Manchester City and Liverpool spend big as they eye Arsenal's crown
Manchester City and Liverpool have overhauled their squads in the summer transfer window in hopes of challenging Arsenal for the title, though both clubs still face unresolved issues.
Manchester City has undergone a major transformation after a decade under Pep Guardiola, who was replaced by Enzo Maresca. Several key figures have departed, including Rodri, Bernardo Silva, John Stones and Jack Grealish, alongside Savio, Omar Marmoush, Nico Gonzalez, James Trafford, Nathan Ake and Tijjani Reijnders.
Despite the upheaval, the club has been aggressive in the transfer market to rebuild for a title challenge. City paid £125m, equalling the British transfer record, to reunite Maresca with Enzo Fernandez, having already spent £116m on England midfielder Elliot Anderson from Nottingham Forest. The squad was further strengthened by Iliman Ndiaye from Everton for £65m, 18-year-old Moroccan talent Ayyoub Bouaddi from Lille for £85.6m, and Allan Elias from Brazilian club Palmeiras.
In total, City's spending this window reached a Premier League record of £458m, surpassing Liverpool's £415m record set last summer. However, the club also generated around £300m in player sales, reflecting a significant squad turnover as the post-Guardiola era begins.
Liverpool looks to fill the Salah void
Liverpool's main challenge this summer was compensating for Mohamed Salah's departure at the end of last season while also integrating new manager Andoni Iraola, who replaced the sacked Arne Slot. Bradley Barcola, signed from Paris Saint-Germain for £123m, was the club's primary target — a fast, creative player, though not a direct replacement for Salah since he prefers operating on the left.
The squad also gained Victor Munoz, a member of Spain's World Cup-winning squad, who has already impressed with a spectacular equaliser in a 2-2 draw against Nottingham Forest. Rather than seeking a single direct Salah replacement, Liverpool's approach has been to spread goal-scoring responsibility across several wide players.
However, opening draws against Newcastle United and Nottingham Forest exposed a problem identified last season — the lack of a natural defensive midfielder — leaving the team vulnerable to counter-attacks.
