PREMIER LEAGUE 2017-18: Guide to teams, movement of players
LONDON (AP) A guide to the teams and key movement of players ahead of the new English Premier League season, which starts on Friday:
ARSENAL
Manager: Arsene Wenger
Last season: 5th
Nickname: The Gunners
Ground: Emirates Stadium
Capacity: 60,432
Main signings: Defender Sead Kolasinac (Schalke), striker Alexandre Lacazette (Lyon)
Main departures: Goalkeeper Wojciech Szczesny (Juventus), striker Yaya Sanogo (Toulouse)
Key player: Striker Alexis Sanchez
Prospects: Arsene Wenger has signed on for another two seasons, having won the FA Cup despite missing out on the Champions League for the first time in two decades. Now the focus in returning to Europe's elite and challenging for a first league title since 2004.
BOURNEMOUTH
Manager: Eddie Howe
Last season: 9th
Nickname: The Cherries
Ground: Vitality Stadium
Capacity: 11,464
Main signings: Striker Jermain Defoe (Sunderland), defender Nathan Ake (Chelsea), goalkeeper Asmir Begovic (Chelsea).
Main departures: Goalkeeper Ryan Allsop (Blackpool, loan)
Key player: Striker Jermain Defoe
Prospects: The south-coast side cemented its top-flight status with a top-half finish in its second season in the Premier League. Breaking the club transfer record to spend 20 million ($26 million) on Ake should add to Bournemouth's defensive resilience.
BRIGHTON
Manager: Chris Hughton
Last season: Promoted as League Championship runners-up
Nickname: The Seagulls
Ground: Amex Stadium
Capacity: 30,750
Main signings: Midfielder Davy Propper (PSV Eindhoven), goalkeeper Mathew Ryan (Valencia), defender Markus Suttner (Ingolstadt), midfielder Pascal Gross (Ingolstadt)
Main departures: Goalkeeper David Stockdale (Birmingham)
Key player: Winger Anthony Knockaert
Prospects: Chris Hughton has experience of just how hard it can be trying to keep a team in the Premier League, having previously coached Newcastle and Norwich. Brighton is in the top-flight for the first time since 1983.
BURNLEY
Manager: Sean Dyche
Last season: 16th
Nickname: The Clarets
Ground: Turf Moor
Capacity: 22,546
Main signings: Midfielder Jack Cork (Swansea), striker Jon Walters (Stoke)
Main departures: Defender Michael Keane (Everton), midfielder Joey Barton (released)
Key player: Striker Sam Vokes
Prospects: Having secured a second season in the Premier League, Sean Dyche's side has to improve its form away from Turf Moor. Burnley collected 33 of its 44 points at home.
CHELSEA
Manager: Antonio Conte
Last season: Champions
Nickname: The Blues
Ground: Stamford Bridge
Capacity: 41,663
Main signings: Striker Alvaro Morata (Real Madrid), midfielder Tiemoue Bakayoko (Monaco), defender Antonio Rudiger (Roma), goalkeeper Willy Caballero (Manchester City)
Main departures: Defender John Terry (Aston Villa), defender Nathan Ake (Bournemouth), winger Juan Cuadrado (Juventus), goalkeeper Asmir Begovic (Bournemouth), forward Bertrand Traore (Lyon), midfielder Nathaniel Chalobah (Watford), striker Dominic Solanke (Liverpool, compensation), midfielder Nemanja Matic (Manchester United)
Key player: Winger Eden Hazard
Prospects: Without any European distractions last season, Chelsea cruised to the title by seven points. Conte enters his second season in charge in irritable mood after a row over the future of Diego Costa, the striker he is trying to offload.
CRYSTAL PALACE
Manager: Frank de Boer
Last season: 14th
Nickname: The Eagles
Ground: Selhurst Park
Capacity: 26,309
Main signings: Midfielder Ruben Loftus-Cheek (Chelsea, loan), defender Jairo Riedewald (Ajax).
Main departures: Goalkeeper Steve Mandanda (Marseille), striker Fraizer Campbell (Hull).
Key player: Winger Wilfried Zaha
Prospects: The unexpected departure of Sam Allardyce and arrival of Dutch coach Frank de Boer heralds a new era at Selhurst Park which has seen three mangers in a year.
EVERTON
Manager: Ronald Koeman
Last season: 7th
Nickname: The Toffees
Ground: Goodison Park
Capacity: 40,569
Main signings: Striker Wayne Rooney (Manchester United), goalkeeper Jordan Pickford (Sunderland), defender Michael Keane (Burnley), midfielder Davy Klaassen (Ajax), forward Sandro Ramirez (Malaga), defender Cuco Martina (Southampton)
Main departures: striker Romelu Lukaku (Manchester United), winger Gerard Deulofeu (Barcelona), midfielder Tom Cleverley (Watford)
Key player: Striker Wayne Rooney
Prospects: As well as the coup of securing an Everton return for Wayne Rooney, Ronald Koeman has made some astute additions - notably defender Michael Keane - that should see the side push for the top six again.
HUDDERSFIELD
Manager: David Wagner
Last season: Promoted via Championship playoffs
Nickname: The Terriers
Ground: John Smith's Stadium
Capacity: 24,554
Main signings: Striker Steve Mounie (Montpellier), midfielder Aaron Mooy (Manchester City), midfielder Tom Ince (Derby), defender Mathias Jorgensen (FC Copenhagen), forward Laurent Depoitre (Porto), midfielder Danny Williams (Reading), goalkeeper Jonas Lossl (Mainz, loan)
Main departures: defender Tareiq Holmes-Dennis (Portsmouth, loan)
Key player: Center back Christopher Schindler
Prospects: David Wagner has been active spending the windfall secured by Huddersfield returning to the top-flight for the first time since 1972 - 20 years before the inception of the Premier League.
LEICESTER
Manager: Craig Shakespeare
Last season: 12th
Nickname: The Foxes
Ground: KP Stadium
Capacity: 32,500
Main signings: Defender Harry Maguire (Hull), midfielder Vicente Iborra (Sevilla), goalkeeper Eldin Jakupovic (Hull)
Main departures: Goalkeeper Ron-Robert Zieler (Stuttgart), winger Bartosz Kapustka (Freiburg)
Key player: Playmaker Riyad Mahrez
Prospects: Following the the tumult of plunging into a relegation struggle months after astonishingly winning the league, Leicester will seek a return to stability with Craig Shakespeare in permanent charge. It will be a reality check as well, with no Champions League games this season.
LIVERPOOL
Manager: Juergen Klopp
Last season: 4th
Nickname: The Reds
Ground: Anfield
Capacity: 54,074
Main signings: Winger Mohamed Salah (Roma), striker Dominic Solanke (Chelsea)
Main departures: Midfeilder Lucas Leiva (Lazio), defender Andre Wisdom (Derby)
Key player: Attacking midfielder Philippe Coutinho
Prospects: After squeezing back into Champions League contention, Liverpool's first task will be successfully negotiating the playoff this month to make the group stage. Liverpool's spending has been significantly eclipsed by most title rivals.
MANCHESTER CITY
Manager: Pep Guardiola
Last season: 3rd
Nickname: City
Ground: Etihad Stadium
Capacity: 55,097
Main signings: Defender Danilo (Manchester City), defender Kyle Walker (Tottenham), midfielder Bernardo Silva (Monaco), goalkeeper Ederson (Benfica), midfielder Douglas Luiz (Vasco De Gama)
Main departures: Goalkeeper Joe Hart (West Ham, loan), defender Pablo Zabaleta (released), defender Gael Clichy (released), winger Jesus Navas (released), goalkeeper Willy Caballero (released), defender Bacary Sagna (released)
Key player: Striker Sergio Aguero
Prospects: After coming up short both at home and in Europe last season, Pep Guardiola moved quickly to spend heavily - more than 200 million pounds ($260 million) - to ensure City mounts more credible challenges on multiple fronts this season.
MANCHESTER UNITED
Manager: Jose Mourinho
Last season: 6th
Nickname: The Red Devils
Ground: Old Trafford
Capacity: 75,643
Main signings: Striker Romelu Lukaku (Everton), defender Victor Lindelof (Benfica), midfielder Nemanja Matic (Chelsea)
Main departures: Striker Wayne Rooney (Everton), winger Adnan Januzaj (Real Sociedad)
Key player: Striker Romelu Lukaku
Prospects: Out went long-standing captain Wayne Rooney but coming in the opposite direction from Everton was Romelu Lukaku for 75 million pounds ($98 million) who should provide greater firepower up front as United seeks a return to the top four. It took winning the Europa League to secure a return to the Champions League.
NEWCASTLE
Manager: Rafael Benitez
Last season: Promoted as Championship winners
Nickname: Magpies
Ground: St James' Park
Capacity: 52,401
Main signings: Winger Jacob Murphy (Norwich), defender Florian Lejeune (Eibar), winger Christian Atsu (Chelsea), defender Stefan O'Connor (Arsenal)
Main departures: Winger Florian Thauvin (Marseille), goalkeeper Matz Sels (Anderlecht, loan)
Key player: Striker Dwight Gayle
Prospects: After managing to get Newcastle straight back into the Premier League, Rafael Benitez could immediately be embroiled in a relegation scrap unless further cash is invested in the squad before the Aug. 31 transfer deadline day.
SOUTHAMPTON
Manager: Mauricio Pellegrino
Last season: 8th
Nickname: The Saints
Ground: St Mary's Stadium
Capacity: 32,689
Main signings: Defender Jan Bednarek (Lech Poznan)
Main departures: Striker Jay Rodriguez (West Bromwich Albion), defender Cuco Martina (Everton).
Key player: Midfielder Nathan Redmond
Prospects: Leading Southampton to the League Cup final wasn't enough for Claude Puel to keep his job as manager. Although Mauricio Pellegrino is experiencing English football for the first time, the Argentine coach will be expected to secure a top-half finish without the low-key tone of Puel's tenure.
STOKE
Manager: Mark Hughes
Last season: 13th
Nickname: The Potters
Ground: Bet365 Stadium
Capacity: 30,183
Main signings: Defender Kurt Zouma (Chelsea, loan), midfielder Darren Fletcher (West Brom), defender Josh Tymon (Hull)
Main departures: Forward Marko Arnautovic (West Ham), striker Jon Walters (Burnley)
Key player: Winger Xherdan Shaqiri
Prospects: Following consistent improvement under the guidance of Mark Hughes, Stoke's run of six losses from the final 10 matches was a significant disappointment. However, adding the experience of veteran midfielder Darren Fletcher should improve a side based around technical skill as well as hard graft.
SWANSEA
Manager: Paul Clement
Last season: 15th
Nickname: The Swans
Ground: Liberty Stadium
Capacity: 20,972
Main signings: Midfielder Roque Mesa (Las Palmas), striker Tammy Abraham (Chelsea, loan), goalkeeper Erwin Mulder (Heerenveen)
Main departures: Midfielder Jack Cork (Burnley), striker Bafetimbi Gomis (Galatasaray)
Key player: Midfielder Gylfi Sigurdsson
Prospects: Paul Clement endured a survival struggle after being parachuted into the managerial hot seat in January. His hopes of leading Swansea back up the standings depend on whether Gylfi Sigurdsson can be kept in south Wales before deadline day.
TOTTENHAM
Manager: Mauricio Pochettino
Last season: 2nd
Nickname: Spurs
Ground: Wembley Stadium
Capacity: 90,000
Main signings: None.
Main departures: Defender Kyle Walker (Manchester City), midfielder Nabil Bentaleb (Shalke), winger Clinton N'jie (Marseille), defender Federico Fazio (Roma)
Key player: Playmaker Dele Alli
Prospects: After coming up short in the title race for a second successive season, can Mauricio Pochettino's thrilling young side be as competitive in this campaign without the squad being strengthened? Tottenham will also have to cope with playing at Wembley while White Hart Lane is redeveloped.
WATFORD
Manager: Marco Silva
Last season: 17th
Nickname: The Hornets
Ground: Vicarage Road
Capacity: 23,700
Main signings: Midfielder Will Hughes (Derby), midfielder Tom Cleverley (Everton), midfielder Nathaniel Chalobah (Chelsea), defender Kiko Femenia (Alaves)
Main departures: Defensive midfielder Mario Suarez (Guizhou Hengfeng Zhicheng), striker Mathias Ranegie (released)
Key player: Striker Troy Deeney
Prospects: Watford looked set for a top-half finish before collapsing, costing Walter Mazzarri his job. Marco Silva was hired despite being relegated with Hull. There is little job security at Watford. So unless Silva's side impresses to the end of the season, Watford could again be looking for a new manager.
WEST BROMWICH ALBION
Manager: Tony Pulis
Last season: 10th
Nickname: The Baggies
Ground: The Hawthorns
Capacity: 26,850
Main signings: Striker Jay Rodriguez (Southampton), defender Ahmed Hegazi (Al Ahly, loan)
Main departures: Midfielder Darren Fletcher (Stoke), defender Sebastien Pocognoli (Standard Liege)
Key player: Midfielder Nacer Chadli
Prospects: The lack of significant investment in the squad could hamper Tony Pulis' bid to build on West Brom's best finish in four years.
WEST HAM
Manager: Slaven Bilic
Last season: 11th
Nickname: The Hammers
Ground: Olympic Stadium
Capacity: 57,000
Main signings: Forward Javier Hernandez (Bayer Leverkusen), forward Marko Arnautovic (Stoke), goalkeeper Joe Hart (Manchester City, loan), defender Pablo Zabaleta (Manchester City)
Main departures: Defensive midfielder Havard Nordtveit (Hoffenheim), forward Enner Valencia (Tigres)
Key player: Forward Marko Arnautovic
Prospects: After slowly becoming accustomed to life away from Upton Park, West Ham ended last season positively with just one defeat from the final seven league matches. The platform has been provided, with the investment, for West Ham to push for a top-six finish and European qualification.
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