building a teak-tough side who can match any opposition in England in a one-off clash.
If Andrew Johnson continues his progress and Phil Jagielka proves an astute acquisition he looks there is no reason why Everton can't end their 12-year wait for silverware.
But the feeling that they are marking time in the league will persist until the move to a new 50,000 capacity stadium brings the increased revenue necessary to match arch rivals Liverpool and the other elite clubs in the transfer market.
KEY PLAYER: Tim Cahill. The Australia midfielder's eye for goal and boundless energy were sorely missed during his lengthy injury absences last season.
BOLTON
Manager: Sammy Lee
Last season: Seventh in Premiership, FA Cup fourth round, League Cup third round
IN: Heidar Helguson (Fulham) 2m, Gavin McCann (Aston Villa) 1m, Jlloyd Samuel (Aston Villa) free, Zoltan Harsanyi (Senec) free, Gerald Sid (Bordeaux) free, Blerim Dzemaili (Zurich) free, Christian Wilhelmsson (Nantes) season-loan, Mikel Alonso (Real Sociedad) season-loan, Danny Guthrie (Liverpool) season-loan
OUT: Tal Ben Haim (Chelsea) free, Chris Howarth (Carlisle) free
OUTLOOK: It would be no surprise if there was a sense of trepidation around the Reebok Stadium as Bolton begin life without Sam Allardyce.
Wanderers fans need only look to Charlton for an example of the damage that can be caused when a long-serving manager departs.
The Londoners crashed out of the Premiership just a year after Alan Curbishley left and the parallels with the loss of Allardyce to Newcastle can only unnerve the Lancashire club.
Allardyce had dragged Bolton into the upper echelons of the English game, but now Sammy Lee must prove he has learned the ropes from his former boss.
This is Lee's first managerial role and the signings of battlers like Heidar Helguson and Gavin McCann suggest he will stick with Allardyce's tried and tested formula.
KEY PLAYER: Kevin Nolan. Nobody epitomises the bloody-minded nature of Bolton better than their tenacious captain.
READING
Manager: Steve Coppell
Last season: Eighth in Premiership, FA Cup fifth round, League Cup third round
IN: Kalifa Cisse (Boavista) 600,000
OUT: Greg Halford (Sunderland) 2.5m, Steve Sidwell (Chelsea) free, Jonathan Hayes (Leicester) free
OUTLOOK: Overturning the Premiership's natural order has proved to be a poisoned chalice in recent years, so Steve Coppell will take nothing for granted as Reading try to build on last season's impressive top-division debut.
The Royals defied predictions they would find the step up too tough to handle and were challenging for a UEFA Cup place until the last day of the season.
But that near-miss was a blessing for Coppell, who remembers only too well how Ipswich were relegated a year after clinching European football with a fifth place finish, while Wigan also enjoyed a fairytale first season in the Premiership and then slumped into a relegation battle the following year.
Under Coppell's shrewd leadership, Reading have the potential to avoid that difficult second season syndrome, as long as Kalifa Cisse proves an suitable replacement for midfield fulcrum Steve Sidwell.
Coppell's ability to unearth gems like Ireland striker Kevin Doyle is a big part of the club's success, but he would surely like chairman John Madejski to loosen his vice-like grip on the purse strings so make life that bit easier.
KEY PLAYER: Kevin Doyle. The former Cork City striker's lethal finishing proved you don't have to be a superstar to succeed in the Premiership.
PORTSMOUTH
Manager: Harry Redknapp
Last season: Ninth in Premiership, FA Cup fourth round, League Cup third round
IN: John Utaka (Rennes) 8m, Sulley Ali Muntari (Udinese) 7m, David Nugent (Preston) 6m, Arnold Mvuemba (Rennes) undisclosed, Sylvain Distin (Manchester City) free, Hermann Hreidarsson (Charlton) free, Martin Crainie (Southampton) free, Callum Reynolds (Rushden) free
OUT: Svetoslav Todorov (Charlton) free
OUTLOOK: Harry Redknapp has spent much of his career rummaging around in the transfer market bargain basement, so it's safe to say he has relished the chance to splash the cash this close-season.
After a lifetime of wheeling and dealing to bring in four players for the price of one, Redknapp must have thought he was dreaming when Pompey owner Alexandre Gaydamak handed him a 25-million-pound transfer kitty.
He wasted no time raiding the bank and broke the club's transfer record twice in quick succession, first on Ghana midfielder Sulley Ali Muntari and then Nigeria striker John Utaka.
With Muntari and Utaka joining Nigeria's Nwankwo Kanu, Congo's Lomana LuaLua, Cameroon's Lauren and Zimbabwean Benjani Mwaruwari, Africa is better represented at Fratton Park than any other Premiership club.
Redknapp has proved adept at mixing his league of nations with English players like Sol Campbell, Gary O'Neil and Matthew Taylor and it would be no surprise to see Portsmouth challenging for a European place again.
KEY PLAYER: Sylvain Distin. The French defender should give a more solid look to a team that can sometimes be too cavalier for its' own good.
BLACKBURN
Manager: Mark Hughes
Last season: 10th in Premiership, UEFA Cup last 32, FA Cup semi-finalists, League Cup third round
IN: Maceo Rigters (NAC Breda) undisclosed, Gunnar Nielsen (Frem Copenhagen) 100,000
OUT: Andy Todd (Derby) free, Michael Gray (Wolverhampton) free
OUTLOOK: Mark Hughes is set for a few sleepless nights until the transfer window closes at the end of August as he tries to hold on to star striker Benni McCarthy.
The South African scored 18 times in the Premiership following his move from Porto, sparking speculation that Chelsea boss Jose Mourinho was ready to move for a player he worked with in Portugal.
Hughes has so far managed to fend off any interest in McCarthy but he won't rest easy until the last opportunity to poach his prize asset has finally passed
While Hughes's spiky side are capable of ruffling the feathers of Manchester United, Chelsea and company, competing with them over the course of a season would be much harder without McCarthy.
The hit-man was quickly back in the old routine with a goal in Rovers' opening Intertoto Cup match, but that tournament is a double edged sword. Although it has the prize of a UEFA Cup place, the wear and tear on players ahead of a gruelling season could prove costly.
KEY PLAYER: Morten Gamst Pedersen. The Norwegian winger is the man Rovers rely on to supply the bullets for McCarthy.
ASTON VILLA
Manager: Martin O'Neill
Last season: 11th in Premiership, FA Cup third round, League Cup fourth round
IN: Nigel Reo-Coker (West Ham) 8.5m, Marlon Harewood (West Ham) 4m
OUT: Steven Davis (Fulham) 4m, Gavin McCann (Bolton) 1m, Aaron Hughes (Fulham) 1m, Jlloyd Samuel (Bolton) free, Lee Hendrie (Sheffield United) free, Juan Pablo Angel (New York Red Bulls) free, Stephen Henderson (Bristol City) free, Robert Olejnik (Falkirk) free, Chris Sutton (retired)
OUTLOOK: Martin O'Neill has been a winner for too long to accept another season treading water at Villa Park.
After an initial surge of positive results following his arrival last year, Villa quickly reverted to type as O'Neill began to realise the extent of the task facing him.
His side mixed moments of class with the mediocre displays that have characterised much of the last 20 years at Villa Park and it was frustrating enough for major surgery to be deemed necessary.
The Irishman off-loaded a host of under-performing players and then spent a sizeable chunk of his transfer budget on West Ham duo Nigel Reo-Coker and Marlon Harewood.
Neither former Hammer is a guaranteed hit but Gabriel Agbonlahor, Ashley Young and John Carew at least give O'Neill a variety of attacking options as he targets a top six finish.
KEY PLAYER: Gabriel Agbonlahor. The lightning-quick winger has illuminated Villa Park with flashes of tremendous skill and is ready to become a real match-winner.
MIDDLESBROUGH
Manager: Gareth Southgate
Last season: 12th in Premiership, FA Cup quarter-finals, League Cup second round
IN: Luke Young (Charlton) 2.5m, Jeremie Aliadiere (Arsenal) 2m, Tuncay Sanli (Fenerbahce) free
OUT: Mark Viduka (Newcastle) free, Stuart Parnaby (Birmingham) free, Abel Xavier (LA Galaxy) free, Danny Graham (Carlisle) free
OUTLOOK: The phrase mid-table obscurity could have been invented for Middlesbrough and comfortable survival remains the realistic limit of Gareth Southgate's ambitions.
Middlesbrough don't have the resources to compete with the big guns but chairman Steve Gibson is a generous enough benefactor to ensure they are always capable of attracting enough good players to stay afloat.
Southgate has been relatively quiet in the transfer market but he made a curious move by replacing Mark Viduka with French striker Jeremie Aliadiere, who never threatened to break into the first team at Arsenal.
There is no shortage of young talent at the Riverside Stadium however with the like of Lee Cattermole, Stewart Downing, Adam Johnson and James Morrison all impressing after coming through the ranks.
Southgate must get the best of these young prodigies if he is to break that cycle of anonymity.
KEY PLAYER: Jonathon Woodgate. Has enjoyed a new lease of life since moving to his hometown club and is firmly established as one of England's best centre-backs.
NEWCASTLE
Manager: Sam Allardyce
Last season: 13th in Premiership, UEFA Cup last 16, FA Cup third round, League Cup quarter-finals
IN: Joey Barton (Manchester City) 5.5m, David Rozehnal (Paris Saint Germain) 2.9m, Mark Viduka (Middlesbrough) free, Geremi (Chelsea) free
OUT: Scott Parker (West Ham) 7m, Titus Bramble (Wigan) free, Antoine Sibierski (Wigan) free, Alan O'Brien (Hibernian) free, Lee Clark (retired)
OUTLOOK: The marriage of Big Sam to the club with perennially big expectations has the potential to be a match made in heaven.
Allardyce had long made it plain that he craved the opportunity to prove what he could do at a club with greater resources and potential than Bolton. Now he has that chance.
Newcastle have the support and stadium of a Champions League outfit and the rewards of realising that potential would be huge.
Allardyce has the tools to raise to the challenge. Although he established Bolton as a Premiership force with a brand of football that rarely pleased the purists, he is likely to be far more expansive now he has a wider range of talent.
Joey Barton's signing is something of a gamble given his notoriously short fuse, but Allardyce came up trumps when he persuaded Michael Owen not to ask for a transfer.
KEY PLAYER: Michael Owen. After two injury-ravaged years on Tyneside, the England striker owes the Toon Army a prolific campaign.
MANCHESTER CITY
Manager: Sven Goran Eriksson
Last season: 14th in Premiership, FA Cup quarter-finals, League Cup second round
IN: Rolando Bianchi (Reggina) 8.8m, Martin Petrov (Atletico Madrid) 4.7m, Gelson Fernandes (Sion) undisclosed, Geovanni (Benfica) free
OUT: Joey Barton (Newcastle) 5.5m, Sylvain Distin (Portsmouth) free, Stephen Jordan (Burnley) free, Trevor Sinclair (Cardiff) free, Nicky Weaver (Charlton) free, Nathan D'Laryea (Rochdale) free
OUTLOOK: Sven Goran Eriksson's decision to make a striker his first City signing showed he had been paying attention during his year away from the game.
Eriksson is back in management after his ill-fated reign as England coach and has wasted little time bolstering an attack that hit a Premiership record low of 10 home goals last season.
Rolando Bianchi arrives with a hefty price tag and Bulgaria winger Martin Petrov could add a creative spark, but the likes of Georgios Samaras and Darius Vassell must also shoulder some of the burden.
New Thai owner Thaksin Shinawatra risked a tidal wave of opprobrium when he appointed Eriksson, but the Swede will surely be motivated to prove his army of critics wrong.
And suggestions that he is using City as a stepping stone to a more high-profile job will be rendered irrelevant if he fails to make an impact at Eastlands.
KEY PLAYER: Rolando Bianchi. Eriksson expects the Italian, who finished as one of Serie A's leading scorers last season, to breathe new life into City's moribund attack.
WEST HAM
Manager: Alan Curbishley
Last season: 15th in Premiership, UEFA Cup first round, FA Cup fourth round, League Cup third round
IN: Craig Bellamy (Liverpool) 7.5m, Scott Parker (Newcastle) 7m, Julien Faubert (Bordeaux) 6m, Freddie Ljungberg (Arsenal) 3.5m, Richard Wright (Everton) Free
OUT: Nigel Reo-Coker (Aston Villa) 8.5m, Marlon Harewood (Aston Villa) 4m, Paul Konchesky (Fulham) 2m, Tyrone Mears (Derby) 1m, Teddy Sheringham (Colchester) free, Roy Carroll (Rangers) free, Shaun Newton (Leicester) free
OUTLOOK: No other club manages to be in such a perpetual state of chaos as the Hammers and this close-season at Upton Park has been no different.
It took until mid-July before West Ham's Premiership status was finally secured when Sheffield United's legal challenge over the Carlos Tevez affair was brought to a close.
But Tevez has remained a weighty problem for the club's hierarchy, who found themselves embroiled in dispute with Iranian businessman Kia Joorabchian over who should get the transfer fee due from Manchester United for the striker.
While that soap opera has dragged on for weeks, Alan Curbishley has been busy continuing a costly overhaul of his squad as he handed massive wages to the likes of Craig Bellamy and Scott Parker.
That expenditure was necessary as he tries to meet owner Eggert Magnusson's demands for European football. But with Julien Faubert ruled out for six months through injury, another roller-coaster ride is already underway in east London.
KEY PLAYER: Scott Parker. Will be desperate to recapture the form he showed under Curbishley at Charlton after under-whelming spells with Chelsea and Newcastle.
FULHAM
Manager: Lawrie Sanchez
Last season: 16th in Premiership, FA Cup fifth round, League Cup second round
IN: Diomansy Kamara (West Bromwich) 6m, Steven Davis (Aston Villa) 4m, Chris Baird (Southampton) 3m, Lee Cook (QPR) 2.5m, Paul Konchesky (West Ham) 2m, Aaron Hughes (Aston Villa) 1m, David Healy (Leeds) undisclosed
OUT: Heidar Helguson (Bolton) 2m, Mark Crossley (Oldham) free, Matty Collins (Swansea) free
OUTLOOK: Lawrie Sanchez has embarked on the most surprising spending spree of the close season as he tries to convince Fulham's fans he is the right man to lead their club.
Although Sanchez ensured the London club avoided relegation at the end of last season, the dour style of his team meant his appointment on a permanent basis wasn't greeted with universal approval.
The former Northern Ireland coach needs to make his mark quickly to win over the Craven Cottage faithful and has turned to several of his former international charges to help him.
Sanchez splashed out 20 million pounds on virtually an entire new team and, although Senegal striker Diomansy Kamara was his biggest investment, it is four Northern Ireland stars who will form the spine of the team.
If Fulham are to avoid a repeat of season of struggle, Sanchez knows Chris Baird, Aaron Hughes, Steven Davis and David Healy will have to shine. His future could depend on it.
KEY PLAYER: Antti Niemi. The veteran goalkeeper is still one of the most consistent in the Premiership and could be in for a busy season playing behind a shaky defence.
WIGAN
Manager: Chris Hutchings
Last season: 17th in Premiership, FA Cup third round, League Cup second round
IN: Jason Koumas (West Bromwich) 5.3m, Carlo Nash (Preston) 300,000, Andreas Granqvist (Helsingborgs) undisclosed, Titus Bramble (Newcastle) free, Antoine Sibierski (Newcastle) free, Mario Melchiot (Rennes) free
OUT: Lee McCulloch (Rangers) 2.25m, Arjan De Zeeuw (Coventry) free, Matt Jackson (Watford) free, John Filan (retired)
OUTLOOK: It could be a case of out of the frying pan and into the fire at the JJB Stadium this season as Wigan face up to another fight for survival.
The club's dramatic escape from relegation on the final day was barely a week old when manager Paul Jewell's resignation ended the euphoria.
Losing a man whose ability to keep calm under pressure was crucial in the close weeks was a real blow, but it is the decision to hand his assistant Chris Hutchings the reins that could prove fatal.
Hutchings hardly looks an inspiring choice to build on Jewell's good work. His previous experience of management came in identical circumstances at Bradford when he replaced Jewell, only to be sacked after five months with his team already sliding towards the drop.
Signing error-prone defender Titus Bramble and erratic midfielder Jason Koumas was a brave, or possibly fool-hardy, way for Hutchings to start his bid to erase those bitter Bradford memories.
KEY PLAYER: Henri Camara. One of the league's most frustrating talents, the Senegal striker fluctuates between unstoppable and unwatchable.
SUNDERLAND
Manager: Roy Keane
Last season: Championship winners, FA Cup third round, League Cup first round
IN: Kieran Richardson (Manchester Utd) 5.5m, Michael Chopra (Cardiff) 5m, Greg Halford (Reading) 2.5m, Paul McShane (West Bromwich) 1.5m, Dickson Etuhu (Norwich) 1.5m, Russell Anderson (Aberdeen) 1m
OUT: Stephen Elliott (Wolverhampton) undisclosed, Arnau Riera (Falkirk) free
OUTLOOK: Life in the Premiership has been chastening for Sunderland but Roy Keane's inspirational presence should ensure a far more fulfilling experience this time.
Keane represents one of the more intriguing stories of the season. The former Manchester United midfielder took to management impressively as he hauled the Black Cats from the foot of the table to promotion.
His calm, considered touchline presence is a million miles from the ferocious image he cultivated at Old Trafford.
The enigmatic Irishman's positive approach worked wonders last season but now he has to prove he can cut it at the highest level with a club who have twice set the record of the lowest number of points in a Premiership campaign.
His signing of Michael Chopra raised eyebrows for the size of the fee as well as the striker's Newcastle roots. But Keane has always marched to his own beat and he will believe he can help Sunderland eclipse their local rivals in the national spotlight.
KEY PLAYER: Carlos Edwards. The Trinidad winger has pace to burn and enough tricks to suggest he will be a tricky customer for top-flight defenders.
BIRMINGHAM
Manager: Steve Bruce
Last season: Championship runners-up, FA Cup fourth round, League Cup fourth round
IN: Fabrice Muamba (Arsenal) 4m, Olivier Kapo (Juventus) 3m, Garry O'Connor (Lokomotiv Moscow) 2.7m, Stuart Parnaby (Middlesbrough) free, Daniel de Ridder (Celta Vigo) free, Richard Kingson (Ankaraspor) free, Rafael Schmitz (Lille) season-loan
OUT: DJ Campbell (Leicester) 2.1m, Stephen Clemence (Leicester) 1m, Bruno N'Gotty (Leicester) free, Julian Gray (Coventry) free
OUTLOOK: Steve Bruce is on a mission to make amends for his past mistakes as he aims to prove he has learned the lessons of relegation two years ago.
Bruce tried to establish his side as a genuine Premiership force by signing a string of stars on big contracts. But those high-earners failed to deliver and Birmingham slumped into the Championship.
Relegation left Bruce fighting to save his job and he was within a game of being sacked last season until victory at Derby sparked a promotion charge.
With his St Andrews' stock on the rise again, Bruce has made some intriguing transfers moves that contrast with his previous purchases.
Fabrice Muamba, Olivier Kapo, Garry O'Connor and Stuart Parnaby may not be household names but they will play with a hunger to prove themselves that is certain to be invaluable as Birmingham scrap to stay up.
KEY PLAYER: Gary McSheffrey. A genuine star in the Championship who has to show he can make the step up to the highest level.
DERBY
Manager: Billy Davies
Last season: Third in Championship, promoted via play-offs, FA Cup fifth round, League Cup second round
IN: Robert Earnshaw (Norwich) 3.5m, Claude Davis (Sheffield United) 3m, Tyrone Mears (West Ham) 1m, Lewis Price (Ipswich) undisclosed, Andy Todd (Blackburn) free
OUT: Lee Camp (QPR) 300,000, Ryan Smith (Millwall) 150,000, Lee Grant (Sheffield Wednesday) free, Lewin Nyatanga (Barnsley) six-month loan
OUTLOOK: If Billy Davies can ensure Derby's return to the top-flight is more than a brief cameo appearance he will have justified the flattering comparisons with Sir Alex Ferguson.
Davies had the same Glasgow upbringing and football education as his Manchester United counterpart and the similarities don't end there.
Like Ferguson, the Rams manager is a firebrand with the single-minded determination to impose his will on a club until he gets the success he desires.
The way the Scot transformed Derby from relegation strugglers to play-off winners in just one season underlined his growing reputation, but now he faces his toughest challenge.
Derby are firm favourites to go down and, unable to match their rivals' big spending, Davies has to rely on his ability to cajole another miracle from his over-achievers.
KEY PLAYER: Giles Barnes. The teenage midfielder has already attracted interested from a host of top clubs and now he has the chance to show what all the fuss is about.
AFP
Manager: Sir Alex Ferguson
Last season: Premiership champions, Champions League semi-finalists, FA Cup runners-up, League Cup fourth round
IN: Owen Hargreaves (Bayern Munich) 17m, Nani (Sporting Lisbon) 16m, Anderson (Porto) 13m
OUT: Kieran Richardson (Sunderland) 5.5m
OUTLOOK: The Premiership's most successful club are back on their throne as the kings of English football, but Sir Alex Ferguson knows the battle to stay there will be more brutal than ever.
Ferguson defied predictions that he has lost his touch by clinching a ninth Premiership title, his first in four seasons, last term and he is determined to keep Chelsea and Liverpool at bay.
The United manager fears the two main challengers to his title will be stronger this year and, with that in mind, he has moved to give United an edge with a series of major signings.
Owen Hargreaves finally completed his protracted transfer just weeks after Ferguson had swooped for Anderson and Nani, two of the game's brightest young stars, and Carlos Tevez is still likely to arrive once the legal wrangles with West Ham are resolved.
Those additions will add further lustre to a side already stocked with dazzling talents. If Cristiano Ronaldo and Wayne Rooney gel with their new team-mates, Ferguson has every reason to expect another season at the top.
KEY PLAYER: Cristiano Ronaldo. Rightly feted as the outstanding attacking talent in the Premiership, but now the Portuguese winger has to start dominating on Europe's grand stages as well.
CHELSEA
Manager: Jose Mourinho
Last season: Second in Premiership, Champions League semi-finalists, FA Cup winners, League Cup winners
IN: Florent Malouda (Lyon) 13.5m, Steve Sidwell (Reading) free, Claudio Pizarro (Bayern Munich) free, Tal Ben Haim (Bolton) free
OUT: Geremi (Newcastle) free, Nuno Morais (Apoel Nicosia) free, Yves Ma Kalambay (Hibernian) free, Khalid Boulahrouz (Sevilla) season-loan, Michael Mancienne (QPR) season-loan, Jimmy Smith (Norwich) season-loan, Ben Sahar (QPR) three-month loan
OUTLOOK: For the first time in five years Jose Mourinho begins a season without a league title to defend but he is already scheming to regain that winning feeling.
A tumultuous season that embraced pleasure and pain in equal measure ended with two cups in the Stamford Bridge trophy cabinet, but the Premiership crown was wrestled away by Manchester United.
That was an unusual experience for the Portuguese coach, who had won four successive titles with Porto and Chelsea, but he has no plans to suffer the same fate again.
He believes a return to the 4-3-3 formation that served Chelsea so well in his first two seasons will tip the balance back in the London club's favour. Wingers are crucial in that system so he swooped for Lyon's French international Florent Malouda and is keen to rebuff Real Madrids interest in Arjen Robben.
There has even been an outbreak of detente in the corridors of power after Mourinho and Roman Abramovich called a truce following their bitter dispute. With politics on the backburner at last, Chelsea should be stronger than ever this season.
KEY PLAYER: Didier Drogba. His Herculean efforts almost single-handedly kept Chelsea in the hunt for the quadruple and established the Ivory Coast forward as one of the Premiership's superstars.
LIVERPOOL
Manager: Rafa Benitez
Last season: Third in Premiership, Champions League runners-up, FA Cup third round, League Cup quarter-finals
IN: Fernando Torres (Atletico Madrid) 26.5m, Ryan Babel (Ajax) 11.5m, Yossi Benayoun (West Ham) 5m, David Amoo (Millwall) 150,000, Andriy Voronin (Bayer Leverkusen) free, Ryan Crowther (Stockport) undisclosed
OUT: Craig Bellamy (West Ham) 7.5m, Djibril Cisse (Marseille) 6m, Luis Garcia (Atletico Madrid) 3.3m, Boudewijn Zenden (Marseille) free, Jerzy Dudek (Real Madrid) free, Robbie Fowler (Cardiff) free, Adam Hammill (Southampton) season-loan, Godwin Antwi (Hartlepool) season-loan
OUTLOOK: Rafa Benitez is ready to throw caution to the wind as he tries to end Liverpool's 17-year wait for a league title.
Benitez's defensive tactics have flourished in the Champions League, but that game-plan has come unstuck in the helter-skelter Premiership and Liverpool are yet to get close to mounting a sustained title challenge under the Spaniard.
Success on home soil has to be Benitez's main objective now and to achieve that he finally seems to have realised that Liverpool must start to show more attacking verve.
All his significant close-season signings have been made with the intention of adding pace and power to a previously prosaic forward line.
There is no doubt the likes of Fernando Torres and Ryan Babel will bring quality to the club, but the change in philosophy will take time and Liverpool could be too far off the pace by the time everything clicks.
KEY PLAYER: Fernando Torres. The Spanish striker, the club's record signing, has all the attributes to become an Anfield idol as long as he can cope with the burden of that weighty fee.
ARSENAL
Manager: Arsene Wenger
Last season: Fourth in Premiership, Champions League last 16, FA Cup fifth round, League Cup runners-up
IN: Eduardo Da Silva (Dinamo Zagreb) 7.5m, Bacary Sagna (Auxerre) 6m, Havard Nordtveit (Haugesund) 2m, Lukasz Fabianski (Legia Warsaw) undisclosed
OUT: Thierry Henry (Barcelona) 16m, Freddie Ljungberg (West Ham) 3.5m, Jeremie Aliadiere (Middlesbrough) 2m, Arturo Lupoli (Fiorentina) free, Mart Poom (Watford) free, Matthew Connolly (Colchester) season-loan
OUTLOOK: You have to go back a decade for the last time Arsenal entered a new campaign with so much uncertainty surrounding the club.
Back in August 1996, Arsene Wenger was still weeks away from arriving in north London and there was little for the Gunners faithful to get excited about.
Wenger eventually changed all that, but Arsenal are at a crossroads again 11 years later. The departure of Thierry Henry has dented the confidence of players and fans and the futures of Wenger and the club's hierarchy are far from certain.
Wenger at least managed to convince Cesc Fabregas to reject Real Madrid's advances and that could turn out to be the most significant close season decision at the Emirates.
With Fabregas, Kolo Toure and Robin van Persie, Wenger has the nucleus of a bright young team in place, but it is hard to shake the suspicion that Arsenal are destined for another season in the shadows of their title rivals.
KEY PLAYER: Cesc Fabregas. With Thierry Henry gone, it is time for the elegant Spanish midfielder to come of age and establish himself as the Gunners' creative fulcrum.
TOTTENHAM
Manager: Martin Jol
Last season: Fifth in Premiership, UEFA Cup quarter-finalists, FA Cup quarter-finalists, League Cup semi-finalists
IN: Darren Bent (Charlton) 16.5m, Gareth Bale (Southampton) 10m, Younes Kaboul (Auxerre) 3m, Adel Taarabt (Lens) undisclosed, Danny Rose (Leeds) undisclosed
OUT: Reto Ziegler (Sampdoria) free, Rob Burch (Sheffield Wednesday) free, Mark Yeates (Colchester) free), Charlie Lee (Peterborough) free
OUTLOOK: Once again Martin Jol has been a major player in the transfer market and his expensive signings have heightened the feeling that Spurs are ready to test the top four's staying power.
There is no question Spurs play some of the most eye-catching football in the country on their day and Chelsea manager Jose Mourinho believes they could even be title challengers.
But after spending the last two seasons on the fringes of the Champions League places, Jol knows he must start turning plaudits into prizes.
Goals shouldn't be a problem as England striker Darren Bent brings enough pace and poise to compliment the skills of Dimitar Berbatov and Robbie Keane.
Tottenham's Achilles heel has been a defence that looks weak when Ledley King is sidelined. The England defender must stay fit for Jol's side to make that move into the Premiership's elite.
KEY PLAYER: Dimitar Berbatov. The Bulgarian has to give a repeat performance of the sublime skills, stunning goals and impressive work ethic that made him the signing of last season.
EVERTON
Manager: David Moyes
Last season: Sixth in Premiership, FA Cup third round, League Cup fourth round
IN: Phil Jagielka (Sheffield United) 4m, Lucas Jutkiewicz (Swindon) free, Steven Pienaar (Borussia Dortmund) season-loan
OUT: Gary Naysmith (Sheffield United) 1m, Richard Wright (West Ham) free
OUTLOOK: The financial power of the top four makes it hard for Everton to harbour ambitions of emulating their title triumphs of the 1980s, but success in the cups is a realistic goal.
With European football in the UEFA Cup on the agenda, as well as the domestic knock-out competitions, David Moyes's side have plenty to aim for.
Moyes has established himself as one of the Premiership's top managers by cleverly building a teak-tough side who can match any opposition in England in a one-off clash.
If Andrew Johnson continues his progress and Phil Jagielka proves an astute acquisition he looks there is no reason why Everton can't end their 12-year wait for silverware.
But the feeling that they are marking time in the league will persist until the move to a new 50,000 capacity stadium brings the increased revenue necessary to match arch rivals Liverpool and the other elite clubs in the transfer market.
KEY PLAYER: Tim Cahill. The Australia midfielder's eye for goal and boundless energy were sorely missed during his lengthy injury absences last season.
BOLTON
Manager: Sammy Lee
Last season: Seventh in Premiership, FA Cup fourth round, League Cup third round
IN: Heidar Helguson (Fulham) 2m, Gavin McCann (Aston Villa) 1m, Jlloyd Samuel (Aston Villa) free, Zoltan Harsanyi (Senec) free, Gerald Sid (Bordeaux) free, Blerim Dzemaili (Zurich) free, Christian Wilhelmsson (Nantes) season-loan, Mikel Alonso (Real Sociedad) season-loan, Danny Guthrie (Liverpool) season-loan
OUT: Tal Ben Haim (Chelsea) free, Chris Howarth (Carlisle) free
OUTLOOK: It would be no surprise if there was a sense of trepidation around the Reebok Stadium as Bolton begin life without Sam Allardyce.
Wanderers fans need only look to Charlton for an example of the damage that can be caused when a long-serving manager departs.
The Londoners crashed out of the Premiership just a year after Alan Curbishley left and the parallels with the loss of Allardyce to Newcastle can only unnerve the Lancashire club.
Allardyce had dragged Bolton into the upper echelons of the English game, but now Sammy Lee must prove he has learned the ropes from his former boss.
This is Lee's first managerial role and the signings of battlers like Heidar Helguson and Gavin McCann suggest he will stick with Allardyce's tried and tested formula.
KEY PLAYER: Kevin Nolan. Nobody epitomises the bloody-minded nature of Bolton better than their tenacious captain.
READING
Manager: Steve Coppell
Last season: Eighth in Premiership, FA Cup fifth round, League Cup third round
IN: Kalifa Cisse (Boavista) 600,000
OUT: Greg Halford (Sunderland) 2.5m, Steve Sidwell (Chelsea) free, Jonathan Hayes (Leicester) free
OUTLOOK: Overturning the Premiership's natural order has proved to be a poisoned chalice in recent years, so Steve Coppell will take nothing for granted as Reading try to build on last season's impressive top-division debut.
The Royals defied predictions they would find the step up too tough to handle and were challenging for a UEFA Cup place until the last day of the season.
But that near-miss was a blessing for Coppell, who remembers only too well how Ipswich were relegated a year after clinching European football with a fifth place finish, while Wigan also enjoyed a fairytale first season in the Premiership and then slumped into a relegation battle the following year.
Under Coppell's shrewd leadership, Reading have the potential to avoid that difficult second season syndrome, as long as Kalifa Cisse proves an suitable replacement for midfield fulcrum Steve Sidwell.
Coppell's ability to unearth gems like Ireland striker Kevin Doyle is a big part of the club's success, but he would surely like chairman John Madejski to loosen his vice-like grip on the purse strings so make life that bit easier.
KEY PLAYER: Kevin Doyle. The former Cork City striker's lethal finishing proved you don't have to be a superstar to succeed in the Premiership.
PORTSMOUTH
Manager: Harry Redknapp
Last season: Ninth in Premiership, FA Cup fourth round, League Cup third round
IN: John Utaka (Rennes) 8m, Sulley Ali Muntari (Udinese) 7m, David Nugent (Preston) 6m, Arnold Mvuemba (Rennes) undisclosed, Sylvain Distin (Manchester City) free, Hermann Hreidarsson (Charlton) free, Martin Crainie (Southampton) free, Callum Reynolds (Rushden) free
OUT: Svetoslav Todorov (Charlton) free
OUTLOOK: Harry Redknapp has spent much of his career rummaging around in the transfer market bargain basement, so it's safe to say he has relished the chance to splash the cash this close-season.
After a lifetime of wheeling and dealing to bring in four players for the price of one, Redknapp must have thought he was dreaming when Pompey owner Alexandre Gaydamak handed him a 25-million-pound transfer kitty.
He wasted no time raiding the bank and broke the club's transfer record twice in quick succession, first on Ghana midfielder Sulley Ali Muntari and then Nigeria striker John Utaka.
With Muntari and Utaka joining Nigeria's Nwankwo Kanu, Congo's Lomana LuaLua, Cameroon's Lauren and Zimbabwean Benjani Mwaruwari, Africa is better represented at Fratton Park than any other Premiership club.
Redknapp has proved adept at mixing his league of nations with English players like Sol Campbell, Gary O'Neil and Matthew Taylor and it would be no surprise to see Portsmouth challenging for a European place again.
KEY PLAYER: Sylvain Distin. The French defender should give a more solid look to a team that can sometimes be too cavalier for its' own good.
BLACKBURN
Manager: Mark Hughes
Last season: 10th in Premiership, UEFA Cup last 32, FA Cup semi-finalists, League Cup third round
IN: Maceo Rigters (NAC Breda) undisclosed, Gunnar Nielsen (Frem Copenhagen) 100,000
OUT: Andy Todd (Derby) free, Michael Gray (Wolverhampton) free
OUTLOOK: Mark Hughes is set for a few sleepless nights until the transfer window closes at the end of August as he tries to hold on to star striker Benni McCarthy.
The South African scored 18 times in the Premiership following his move from Porto, sparking speculation that Chelsea boss Jose Mourinho was ready to move for a player he worked with in Portugal.
Hughes has so far managed to fend off any interest in McCarthy but he won't rest easy until the last opportunity to poach his prize asset has finally passed
While Hughes's spiky side are capable of ruffling the feathers of Manchester United, Chelsea and company, competing with them over the course of a season would be much harder without McCarthy.
The hit-man was quickly back in the old routine with a goal in Rovers' opening Intertoto Cup match, but that tournament is a double edged sword. Although it has the prize of a UEFA Cup place, the wear and tear on players ahead of a gruelling season could prove costly.
KEY PLAYER: Morten Gamst Pedersen. The Norwegian winger is the man Rovers rely on to supply the bullets for McCarthy.
ASTON VILLA
Manager: Martin O'Neill
Last season: 11th in Premiership, FA Cup third round, League Cup fourth round
IN: Nigel Reo-Coker (West Ham) 8.5m, Marlon Harewood (West Ham) 4m
OUT: Steven Davis (Fulham) 4m, Gavin McCann (Bolton) 1m, Aaron Hughes (Fulham) 1m, Jlloyd Samuel (Bolton) free, Lee Hendrie (Sheffield United) free, Juan Pablo Angel (New York Red Bulls) free, Stephen Henderson (Bristol City) free, Robert Olejnik (Falkirk) free, Chris Sutton (retired)
OUTLOOK: Martin O'Neill has been a winner for too long to accept another season treading water at Villa Park.
After an initial surge of positive results following his arrival last year, Villa quickly reverted to type as O'Neill began to realise the extent of the task facing him.
His side mixed moments of class with the mediocre displays that have characterised much of the last 20 years at Villa Park and it was frustrating enough for major surgery to be deemed necessary.
The Irishman off-loaded a host of under-performing players and then spent a sizeable chunk of his transfer budget on West Ham duo Nigel Reo-Coker and Marlon Harewood.
Neither former Hammer is a guaranteed hit but Gabriel Agbonlahor, Ashley Young and John Carew at least give O'Neill a variety of attacking options as he targets a top six finish.
KEY PLAYER: Gabriel Agbonlahor. The lightning-quick winger has illuminated Villa Park with flashes of tremendous skill and is ready to become a real match-winner.
MIDDLESBROUGH
Manager: Gareth Southgate
Last season: 12th in Premiership, FA Cup quarter-finals, League Cup second round
IN: Luke Young (Charlton) 2.5m, Jeremie Aliadiere (Arsenal) 2m, Tuncay Sanli (Fenerbahce) free
OUT: Mark Viduka (Newcastle) free, Stuart Parnaby (Birmingham) free, Abel Xavier (LA Galaxy) free, Danny Graham (Carlisle) free
OUTLOOK: The phrase mid-table obscurity could have been invented for Middlesbrough and comfortable survival remains the realistic limit of Gareth Southgate's ambitions.
Middlesbrough don't have the resources to compete with the big guns but chairman Steve Gibson is a generous enough benefactor to ensure they are always capable of attracting enough good players to stay afloat.
Southgate has been relatively quiet in the transfer market but he made a curious move by replacing Mark Viduka with French striker Jeremie Aliadiere, who never threatened to break into the first team at Arsenal.
There is no shortage of young talent at the Riverside Stadium however with the like of Lee Cattermole, Stewart Downing, Adam Johnson and James Morrison all impressing after coming through the ranks.
Southgate must get the best of these young prodigies if he is to break that cycle of anonymity.
KEY PLAYER: Jonathon Woodgate. Has enjoyed a new lease of life since moving to his hometown club and is firmly established as one of England's best centre-backs.
NEWCASTLE
Manager: Sam Allardyce
Last season: 13th in Premiership, UEFA Cup last 16, FA Cup third round, League Cup quarter-finals
IN: Joey Barton (Manchester City) 5.5m, David Rozehnal (Paris Saint Germain) 2.9m, Mark Viduka (Middlesbrough) free, Geremi (Chelsea) free
OUT: Scott Parker (West Ham) 7m, Titus Bramble (Wigan) free, Antoine Sibierski (Wigan) free, Alan O'Brien (Hibernian) free, Lee Clark (retired)
OUTLOOK: The marriage of Big Sam to the club with perennially big expectations has the potential to be a match made in heaven.
Allardyce had long made it plain that he craved the opportunity to prove what he could do at a club with greater resources and potential than Bolton. Now he has that chance.
Newcastle have the support and stadium of a Champions League outfit and the rewards of realising that potential would be huge.
Allardyce has the tools to raise to the challenge. Although he established Bolton as a Premiership force with a brand of football that rarely pleased the purists, he is likely to be far more expansive now he has a wider range of talent.
Joey Barton's signing is something of a gamble given his notoriously short fuse, but Allardyce came up trumps when he persuaded Michael Owen not to ask for a transfer.
KEY PLAYER: Michael Owen. After two injury-ravaged years on Tyneside, the England striker owes the Toon Army a prolific campaign.
MANCHESTER CITY
Manager: Sven Goran Eriksson
Last season: 14th in Premiership, FA Cup quarter-finals, League Cup second round
IN: Rolando Bianchi (Reggina) 8.8m, Martin Petrov (Atletico Madrid) 4.7m, Gelson Fernandes (Sion) undisclosed, Geovanni (Benfica) free
OUT: Joey Barton (Newcastle) 5.5m, Sylvain Distin (Portsmouth) free, Stephen Jordan (Burnley) free, Trevor Sinclair (Cardiff) free, Nicky Weaver (Charlton) free, Nathan D'Laryea (Rochdale) free
OUTLOOK: Sven Goran Eriksson's decision to make a striker his first City signing showed he had been paying attention during his year away from the game.
Eriksson is back in management after his ill-fated reign as England coach and has wasted little time bolstering an attack that hit a Premiership record low of 10 home goals last season.
Rolando Bianchi arrives with a hefty price tag and Bulgaria winger Martin Petrov could add a creative spark, but the likes of Georgios Samaras and Darius Vassell must also shoulder some of the burden.
New Thai owner Thaksin Shinawatra risked a tidal wave of opprobrium when he appointed Eriksson, but the Swede will surely be motivated to prove his army of critics wrong.
And suggestions that he is using City as a stepping stone to a more high-profile job will be rendered irrelevant if he fails to make an impact at Eastlands.
KEY PLAYER: Rolando Bianchi. Eriksson expects the Italian, who finished as one of Serie A's leading scorers last season, to breathe new life into City's moribund attack.
WEST HAM
Manager: Alan Curbishley
Last season: 15th in Premiership, UEFA Cup first round, FA Cup fourth round, League Cup third round
IN: Craig Bellamy (Liverpool) 7.5m, Scott Parker (Newcastle) 7m, Julien Faubert (Bordeaux) 6m, Freddie Ljungberg (Arsenal) 3.5m, Richard Wright (Everton) Free
OUT: Nigel Reo-Coker (Aston Villa) 8.5m, Marlon Harewood (Aston Villa) 4m, Paul Konchesky (Fulham) 2m, Tyrone Mears (Derby) 1m, Teddy Sheringham (Colchester) free, Roy Carroll (Rangers) free, Shaun Newton (Leicester) free
OUTLOOK: No other club manages to be in such a perpetual state of chaos as the Hammers and this close-season at Upton Park has been no different.
It took until mid-July before West Ham's Premiership status was finally secured when Sheffield United's legal challenge over the Carlos Tevez affair was brought to a close.
But Tevez has remained a weighty problem for the club's hierarchy, who found themselves embroiled in dispute with Iranian businessman Kia Joorabchian over who should get the transfer fee due from Manchester United for the striker.
While that soap opera has dragged on for weeks, Alan Curbishley has been busy continuing a costly overhaul of his squad as he handed massive wages to the likes of Craig Bellamy and Scott Parker.
That expenditure was necessary as he tries to meet owner Eggert Magnusson's demands for European football. But with Julien Faubert ruled out for six months through injury, another roller-coaster ride is already underway in east London.
KEY PLAYER: Scott Parker. Will be desperate to recapture the form he showed under Curbishley at Charlton after under-whelming spells with Chelsea and Newcastle.
FULHAM
Manager: Lawrie Sanchez
Last season: 16th in Premiership, FA Cup fifth round, League Cup second round
IN: Diomansy Kamara (West Bromwich) 6m, Steven Davis (Aston Villa) 4m, Chris Baird (Southampton) 3m, Lee Cook (QPR) 2.5m, Paul Konchesky (West Ham) 2m, Aaron Hughes (Aston Villa) 1m, David Healy (Leeds) undisclosed
OUT: Heidar Helguson (Bolton) 2m, Mark Crossley (Oldham) free, Matty Collins (Swansea) free
OUTLOOK: Lawrie Sanchez has embarked on the most surprising spending spree of the close season as he tries to convince Fulham's fans he is the right man to lead their club.
Although Sanchez ensured the London club avoided relegation at the end of last season, the dour style of his team meant his appointment on a permanent basis wasn't greeted with universal approval.
The former Northern Ireland coach needs to make his mark quickly to win over the Craven Cottage faithful and has turned to several of his former international charges to help him.
Sanchez splashed out 20 million pounds on virtually an entire new team and, although Senegal striker Diomansy Kamara was his biggest investment, it is four Northern Ireland stars who will form the spine of the team.
If Fulham are to avoid a repeat of season of struggle, Sanchez knows Chris Baird, Aaron Hughes, Steven Davis and David Healy will have to shine. His future could depend on it.
KEY PLAYER: Antti Niemi. The veteran goalkeeper is still one of the most consistent in the Premiership and could be in for a busy season playing behind a shaky defence.
WIGAN
Manager: Chris Hutchings
Last season: 17th in Premiership, FA Cup third round, League Cup second round
IN: Jason Koumas (West Bromwich) 5.3m, Carlo Nash (Preston) 300,000, Andreas Granqvist (Helsingborgs) undisclosed, Titus Bramble (Newcastle) free, Antoine Sibierski (Newcastle) free, Mario Melchiot (Rennes) free
OUT: Lee McCulloch (Rangers) 2.25m, Arjan De Zeeuw (Coventry) free, Matt Jackson (Watford) free, John Filan (retired)
OUTLOOK: It could be a case of out of the frying pan and into the fire at the JJB Stadium this season as Wigan face up to another fight for survival.
The club's dramatic escape from relegation on the final day was barely a week old when manager Paul Jewell's resignation ended the euphoria.
Losing a man whose ability to keep calm under pressure was crucial in the close weeks was a real blow, but it is the decision to hand his assistant Chris Hutchings the reins that could prove fatal.
Hutchings hardly looks an inspiring choice to build on Jewell's good work. His previous experience of management came in identical circumstances at Bradford when he replaced Jewell, only to be sacked after five months with his team already sliding towards the drop.
Signing error-prone defender Titus Bramble and erratic midfielder Jason Koumas was a brave, or possibly fool-hardy, way for Hutchings to start his bid to erase those bitter Bradford memories.
KEY PLAYER: Henri Camara. One of the league's most frustrating talents, the Senegal striker fluctuates between unstoppable and unwatchable.
SUNDERLAND
Manager: Roy Keane
Last season: Championship winners, FA Cup third round, League Cup first round
IN: Kieran Richardson (Manchester Utd) 5.5m, Michael Chopra (Cardiff) 5m, Greg Halford (Reading) 2.5m, Paul McShane (West Bromwich) 1.5m, Dickson Etuhu (Norwich) 1.5m, Russell Anderson (Aberdeen) 1m
OUT: Stephen Elliott (Wolverhampton) undisclosed, Arnau Riera (Falkirk) free
OUTLOOK: Life in the Premiership has been chastening for Sunderland but Roy Keane's inspirational presence should ensure a far more fulfilling experience this time.
Keane represents one of the more intriguing stories of the season. The former Manchester United midfielder took to management impressively as he hauled the Black Cats from the foot of the table to promotion.
His calm, considered touchline presence is a million miles from the ferocious image he cultivated at Old Trafford.
The enigmatic Irishman's positive approach worked wonders last season but now he has to prove he can cut it at the highest level with a club who have twice set the record of the lowest number of points in a Premiership campaign.
His signing of Michael Chopra raised eyebrows for the size of the fee as well as the striker's Newcastle roots. But Keane has always marched to his own beat and he will believe he can help Sunderland eclipse their local rivals in the national spotlight.
KEY PLAYER: Carlos Edwards. The Trinidad winger has pace to burn and enough tricks to suggest he will be a tricky customer for top-flight defenders.
BIRMINGHAM
Manager: Steve Bruce
Last season: Championship runners-up, FA Cup fourth round, League Cup fourth round
IN: Fabrice Muamba (Arsenal) 4m, Olivier Kapo (Juventus) 3m, Garry O'Connor (Lokomotiv Moscow) 2.7m, Stuart Parnaby (Middlesbrough) free, Daniel de Ridder (Celta Vigo) free, Richard Kingson (Ankaraspor) free, Rafael Schmitz (Lille) season-loan
OUT: DJ Campbell (Leicester) 2.1m, Stephen Clemence (Leicester) 1m, Bruno N'Gotty (Leicester) free, Julian Gray (Coventry) free
OUTLOOK: Steve Bruce is on a mission to make amends for his past mistakes as he aims to prove he has learned the lessons of relegation two years ago.
Bruce tried to establish his side as a genuine Premiership force by signing a string of stars on big contracts. But those high-earners failed to deliver and Birmingham slumped into the Championship.
Relegation left Bruce fighting to save his job and he was within a game of being sacked last season until victory at Derby sparked a promotion charge.
With his St Andrews' stock on the rise again, Bruce has made some intriguing transfers moves that contrast with his previous purchases.
Fabrice Muamba, Olivier Kapo, Garry O'Connor and Stuart Parnaby may not be household names but they will play with a hunger to prove themselves that is certain to be invaluable as Birmingham scrap to stay up.
KEY PLAYER: Gary McSheffrey. A genuine star in the Championship who has to show he can make the step up to the highest level.
DERBY
Manager: Billy Davies
Last season: Third in Championship, promoted via play-offs, FA Cup fifth round, League Cup second round
IN: Robert Earnshaw (Norwich) 3.5m, Claude Davis (Sheffield United) 3m, Tyrone Mears (West Ham) 1m, Lewis Price (Ipswich) undisclosed, Andy Todd (Blackburn) free
OUT: Lee Camp (QPR) 300,000, Ryan Smith (Millwall) 150,000, Lee Grant (Sheffield Wednesday) free, Lewin Nyatanga (Barnsley) six-month loan
OUTLOOK: If Billy Davies can ensure Derby's return to the top-flight is more than a brief cameo appearance he will have justified the flattering comparisons with Sir Alex Ferguson.
Davies had the same Glasgow upbringing and football education as his Manchester United counterpart and the similarities don't end there.
Like Ferguson, the Rams manager is a firebrand with the single-minded determination to impose his will on a club until he gets the success he desires.
The way the Scot transformed Derby from relegation strugglers to play-off winners in just one season underlined his growing reputation, but now he faces his toughest challenge.
Derby are firm favourites to go down and, unable to match their rivals' big spending, Davies has to rely on his ability to cajole another miracle from his over-achievers.
KEY PLAYER: Giles Barnes. The teenage midfielder has already attracted interested from a host of top clubs and now he has the chance to show what all the fuss is about.
AFP
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