We're in the final straight here and that means Sunderland, Tottenham, West Ham, Wigan and Wolves. One manager is shopping at Harrods this summer - no prizes for guessing which one...
SUNDERLAND
Budget: Steve Bruce says he's shopping at Harrod's rather than Tesco, and that reportedly means a £50m budget for a man used to being given about a fifth of that amount.
On Their Way Out? Dwight Yorke has already gone along with a handful of fringe players out of contract, while Djibril Cisse's loan spell will not be renewed. Sunderland are in a position to resist any offers for Kenwyne Jones, but they might decide it's time for a parting of the ways with captain Dean Whitehead.
What They Need: The priorities for Steve Bruce will be at centre-half and centre-forward with a couple of new recruits needed at both ends of the pitch, with Titus Bramble, Richard Dunne and Darren Bent among the names being mentioned. But this is Bruce we're talking about so there will be some names that only avid readers of World Soccer may recognise.
Expect six or seven new recruits to a team that looked poor last season, with leadership in central midfield and genuine pace on the wings two of the hallmarks of a Bruce side. To that end, Lee Cattermole may follow him back to the north-east, while we're pretty sure there's someone in Honduras/Ecuador who can play on the right with Kieran Richardson on the left.
TOTTENHAM
Budget: "If can get the three players I want in the summer I think we will have a terrific team that can really push on next season. I reckon it will take £30milllion to get them and I'll have to balance the books by selling four or more," said Harry Redknapp, suggesting that he will need to sell before he can buy after his January splurge.
On Their Way Out? The following have been linked with exits - deep breath - David Bentley, Roman Pavlyuchenko, Darren Bent, Gareth Bale, Didier Zakora, Giovani Dos Santos, Ricardo Rocha, Kevin-Prince Boateng, Gilberto, Jermaine Jenas, Tom Huddlestone, Jamie O'Hara, Chris Gunter and Pascal Chimbonda. Which leaves a three-man squad.
What They Need: In revealing a failed attempt to sign Gareth Barry, Redknapp has let us know one of his three priorities for the summer - a midfield partner for Wilson Palacios, with Jermaine Jenas and Tom Huddlestone both failing to convince and likely to be sold on to raise funds.
Elsewhere, they need a centre-half to offer support for the famously-crocked pairing of Jonathan Woodgate and Ledley King, and a striker, with Redknapp leaning towards a more physical presence to dovetail with Robbie Keane or Jermain Defoe. Names in that particular large frame include Edin Dzeko, Nikola Zigic and Roque Santa Cruz.
WEST HAM
Budget: West Ham's chief executive Scott Duxbury insists there is money to spend despite the takeover from an Icelandic asset management group. We would take a guess at money in the region of £15m.
On Their Way Out? Lucas Neill, Lee Bowyer and Diego Tristan have already gone and the return of various loan players including David Di Michele and Radoslav Kovac leaves them short on numbers. They may face a battle to keep hold of Matthew Upson, who is craving Champions League football.
What They Need: The Hammers have said that Gianfranco Zola has identified three positions for strengthening but we can see four or five gaps. Top of the list would be either one of two centre-halves depending on Upson's future, a right-back to replace the departing Neill and some genuine pace in midfield - Luis Jiménez is one name mentioned.
But surely the departures of Di Michele and Tristan leave them woefully short up front - a lot (too much?) will be expected of £9m Savio unless they can bring in a partner for Carlton Cole. The Hammers will probably once again look to the loan market because for all their bullish talk of financial stability, the club's accidental owners are unlikely to sanction big signings.
WIGAN
Budget: Assuming Luis Antonio Valencia goes for £16m or so, Wigan will have taken over £35m in two transfer windows. But Bruce hinted at a budget cut this summer before he left for pastures new, so new boss Roberto Martinez could get as little as £10m to spend.
On Their Way Out? Valencia, of course, but Paul Scharner has openly said he wants out of the club, while there are whispers about Titus Bramble wanting to follow Bruce to Sunderland. Henri Camara has left and loan spells for Mido and Amr Zaki have come to an end.
What They Need: Above all else, strikers - they have only Hugo Rodallega and Marlon King on their books. Two strikers would be the minumum, and lazy hacks will of course suggest Swansea's Jason Scotland as one of those names. Elsewhere on the pitch, Valencia will leave a big gap on the right wing (Jermaine Pennant, anyone?) while possible exits for Scharner and Bramble make centre-half another priority position. There is some major re-building work to be done on a budget that will barely pay for foundations.
WOLVES
Budget: Boss Mick McCarthy has hinted at Stoke's budget to stay in the Premier League so expect something similar in the region of £25m. He has also said: "I would imagine that the money there for transfers will be spent. How do you define 'going for it?' Paying a transfer fee of £7million and paying someone £50,000 a week? We're not going to leave £10million, or £3million or £4million in the bank. If there's money there, we'll spend it." Having been given very little money to keep Sunderland up the last time he was in the Premier League, he knows he needs more.
On Their Way Out? A couple of fringe players may exit but that will only happen later in the summer.
What They Need: Only a handful of players have genuine Premier League experience and McCarthy has made it clear he needs to bring in experience - Hermann Hreidarsson and Marcus Hahnemann are two names linked that give you an idea of his thinking. But they very particularly need pace in defence (Jody Craddock is far from being top-flight quality), strength and leadership in midfield and a target man up front as Chris Iwelumo is likely to be found at at this level. Oh and a speedy partner to take the pressure off Sylvain Ebanks-Blake. They had to draft in Marlon Harewood on loan last season, but he's far from the answer in the Premier League. Red Star Belgrade captain Nenad Milijas is expected to be the first name through the door, while Ronald Zubar and Coventry defender Scott Dann have also been mentioned.
They may have come up as champions but they may well be the least-equipped to survive.
Sarah Winterburn
Your Comments
rh6462
"Steve_jonesuk: maybe the fact that we have a few players (not many, but a few) who have done well in the prem already- I'm thinking McFadden, Larsson, Johnson, O'Connor (when fit), even Stephen Carr, as much as other fans seem to find us signing him hilarious. Plus we've made a couple of statements of intent by splashing record fees, admittedly on an Ecuadorian I've never heard of and a defender from the Championship, but it's nice to see the board going for it anyway!
That said, I think a lot of your young players will make the grade, so the experienced players you are being linked with, whilst maybe not being too exciting, would do the job perfectly for you.
As it stands, I think we'll both stay up at the expense of Burnley, Wigan and Hull..."
Drunkenmaster
"I think we might end up seeing Di Michele back at West ham, just, why pay a loanee for 2 months of holiday when you can send him back, and get him again two months alter ;)
but in general, Tomkins has been a revelation and they do have some backup eventually when people stop being injured(if ever), right back may/may not be lacking, before he left the short french fella whose name I forget actually played at right back and was actually pretty damn good. Collins became an integral part of the squad with Behrami, maybe the player of the season, to come back from injury. WEst Ham limped to the end of the season with, Behrami, Collins and, if they are still there, the ginger Collins and the welsh geezer at the back too.
Upson is unlikely to go anywhere in champs league squads except Arsenal, which seems an unlikely destination although for me(gooner) its a relatively cheap player, decent for rotation whose far far better than Djourou/Silvestre, plus importantly he'd probably count as a homegrown and youth trained player which depending on rules in the next few years might prove to be important.
To sum up, West Ham aren't as short as you think, Tristan only even played a few games at the end, Kovac only played due to injuries, and sucked pretty badly, Di Michele and Lucas are the only real losses, and they have a returning right back/winger to replace one of them anyway."
hallicks
"I think it's fair to say that Chris Iwelumo probably WON'T be found at this level..."
kevinboatang
"Dear Sarah,
May I ask you to tell me the last time Woodgate was properly injured (not counting a twinge that kept him out for a game) in order to substantiate your lazy use of "the famously-crocked pairing of Jonathan Woodgate and Ledley King"? King is crocked, Woody is virtually an ever-present.
Thanks"
steve_jonesuk
"Wolves "may well be the least-equipped to survive" of the three newcomers? I'm not sure there are many players in any of the three squads who are truly Premiership quality, so while I think we're in for a hiding if we don't strengthen A LOT, I fail to see how we're less equipped than Burnley or Brum."
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