Football is back. But does the new season hold new stories?

Football is back. An emotion understood all too well by football fans across the world. An emotion celebrated at the start of every new football season. No matter where you are. No matter who you support. It doesn’t matter that we were treated to a summer of football with the Euro 2020 and the Copa America till just over a month ago. The one month between the conclusion of these tournaments, and the start of the new league season can sometimes feel an eternity.

But that one-month wait is rarely without its own drama. The transfer window drama. With ever-increasing transfer fees, the thrill of seeing world-class players joining for your club, and the prospect of seeing young talent being pipped for chances, the transfer window rarely disappoints, if ever. And this year more than ever it seems. With a certain Argentine, worth hundreds of millions, leaving his boyhood club on a free transfer – under bizarre circumstances to say the least – and making a move to Paris.

Lionel Messi makes another trip to the French Capital

Paris, a city Lionel Messi must be familiar with. He has after all been visiting the city quite regularly pick up his Ballon D’Or trophies. Except this time, he’s there to do more. Much more. Certainly guide PSG back to the Ligue 1 title. But by his own admission, as if it needed saying, to help his new club win their first ever Champions League trophy. And despite the strain it adds to the club’s wage bills, this in all likelihood might be the signing of the season across Europe.

Who won the transfer window and who let it slip. How did some of Europe’s biggest clubs fare this summer?

1. PSG – Excellent
   Arguably the club that had one of the best windows. Any club that managed to sign Lionel Messi ON A FREE TRANSFER should be applauded for getting what is perhaps the deal of the season. But if that in itself wasn’t enough, let’s not forget that PSG also roped in the experience of Georgino Wijnaldum, the leadership of Sergio Ramos, and the youth of Gianluigi Donnarumma as well. All on free transfers. If that doesn’t reflect a fantastic transfer window, I’m not sure what will.
   
2. Manchester United – Good
   A signing United fans have been looking forward to for over a year. Jadon Sancho. Quick, agile, and a player that can fill in what was starting to look like a makeshift right wing. And following that up with the signing of Raphael Varane, that should add solidity at the back, and a winning mentality in the squad. With five Champions Leagues medals, he’s a player who is no stranger to trophies. Something United and Solsjkaer desperately need. With that aim in mind, it’s certainly not job done, as the need for a central midfielder still looms large. But two big signings, well in time I might add, isn’t a bad start.
   
3. Chelsea – Good
   A big money striker that the club is familiar with, in the form of Romelo Lukaku, can be seen as a clear sign of intent from the Champions League winners, as they look to mount title race. While there are questions about certain aspects about his game, there isn’t much doubt about his output in terms of the number of goals he delivers. Which is what matters for a striker one might argue. And if they do manage to bring to life one or two of the many rumours making rounds in various media outlets, this might just turn into another stellar window for the club.
   
4. Manchester City – To be seen
   When you look at Manchester City what they achieved last season, you tend to ask yourself, was there anything missing in this squad? Not a lot when you look at the big picture. But they did lose Sergio Aguero. There are rumours of Aymeric Laporte wanted by Juventus. And with other clubs strengthening their squads, you have to feel Pep Guardiola has certain targets in mind. They’ve already brought in Jack Grealish. And there is obviously talk of making an attempt to pry Harry Kane away from Tottenham. For someone who already has a decent depth in squad, it will be interesting to see how Pep and the club approach the remainder of the window.
   
5. Barcelona – Bad
   They lost Lionel Messi on a free transfer. On any given day, in any given season, that in itself constitutes to a bad transfer window. But Barcelona’s problems seem to be running much deeper. Problems in the wage structure, whispers of discontent within the squad, including their new signings, doubts over the futures of certain players like Antoinne Griezmann, all raise serious questions raised of those at the top of the club’s organizational structure have put a real damper on what a few weeks ago was looking like a really good summer for the club, with the arrival of Memphis Depay and Sergio Aguero. The verdict reflects more than just the transfer window, but a string of unfortunate events in what is starting to look like a delicate period for FC Barcelona. One that just doesn’t feel right. Not just to supporters of the club, but to the footballing world at large.
   
6. Real Madrid – Bad
   Losing your first choice center backs together cannot be a good sign for any club, at any point in time. And that can be worse when one of those was your club captain for years. That is precisely the situation Real Madrid find themselves in. While they have brought in David Alaba, you just know that it isn’t enough. The pursuit of Kylina Mbappe may be on the cards, but for the moment it looks like a fantasy more than anything else.
   
7. Noteworthy mentions
   Like any transfer window, a lot of clubs have seen a lot of action. Some work out, and some obviously don’t. That is a question to be answered over the course of the season. But the transfers of Ben White to Arsenal and Boubakary Soumare to Leicester could be the ones to watch. And of course, we’re still some time away from the transfer window shutting down, and we’re more than likely to see some big money big club big player moves to be made before we hit the deadline.

Is there something new in store this season?

With the first match of the Premier League season already behind us, it has already sent a shockwave through the league, and – unless you are an Arsenal fan – a reason to be more excited than ever for the new season. For Arsenal it seems, it’s the same old story all over again. Come into a match confident to pull of a win and kick off the new season on the front foot. But falter at the first hurdle. For those of you who somehow managed to miss it, Brentford FC, promoted to the Premier League after 74 years, pulled off a historic 2-0 win against Arsenal.

Welcome to the Premier League Brentford. 74 years in the waiting. Massive financial challenges. And what a way to make your entry into the Premier League a night to remember.

There is of course a long long way to go in the season. And week 1, doesn’t really decide who’s going to win the big prize at the end of the season. Clubs and the managers will however be wary of the fact that while you don’t win the title in the first few weeks, you can certainly lose it. And on that note, here are the top four predictions from a few staunch football followers who also moonlight as football players and pundits in their own right.

A tour across Europe

Introducing the new season wouldn’t really be complete without a few words on the UEFA Champions League, would it? It is after all, only the world’s most prestigious club competition. And before the final 32 clubs start the group stage in the hopes of adding the beautiful trophy to their silver cabinet, here are the clubs that can be serious contenders for Europe’s grand prize.

1. PSG
   Messi, Neymar, and Mbappe in attack. Di Maria on the wings. The leadership and solidity of Ramos at the back. And the young Donnarumma in goal. Do you need any more reason as to why PSG have to be one of the favourites to win the Champions League for the first time in the club’s history?
   
2. Manchester City
   After falling one step short last season, Pep will be desperate to win his third Champions League medal. The first since 2011. And given his track record, it can be a little difficult to believe that it has been a decade since he hasn’t won the Champions League. And it’s a record he’ll certainly want to correct.
   
3. Chelsea
   As the defending champions, you certainly can’t rule them out. With a squad that is playing to Tuchel’s style, high on self-belief, and the addition of Lukaku, Chelsea fans will believe they can go a long way in the Champions League this season as well.
   
4. Bayern Munich
   Winners in 2020, Bayern Munich did have a reasonably quieter European run last time out, losing out to PSG in the Quarter Final. Despite that, they still remain a formidable force with bags of experience running through the squad. And you wouldn’t put it past them to have a good European run.
   

I would also keep an eye out on Manchester United, Liverpool, and Juventus. Three clubs with the potential to surprise any team on their day. And with surprises in football becoming ever so common, you never know…