Your club-by-club guide to the 2008-09 Premier League season

The Independent's Football Editor, Glenn Moore, looks ahead the the coming Premier League season

Arsenal

Manager Arsène Wenger (appointed Sept 1996).

Odds 6-1 to win the Premier League.

Afer the club lost Alex Hleb and Mathieu Flamini retaining Emmanuel Adebayor was imperative, even if his subsequent badge-kissing is laughable. Samir Nasri is the star recruit and Denilson, Abou Diaby and Theo Walcott are a year more experienced. Wenger trusts his youngsters, but the squad does look thin.

Time to deliver Tomas Rosicky.

Ins Nasri (Marseilles) £11m; Ramsey (Cardiff) £5m; Bischoff (Werder Bremen) undisclosed. Outs Hleb (Barcelona) £11.8m; Gilberto (Panathinaikos) £1m; Flamini (Milan) Free; Lehmann (Stuttgart) Free; Gilbert (Leicester) Loan.

Total transfer gain/loss -£3.2m.

Aston Villa

Manager Martin O' Neill (August 2006)

Odds 150-1

The Gareth Barry saga could be damaging, even if he stays, but at least Martin O'Neill has signed some full-backs. Randy Lerner has not been as free-spending as hoped but Villa look to be going in the right direction.

Time to deliver Shaun Maloney

In Cuellar (Rangers) £7.8m; Sidwell (Chelsea) £5m; Friedel (Blackburn) £2m; Guzan (Chivas) undisclosed; Davies (West Brom) undisclosed; Young (Middlesbrough) undisclosed; Shorey (Reading) undisclosed. Out Moore (West Brom) £3m; Berger (Sparta Prague) free; Sorensen (Stoke City) free; Carson (formerly on loan from Liverpool, to West Brom).

Gain/loss -£11.8m

Blackburn Rovers

Manager Paul Ince (June 2008)

Odds 1,000-1

A tough start in the top flight for Paul Ince who has lost two key players in Brad Friedel and David Bentley. If Roque Santa Cruz stays Rovers ought not be short of attacking options, but whether they have the craft to exploit them is another matter.

Time to deliver Paul Robinson.

In Robinson (Tottenham) £3.5m; Santa Cruz (Cerro Porteno) undisclosed; Fowler (Cardiff) free; Villanueva (Audax Italiano) loan; Simpson (Manchester United) loan. Out Bentley (Tottenham) £15m; Friedel (Aston Villa) £2m; Enckelman (Cardiff) free; Henchoz (released); Bruno Berner (released).

Gain/loss = +£13.5m

Bolton Wanderers

Manager Gary Megson (Oct 2007)

Odds 3,000-1

Having unexpectedly kept the Trotters up last year by reverting to the Sam Allardyce gameplan Gary Megson is unlikely to try to refine Wanderers' football. Will it be enough? It will if Johan Elmander delivers on his record fee, and the likes of Kevin Nolan maintain last season's late revival.

Time to deliver Jlloyd Samuel

In Elmander (Toulouse) £11m; Muamba (Birmingham City) £5m; Shittu (Watford) undisclosed; Riga (Levante) undisclosed. Out Diouf (Sunderland) £2.5m; Meite (West Brom) £2m; Braaten (Toulouse) undisclosed; Teymourian (Fulham) free; Campo (released); Giannakopoulos (released). Gain/loss -£11.5m

Chelsea

Manager: Luiz Felipe Scolari (June 2008)

Odds 13-8

The target: emulate Manchester United's domestic and European double, and do so playing attractive football. Plenty, then, for Luiz Felipe Scolari to aim for, but signing Deco and retaining Frank Lampard makes it feasible, if difficult.

Time to deliver Shaun Wright-Phillips.

In Bosingwa (Porto) £16.2m; Deco (Barcelona) £8m. Out: Sidwell (Aston Villa) £5m; Boulahrouz (Stuttgart) £4m; Ben Haim (Man C) undisclosed; Worley (Leicester) free; Makelele (PSG) free; Sahar (Portsmouth) loan;Smith (Sheffield Wednesday) loan; Cummings (MK Dons) loan; Grant (Southend) free; Hernan Crespo released.

Gain/loss -£15.2m.

Everton

Manager David Moyes (March 2002).

Odds 150-1.

David Moyes' progress is in danger of being undermined by problems in the boardroom and with the new stadium. There is an increasingly rushed look about the attempted transfer dealings, as there was when Moyes faltered in 2005-06.

Time to deliver Leighton Baines.

In none. Out Johnson (Fulham) £10.5m; Carsley (Birmingham City) free; Wessels (VfL Osnabruck) free; Gravesen (Celtic) loan expired; Ferndanes (Valencia) loan expired.

Gain/loss +£10.5m

Fulham

Manager Roy Hodgson (Dec 2007).

Odds 2,500-1.

Heavy investment suggests Hodgson will build on last May's escape. Signings tend to quantity rather than quality but Johnson and Gera are exceptions.

Time to deliver: Bobby Zamora.

In Pantsil and Zamora (West Ham) joint fee £6.3m; Johnson (Everton) undisclosed; Stoor (Rosenborg) undisclosed; Stockdale (Darlington) undisclosed; Zuberbuhler (Xamax) undisclosed; Schwarzer (Middlesbrough) free; Gera (West Brom) free; Teymourian (Bolton) free. Out Stefanovic (Norwich) undisclosed Batista (Sporting) undisclosed; Ashton (Wycombe) nominal fee; Warner (Hull) free; Bocanegra (Stade Rennais) free; McBride (Toronto) free; Cook (QPR) Christanval, Litmanen, Elliott, Keller, Pearce (all released).

Gain/loss -£6.3million

Hull City

Manager: Phil Brown (Dec 2006)

Odds 7,500-1

Phil Brown has signed an eclectic bunch as he seeks to cap Hull's amazing climb with survival at the top. George Boateng is a canny buy, Peter Halmosi has quality, but Brown most needs Boaz Myhill to shine in goal.

Time to deliver: Boaz Myhill.

In Halmosi (Plymouth) £2m; Boateng (Middlesbrough) £1m Gardner (Tottenham) £2.5m; Fagan ( Derby) £750,000; Mendy (Paris Saint Germain) free; Mauricio (Manchester City) free; Warner (Fulham) free; King (Wigan) loan. Out Pedersen (Silkeborg IF) free; Livermore (Brighton) free; Bridges (Carlisle) loan Okocha released.

Gain/loss -£3.75m.

Liverpool

Manager: Rafael Benítez (June 2004)

Odds: 6-1.

European success is one thing, what is most craved is the return of the League title. Rafa Benítez may now have the squad to both rotate and win.

Time to deliver: Rafael Benítez.

In Keane (Tottenham) £20.3m; Dossena (Udinese) £7m; Ngog (PSG) undisclosed; Cavalieri (Palmeiras) undisclosed; Degen (Dortmund) free; Mendy (Murcia Deportivo) free. Out Riise (Roma) £4m; Crouch (Portsmouth) £11m; Carson (WBA) £3.25m; Guthrie (Newcastle) undisc; Le Tallec (Le Mans) undisclosed; Kewell (Galatasaray) free transfer. Gain/loss -£9.05m

Manchester City

Manager Mark Hughes (June 2008)

Odds 200-1

Mark Hughes relishes a challenge, which is just as well as an impatient owner, of uncertain future and frozen fortune, presents a tough one. The silver lining is the academy, whose graduates may bridge the gap between promise and reality.

Time to deliver Thaksin Shinawatra

In Jo (CSKA Moscow) £18m; Haim (Chelsea) undisclosed Out Mills (Doncaster) £300,000; Samaras (Celtic) undisclosed; Isaksson (PSV Eindhoven) undisclosed; Grimes (Millwall) undisclosed; Mauricio (Hull City) free; Sun Jihai (Sheffield United) free; Corradi (Reggina) free; Mpenza released; Dickov released

Gain/loss -£17.7m

Manchester United

Manager Sir Alex Ferguson (Nov 1986)

Odds 5-4 favourites

Cristiano Ronaldo's flirting with Real Madrid, and injury, would appear to have undermined United's chances of a title hat-trick, but the Portuguese did not score a League goal until 29 September last season and he finished with 31. Ronaldo's head needs to be right – if it is United remain favourites.

Time to deliver Cristiano Ronaldo

In Petrucci (Roma) compensation £200,000; Campbell (Hull City) loan expired. Out Piqué (Barcelona) £5m; Eagles (Burnley) £1m; Lee (Oldham) free; Eckersley (AC Horsens) free; Brandy (Swansea) loan; Martin (Nottingham Forrest) loan; Jones released.

Gain/loss +££5.8m

Middlesbrough

Manager Gareth Southgate (June 2006)

Odds 1,000-1.

Gareth Southgate has trimmed his squad, and turned a profit, which suggests Steve Gibson's feeling the pinch, or chairman and manager are putting their faith in the continued progress of Boro's youngsters.

Time to deliver: Whoever gets the nod as goalkeeper, Brad Jones or Ross Turnbull

In Digard (Paris Saint-Germain) £4m; Emnes (Sparta Rotterdam) £3.2m; Out Cattermole (Wigan) £3.5m Boateng (Hull City) £1m Young (Aston Villa) undisclosed; Thompson (Port Vale) free; Schwarzer (Fulham) free; Kennedy (Darlington) free; Rochemback (Sporting Lisbon) free; Lee Dong-Gook released).

Gain/loss +£2.7million

Newcastle United

Manager: Kevin Keegan (Jan 2008)

Odds 350-1

Kevin Keegan pulled an unexpected tactical masterstroke with his deployment of Michael Owen but the latter''s injury, plus the uncertainty over Mike Ashley's ownership and Joey Barton's playing status, must test even KK's famous enthusiasm. Another season of inconsistent mid-table middling beckons, which is not his style at all.

Time to deliver: Joey Barton

In Guthrie (Liverpool) undisclosed; Gutierrez (Real Mallorca) undisclosed. Out: Rozenhal ( Lazio) £2.9m; Emre (Fenerbahce) £2m; Ramage (QPR) free transfer; Troisi (released); Carr released.

Gain/loss +£4.9m.

Portsmouth

Manager Harry Redknapp (Dec 2005)

Odds 350-1

FA Cup holders, established in the top flight – as Harry Redknapp said, it is unlikely to get any better. Spent serious cash again this summer and have a classic front pair in Peter Crouch and Jermain Defoe, but competing at home and abroad will test the depth of their squad.

Time to deliver John Utaka.

In Crouch (Liverpool) £11m; Kaboul (Tottenham) undisclosed; Koroma (Banjul Hawks) undisclosed (loaned to Norwich); Little (Reading) free; Sahar (Chelsea) loan. Out Muntari (Internazionale) £12.7m; Baros (Lyon) loan expired; Ward (Bournemouth) loan; Begovic (Yeovil) loan.

Gain/loss +£1.7million.

Stoke City

Manager Tony Pulis (July 2006)

Odds 7,500-1

Margaret Thatcher was still fighting the miners, including those working on the site the Britannia Stadium now sits on, when Stoke last began a season in the top flight, in 1984-85. Much else has changed since then and having failed to sufficiently reinforce his squad over the summer manager Tony Pulis will have to draw on all his experience if Stoke are to survive in the Premier League.

Time to deliver Thomas Sorensen.

In: Kitson (Reading) £5.5m; Olofinjana (Wolves) £3m; Sorensen (Aston Villa) free; Out Broomes (Blackpool) free.

Gain/loss -£8.3m.

Sunderland

Manager Roy Keane (Aug 2006)

Odds 1,500-1

Having survived last season the next step is to become established. Roy Keane has taken shrewd advantage of Juande Ramos's Spurs clear-out but will still need Kenwyne Jones to make a swift return to match fitness.

Time to deliver Michael Chopra

In Diouf (Bolton) £2.5m; Chimbonda (Tottenham) undisclosed; Tainio (Tottenham) undisclosed; Meyler (Cork City) undisclosed; Malbranque (Tottenham) undisclosed; Colgan (Ipswich) free. Out Cole (Nottingham Forest) free; Halford (Sheffield Utd) loan; Wallace (Preston) loan; O'Donovan (Dundee Utd) loan; Harte released; Wright released.

Gain/loss -£2.5m

Tottenham Hotspur

Manager Juande Ramos (Oct 2007)

Odds 50-1

If anyone deserves to break into the big four it is Spurs but it is a Sisyphean task as for every star they sign another demands to leave. Another fifth place?

Time to deliver: Ledley King

In Modric (Dinamo Zagreb) £16.6m; Bentley (Blackburn) £15m; Dos Santos (Barcelona) £4.7m; Bostock (Crystal Pal) £700,000; Mpoku (Standard Liege) undisclosed; Gomes (PSV Eindhoven) undisclosed; Sanchez (Real Zaragoza) undisclosed. Out Keane (Liverpool) £20.3m; Robinson (Blackburn) £3.5m; Gardner (Hull) £2.5m; Kaboul (Portsmouth) undisclosed; Chimbonda (Sunderland) undisclosed; Tainio (Sunderland) undisclosed; Malbranque (Sunderland) undisclosed; Martin (Blackpool) undisclosed.

Gain/loss -£10.7m

West Bromwich Albion

Manager Tony Mowbray (Oct 2006).

Odds 3,000-1.

Albion are playing attractive football but there are no marks for artistic impression in the Premier League. Scott Carson will certainly have the chance to restore his reputation, or see it buried in an avalanche of goals.

Time to deliver Ishmael Miller.

In Carson (Liverpool) £3.25m; Zuiverloon (SC Heerenveen); £3.2m; Moore (Aston Villa) £3m; Cech (Porto) £1.4m; Meite (Bolton) £2m; Kim Do-Heon (Seongnam Ilhwa Shunma) £550,000; Dorrans (Livingston) £100,000; Bednaer (Hearts) loan. Out Davies (Aston Villa) £8m; Steele (Barnsley) free; Gera (Fulham) free; Philips (Birmingham) free; Albrechtsen (Derby) free;; Tininho released.

Gain/loss +£3.5m.

West Ham United

Manager Alan Curbishley (Dec 2006)

Odds 750-1

The Icelandic cash has run out, with the loose change used to pay off Freddie Ljungberg, and Alan Curbishley was favourite for the sack before Man City imploded. He has a reliable spine, in Rob Green, Matthew Upson, Mark Noble and Dean Ashton, but needs the dilettantes to get fit.

Time to deliver Craig Bellamy, Kieron Dyer, Anton Ferdinand, Julien Faubert, Luis Boa Morte, etc

In Behrami (Lazio) £5m; Bajner (Liberty Salonta) Undisclosed; Lastuvka (Shakhtar Donetsk) loan. Out Pantsil and Zamora (Fulham) joint fee £6.3m; Wright (Ipswich) undisclosed; Tininho released Gain/loss +£1.3m

Wigan Athletic

Manager: Steve Bruce (Nov 2007)

Odds 3,000-1

Steve Bruce's calm restoration of Wigan's fortunes confirmed Birmingham erred in pushing him out and his summer dealings – especially the players he retained – suggests Wigan will breathe more easily this year as long as they avoid injuries.

Time to deliver: Marlon King

In Cattermole (Middlesbrough) £3.5m; Kapo (Birmingham) £3.5m; Zaki (Zamalek) loan De Ridder (Birmingham) free. Out Granqvist (Groningen) £600,000; Aghahowa (Kayserispor) undisclosed; Cotterill (Sheffield United) undisclosed; Olembe (Kayserispor,) free; Skoko (Hajduk Split) free; King (Hull) loan;

Gain/loss -£6.4m.