With the new Premier League season only days away premierleague.com casts an eye over all 20 clubs competing in the 2016/17 campaign.
Chelsea
Under the stewardship of new head coach Antonio Conte, Chelsea will be aiming to be back on top of the Premier League table after a trying 2014/15. With new signings at Stamford Bridge and a lighter schedule due to no European football, expectations will be high in west London.
Highest finishing position
The Blues have participated in all 24 seasons of the Premier League since its inception in 1992, winning the title on four occasions in the last 11 years.
Signings
Chelsea have made two signings this summer so far, with the acquisition of Michy Batshuayi from Marseille adding to the strong Belgian core at Stamford Bridge and providing an agile contrast to Diego Costa.
N'Golo Kante, meanwhile, represents one of the best transfers of the window as the Blues have drafted in the Premier League’s top tackler and interceptor of 2015/16.
Expected formation
Conte often deployed a 5-3-2 system to devastating effect during his time at Juventus but he is not adverse to setting his teams up in a 4-4-2.
Having evaluated his Chelsea squad the Italian coach has used a 4-4-2/4-2-4 formation throughout pre-season - notably utilising Ruben Loftus-Cheek as a striker - but expect the Blues to be versatile in 2016/17.
Managers
Conte will be the 15th coach to take charge of Chelsea in the Premier League era when they welcome West Ham United to Stamford Bridge on Monday 15 August.
The most successful Blues manager in the PL is three-time title winner Jose Mourinho, who also boasts the best win percentage of any Premier League manager of all-time - 66% with a record of 140 wins in 212 matches.
Last season
Chelsea's 2015/16 season was the worst title defence in PL history, as the west-London club finished in 10th place - their lowest since placing 11th in 1995/96.
Nonetheless, there were encouraging signs after the arrival of Guus Hiddink and a number of players, most notably 2014/15 PFA Player of the Year Eden Hazard, rediscovered their best form towards the end of the term.
Pre-season form
Conte's first match at the helm ended in a 2-0 defeat by Rapid Vienna but the match came only 14 days after the 47-year-old's Italy were knocked out of UEFA Euro 2016.
Since then Chelsea have beaten WAC RZ Pellets 3-0 and Liverpool 1-0 in the International Champions Cup, the latter coming despite Cesc Fabregas' sending-off.
Hazard scored twice in a narrow 3-2 defeat at the hands of European champions Real Madrid, while Oscar hit a brace in a 3-1 victory over AC Milan in which Bertrand Traore also found the net.
Significant injuries
Diego Costa missed the majority of the club's tour of the US with a back injury but has since returned to full training.
Long-term absentee Kurt Zouma could be back in action by early September after suffering a rupture to his anterior cruciate ligament in his knee in February.
Branislav Ivanovic is the only other casualty and could miss out on Chelsea's Premier League opener after dislocating his shoulder last month.
What the manager says
"It's important to come back with the right enthusiasm. I understand after a bad season there is a bit of sadness with the players, the club and the fans, but I can assure there will be a great passion to change the situation.
"I know the club will stay with me; we are together with every decision, good or bad. I think that's the most important thing and a good spot to start."
Did you know?
Playermaker Fabregas made more passes, 2,829, than any other Premier League player in the 2015/16 season.
Chelsea v West Ham United: Pre-match statistics and head-to-head record
