With the 2024/25 Premier League season less than two weeks away, our writers make some predictions for the upcoming campaign.
Top scorer
Adrian Clarke: You can’t look past Erling Haaland! I do fancy Alexander Isak to push him close though.
Adrian Kajumba: As long as he is the focal point of a side that creates as many chances as Manchester City do, it’s hard to look beyond Haaland as the Golden Boot winner.
Alex Keble: Haaland. He had a poor season in 2023/24, failing to show up in the big matches, missing plenty of huge chances, and generally looking well below the level we have seen. He still comfortably won the Golden Boot. That says it all.
Ben Bloom: If Haaland does not miss multiple matches, he will score more Premier League goals than anyone else. Only injuries can stop him. Given my top-seven predictions, I would expect Cole Palmer and Isak to score plenty again, while any new Arsenal striker stands a good chance of exceeding 20 goals. But it would be foolish to think anyone can challenge a fully-fit Haaland. He is a cheat code.
Verdict: Top scorer
Clarke: Haaland
Kajumba: Haaland
Keble: Haaland
Bloom: Haaland
Most assists
Adrian Clarke: Martin Odegaard. He’s in the prime of his career and created more chances in open play than anyone else last season. I can see the Norwegian racking up a lot of assists.
Adrian Kajumba: Bruno Fernandes created the most chances in each of the last two seasons, with 119 and then 114 respectively. With a better season expected from Manchester United, Fernandes should get some tangible reward for his efforts.
Alex Keble: Bukayo Saka. He assisted nine goals last season, four fewer than the winner Ollie Watkins, but this season he could have a proper goalscoring No 9 to hit - assuming Arsenal find one before the deadline. That could make the difference.
Ben Bloom: Saka is ridiculously talented. Provide him with a proper goalscoring centre-forward (assuming Arsenal do sign one) and he is likely to rack up plenty of assists. I'd also back Phil Foden, Jeremy Doku and, of course, Kevin De Bruyne, who have the luxury of Haaland in their free-scoring side.
Verdict: Most assists
Clarke: Odegaard
Kajumba: Fernandes
Keble: Saka
Bloom: Saka
Most clean sheets
Adrian Clarke: David Raya – I think he can retain the Golden Glove, as Arsenal have further strengthened their defensive options. The return of Jurrien Timber, and the addition Riccardo Calafiori gives me belief that Arsenal will carry on keeping clean sheets for fun!
Adrian Kajumba: Arsenal’s defence should only be even better after another season together. Raya won the 2023/24 Golden Glove despite a delayed start to his campaign and being ineligible to face his parent club Brentford. There is no reason why he cannot retain it in 2024/25 without those two obstacles to clean sheets.
Alex Keble: Raya. Arsenal kept more clean sheets than anyone else last season and with the addition of a stable presence on the left in Calafiori, Mikel Arteta’s side will only improve at the back.
Ben Bloom: A tricky category to predict because it is based on so many factors in addition to the ability of the recipient. Alisson is as safe a bet as any goalkeeper to win it having excelled in a number of matches last season despite injuries hampering his campaign.
Verdict: Most clean sheets
Clarke: Raya
Kajumba: Raya
Keble: Ederson
Bloom: Alisson
Best player
Adrian Clarke: Declan Rice. He had a magnificent impact on Arsenal in 2023/24, and I see no reason why he won't kick on and improve next season. If Arsenal do win the title, he is guaranteed to play a huge role for Arteta's men.
Adrian Kajumba: Odegaard is already one of the best players in the Premier League. He will have an even stronger defence behind him this season and, by the end of the summer transfer window, potentially more support in midfield and an improved attack to supply too. That would leave the Arsenal captain with the perfect platform to become an even better string-puller for the Gunners and officially the division's brightest star.
Alex Keble: Saka. If, as I've predicted, Arsenal win the title and Saka wins the Playmaker award then surely the 22-year-old - a beloved neutrals' favourite - will win the top gong too. We can certainly bank on him playing a leading role; Saka has received more progressive passes than any other Premier League player in each of the past two seasons.
Ben Bloom: Arsenal captain Odegaard had a brilliant 2023/24 season and has grown into his role as the lynchpin of Arteta’s side. It is not difficult to see him quickly becoming a club legend.
Verdict: Best player
Clarke: Rice
Kajumba: Odegaard
Keble: Saka
Bloom: Odegaard
Best young player
Adrian Clarke: I rate Nottingham Forest defender Murillo and expect him to shine brightly in 2024/25 but my first pick is Harvey Elliott. He’s gained a lot of experience now and looks ready to take the next step and dominate matches for Liverpool. He scores goals, creates chances and has a perfect temperament to star for a huge club. At 21, I see him as being in a similar place to Palmer a year ago, and he looks ready to take centre-stage. If he gets more regular game time, as I believe he will, Elliott will deliver lots of direct goal contributions.
Adrian Kajumba: Kobbie Mainoo made a major impression in half a season coming off a serious injury. With a whole season to make an impression, the 19-year-old is an exciting prospect.
Alex Keble: It’s always given to an exciting attacking player, ruling out someone like Jarrad Branthwaite, and even if Man Utd have another difficult season Alejandro Garnacho will almost certainly improve again. The 20-year-old has been superb in a struggling team. Imagine how good he will be if United improve in 2024/25?
Ben Bloom: Forest only secured Premier League safety last season on the final day, but centre-back Murillo repeatedly caught the eye. He is raw - which is entirely understandable in his first season away from his native Brazil - but his composure, physicality and audacity have seen him linked with a move to one of the sides in the league who are likely to compete for European spots.
Verdict: Best young player
Clarke: Elliott
Kajumba: Mainoo
Keble: Garnacho
Bloom: Murillo
Best manager
Adrian Clarke: Arteta. He’s been brilliant for Arsenal, and now is the moment for his side to go on and claim silverware. If they do, he’ll be Barclays Manager of the Season.
Adrian Kajumba: If he manages to end Man City’s dominance and Arsenal’s long wait to be crowned champions, it will be hard to look beyond Arteta.
Alex Keble: Only once in the last 10 seasons has this award been given to anyone other than the title-winning manager, so to match my previous prediction, Arteta will get the accolade.
Ben Bloom: It’s boring, I know. But Pep Guardiola is crowned Manager of the Season more often than not (only Sir Alex Ferguson has won it more often), and if City win the league in what might turn out to be his final season in charge then he’s nailed on to take it again. I am continually impressed by Thomas Frank at Brentford so will mention him as well, but he won’t win it.
Verdict: Best manager
Clarke: Arteta
Kajumba: Arteta
Keble: Arteta
Bloom: Guardiola
Best signing of the summer
Adrian Clarke: Man City's newest signing Savinho looks like a seriously exciting prospect. He was sensational for Girona last season. I can see the 20-year-old thrilling fans at Etihad Stadium. A winger, who reportedly cost £30million, with this much potential looks a steal.
Adrian Kajumba: Archie Gray is young, gifted, versatile, mature beyond his years and reasonably priced by today’s standards at a reported £30million. If this this upward trajectory continues, his price may look like a bargain in time which their rivals look enviously at.
Alex Keble: Joshua Zirkzee. Man Utd’s new centre-forward has been compared to Ronaldinho by his old manager Thiago Motta, but beyond the obvious star quality I’m intrigued to see if an intelligent "false nine" allows Erik ten Hag to finally get the tactics right.
Ben Bloom: A few seasons ago, when he broke into the Arsenal line-up and was called up for England duty, it would have been unthinkable that Emile Smith Rowe would end up at Fulham. But football careers sometimes take odd detours. He has class in abundance and can run the show at Fulham.
Verdict: Best signing
Clarke: Savinho
Kajumba: Gray
Keble: Zirkzee
Bloom: Smith Rowe