With a new season upon us, our writers’ are back to provide their predictions for the 2024/25 campaign, an annual feature designed to make fools – or geniuses – of The Football Faithful team.
Our writers’ predictions for the 2024/25 season:
Player of the Season
Harry Diamond: Martin Odegaard. The Arsenal captain is one of the most watchable footballers in the league and I think he’ll have a huge say on his side’s season. Odegaard has got better and better in North London and this will be the campaign the one-time wonderkid confirms his status as a world-class talent.
Ste McGovern: Martin Odegaard. If Arsenal win the Premier League – and I think they have an excellent chance of winning it – he will be the key cog in the team’s drive for glory.
Most chances created from open play in the Premier League last season:
???? Martin Odegaard (88)
???? Bruno Fernandes (75)
???? Bukayo Saka (69)Who will top the charts this season? ???? pic.twitter.com/YBITdvFwKV
— Football on TNT Sports (@footballontnt) August 16, 2024
Vishnu Anandraj: Bukayo Saka. Like Arsenal as a whole, Saka has steadily improved season after season. This could be the year where he truly explodes in terms of goal output. I worry that he’s been overplayed significantly in his short career and could suffer injuries, but if he stays fit, he might take the jump that brings Arsenal from challengers to winners.
Jude Deedigan: Declan Rice: I think Arsenal will claim top spot and Declan Rice will be at the heart of that with his all-encompassing displays in the heart of midfield. Fellow Arsenal midfielder Martin Odegaard is also a strong contender, but I think Rice will shine this season and will assume a leadership role for The Gunners.
Ranked – The five favourites to be Premier League player of the year
Best transfer signing
HD: Niclas Fullkrug. At 31, I’m not sure he’ll be the best signing but this is an addition I really like. I’ve always been hugely impressed with the German goal-getter whenever I’ve watched him, a number nine in the traditional mould. With the right service, I think he’ll enjoy himself at West Ham this season.
SM: Jean-Clair Todibo. An excellent piece of business by West Ham to beat some top clubs to the French defender’s signature this past summer.
West Ham United is delighted to announce the signing of France international defender Jean-Clair Todibo ????????
The 24-year-old joins the Hammers from Ligue 1 club OGC Nice on an initial season-long loan, with an option to make the transfer permanent in summer 2025.
— West Ham United (@WestHam) August 10, 2024
VA: Amadou Onana. After losing Douglas Luiz, it seemed likely that Aston Villa were going to fall into the time-old trap of getting stripped of their best assets by historically bigger clubs. Onana helps them avoid that, and he’s simultaneously someone who can immediately come in and perform at a high level while having an immensely high ceiling for improvement.
JD: Jean-Clair Todibo. West Ham United have pushed the boat out this summer, splashing the cash on several high-profile transfers. The pick of the bunch is the highly-rated Todibo. The 24-year-old was linked with several clubs but Tim Steidten flew to Nice personally to hijack his transfer to Juventus. I think he’ll flourish in East London.
Read – The most exciting non-Big Six Premier League transfers
Biggest transfer flop
HD: Take your pick from Chelsea’s kiss-enough-frogs recruitment process. It’s been bonkers (again) from the Blues.
SM: Pedro Neto. The Portuguese winger will play well for Chelsea when he’s fit and available. The problem is he probably won’t be fit and available for half the season if past evidence is anything to go by.
VA: Pedro Neto. This has less to do with Neto as a player and more to do with his lack of fitness, the utter mayhem of Chelsea’s squad, the uncertainties of Maresca’s tactics, and the whopping fee the Blues paid for him.
The hard work starts now, Pedro. ???? pic.twitter.com/Xs0jgqHgur
— Chelsea FC (@ChelseaFC) August 14, 2024
JD: Pedro Neto. Now before you complain, I think Pedro Neto is quality. Absolute quality. But is spending north of £50 million on a player who has only played 50 league games and scored only three league goals in three years really a good idea? Injuries have riddled the Portuguese’s career and in a Chelsea team which lacks cohesion, I believe he’ll struggle to show his true talents.
Read – Eight talking points ahead of the Premier League weekend
Golden Boot winner
HD: Erling Haaland. Only injury can stop him.
SM: Erling Haaland. I think it’ll be a massive year goals-wise for Alexander Isak, but there’s no looking past the Norwegian.
VA: Erling Haaland. Apart from an ageing Jamie Vardy, Haaland is the only number nine in the league to consistently get more than 20 goals multiple times. I think even if the likes of Son, Salah, and Saka have strong seasons, the Norwegian’s primacy at City — especially with the departure of Alvarez — will lead him to another Golden Boot.
JD: Erling Haaland is an irrepressible force but I think one man can stop him from claiming a three-peat. That man is Alexander Isak. This Newcastle team excites me for this next season and if the Swede could easily win the Golden Boot.
Read – The favourites to win the Premier League Golden Boot
Best young player
HD: Archie Gray. The 18-year-old could thrive under Ange-ball and outline just why he’s regarded as one of English football’s best up-and-comers.
SM: Yankuba Minteh. A really exciting youngster who should shine brightly for Brighton this season following his move from Newcastle.
Yankuba’s first goal in blue and white! ???????? pic.twitter.com/gqpLq4G7OD
— Brighton & Hove Albion (@OfficialBHAFC) July 24, 2024
VA: Kobbie Mainoo. This is a boring pick, but with a whole season to play, Mainoo will shine regardless of United’s performances. Especially if they fail to bolster their midfield, they will need his composure and press resistance all season long.
JD: Yankuba Minteh. This 20-year-old may be unknown to many but I think he’ll be a household name come the end of the season. Brighton parted ways with £35 million to purchase Minteh from Newcastle (despite him never making a senior appearance for the Magpies), but I believe he will be worth every single penny. In a Brighton team that focuses their play primarily around wingers, Minteh could explode this year.
Ranked – The best Premier League kits we’ll see in 2024/25
Biggest fall from grace
HD: Brentford. I have a sneaky feeling the Bees might find themselves in trouble this season.
SM: Man City when the 115 charges levied against them by the Premier League are finally adjudicated. That being said, they will appeal and any potential punishments will be kicked further down the road (again).
VA: West Ham. The shift from Moyes to Lopetegui is a significant one tactically, and the teething issues that may result from that could lead to a drop in performance. On expected goal differential last year, they were also much closer to the relegation zone than their ninth-place finish showed.
JD: Mohamed Salah. I think this is the year that his body finally starts to catch up with him. The 32-year-old is, for me, the best African player in Premier League history but as he enters the twilight of his career, I think he’ll struggle to break double figures for goals in the Premier League. He’s lost a yard of pace and his finishing isn’t quite as ruthless. He’s set such high standards that anything less than 10 goals would be seen as a fall from grace.
Surprise package
HD: Kalvin Phillips. This is based on little else but the common sense logic that you don’t become a bad player overnight. A fresh environment in Kieran McKenna’s adventurous Ipswich Town team could be just what the doctor ordered.
SM: Nicolas Jackson. I think the much-derided Chelsea forward will have a much-improved campaign and prove a lot of people wrong.
Nicolas Jackson #CFC pic.twitter.com/7CRmHXgMYh
— CFC Pics (@Mohxmmad) August 16, 2024
VA: Lucas Bergvall. The 18-year-old has shone for Spurs in pre-season, immediately looks first-team ready, and possesses a level of technical skill that could be incredibly useful for Ange Postecoglu’s side.
JD: Despite only earning promotion through the playoffs, I think this Southampton side under Russell Martin are the best suited for Premier League football out of the three promoted teams. Their style of play is measured and precise and they’ve recruited smartly.
Read – The worst Premier League kits in 2024/25
Premier League Champions
HD: Arsenal. Mikel Arteta’s team have learned hard lessons, mastered defensive unity and set-pieces, and are evolving in unison. This can be their year.
SM: Arsenal. They’ve put together a team that is right there with Man City and they can pip them this season.
VA: Arsenal. Like last year, this title race will likely boil down to a few games. I think with a further year of experience for their young squad, some new additions to bolster an already impressive defence and a Manchester City side who are ageing in certain positions, this could finally be Arsenal’s year by the smallest of margins.
JD: Arsenal. I think this campaign is finally the year the Gunners get their hands on the Premier League trophy for the first time in over two decades. Mikel Arteta has been building this project for several years now, with each season showing improvement from the last. They’ve spent a fair bit of cash in recent times, and I think this is the year that Arteta usurps Guardiola’s Manchester City. The student becomes the master.
Top four
HD: Arsenal, Man City, Liverpool, Spurs.
SM: Arsenal, Man City, Liverpool, Spurs.
VA: Arsenal, Manchester City, Liverpool, Tottenham.
JD: Arsenal, Manchester City, Tottenham, Manchester United.
Bottom three
HD: Brentford, Southampton, Leicester.
SM: Ipswich Town, Southampton, Leicester City.
VA: Southampton, Leicester City, Ipswich Town
JD: Leicester City, Nottingham Forest, Ipswich Town. I have never liked the Nottingham Forest model and I think they’ve been fortunate the last two campaigns that the teams around them were dreadful. I really like Ipswich Town and I think Kieran McKenna is a top manager, but I just think the Tractor Boys won’t quite have enough, similar to Luton Town last term.
First manager sacked
HD: Enzo Maresca. An inexperienced manager appointed at a chaotic and cut-throat Chelsea. A recipe for disaster.
“Enzo Maresca has got his hands full with this football club… I don’t see us having a good season”
Mikel John Obi is NOT feeling confident about the chances of his former side Chelsea this year!#beINPL #CFC pic.twitter.com/rrZcggz4ao
— beIN SPORTS (@beINSPORTS_EN) August 16, 2024
SM: Steve Cooper. Hiring a manager whose previous club was a local rival is always fraught with danger. Leicester City could struggle early doors and the heat will be on the Welsh coach.
VA: Marco Silva. This may be a bit bold, given that Silva did very well last year to keep Fulham away from the relegation battle, but their underlying numbers have been poor and the loss of Joao Palhinha could be debilitating defensively and from set pieces.
JD: Enzo Maresca. The sacking of Mauricio Pochettino and the subsequent hiring of Maresca was peculiar, a lot like many of Chelsea’s decisions under the reign of Todd Boehly. Boehly is ruthless and Maresca, like those that came before him, will struggle to produce results quickly enough to survive the chopping block.
Read – The most expensive transfer sales by Premier League clubs
Champions League winners
HD: Real Madrid. The European champions have the history, and talent and have added arguably the world’s finest footballer to their arsenal over the summer.
SM: Real Madrid. It’s inevitable at this point.
Primer tituló con el mejor club del mundo !!!! Vamos por más !!!!
¡HalaMadrid! ???????????? @realmadrid pic.twitter.com/ruksazaB8U— Kylian Mbappé (@KMbappe) August 14, 2024
VA: Atletico Madrid. I have a habit of overestimating Atletico in the Champions League, but I think Diego Simeone has transitioned the team to a more proactive style while retaining their physicality and ruggedness. Julian Alvarez is a high-profile, smart addition, and in Antoine Griezmann they have a truly elite striker. If they get a strong draw, it could finally be El Cholo’s year.
JD: Real Madrid. How’d you look past a team consisting of Kylian Mbappe, Jude Bellingham and Vinicius Jr? Los Blancos boast countless world-class players in their roster and with the return of the world’s best keeper, Thibaut Courtois, from injury, they will be unstoppable.
Read – Five young players to watch in the Premier League this season
See more – Six Premier League players who have impressed in pre-season
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