Every Premier League club's pre-season plans (2024)

Fail to prepare, prepare to fail. Pre-season serves as a crucial buildup to the unforgiving competitive footballing calendar for Premier League clubs. After a brief respite - for the few players not participating in Euro 2024 or its South American equivalent, the Copa America - England's top-flight teams steel themselves for the coming campaign with a set of friendly fixtures.

These matches, interspersed with intensive training regimes, are scattered across all four corners of the globe. At least 10 clubs have scheduled energy-sucking tours of the United States, while three other teams are heading to Asia. Everywhere from Australia to Norway will also have the honour of hosting an undercooked set of Premier League players this summer.

Each club's logistics department has had to get creative to squeeze as many lucrative fixtures into the calendar before the 2024/25 Premier League season gets underway on 17th August. Here's a full rundown of every team's pre-season plans and how they have fared so far.

Arsenal

Arsenal's failed bid to win the Premier League title had barely concluded when Mikel Arteta turned his attention towards the 2024/25 campaign. "Now we focus on what's in front," the Spanish coach told supporters after finishing runners-up to Manchester City for the second season on the spin, "and if we keep moving forwards, we can achieve anything."

The Gunners amassed 89 points in their ultimately doomed assault on top spot, the second-highest tally in Arsenal's Premier League history. This haul was bolstered by the club's imperious form in the 'Big-Six' mini-league, as they went unbeaten against their direct rivals. Arteta will pit his wits against two members of the competition's most successful clubs with fixtures against Manchester United and Liverpool in the US this summer.

Aston Villa

Aston Villa have plenty to celebrate this summer. As the Midlands giant prepares for its first-ever season of Champions League football, the club will also mark their 150th anniversary with a tour of the United States.

A century and a half after four delicate members of the Male Adult Bible Class at the Aston Villa Wesleyan Chapel decided that rugby was too physical for their disposition, opting for football as a winter pastime, the seven-time top-flight champions will face three clubs from as many countries in Eastern USA. Bookending the Stateside trip, Villa open pre-season with a traditional trip to Walsall before concluding the preparation period against surprise Champions League finalists Borussia Dortmund.

Bournemouth

Bournemouth are yet to reveal the exact dates and times of their pre-season fixtures, but the club have divulged a broad plan for this summer. The Cherries will be based at LA Galaxy's state-of-the-art training centre, which also hosts the US men's and women's national teams, for two undisclosed fixtures on the West Coast.

Andoni Iraola's impressive outfit will return to a more familiar shoreline for another pair of friendlies at the club's home stadium. Bournemouth hugely benefitted from the long miles clocked up during 2023 pre-season training, enjoying a strong finish to the previous campaign once Iraola's complex pressing demands had fully sunk in. Over the final three months of the season, only four clubs won more Premier League games than Bournemouth.

Brentford

Brentford's unadventurous early pre-season plans may have been informed by their troublesome 2023/24 campaign. For the first time since returning to England's top flight in 2021, the Bees flirted with relegation. The campaign was coloured by a dreadful start as Thomas Frank's side won just one of their first eight league games.

The smartly run capital club embarked upon a sprawling tour of the US in 2023, cramming nine matches in five cities across barely a week. Injuries to key figures compounded Brentford's rocky form and the Bees only secured their top-flight status in the final weeks of the season.

Brighton

In their continued upward trajectory, Brighton are embarking upon a pre-season tour of Japan for the first time in the club's history. The Seagulls flew to the US in 2023 and have made plans to head east this summer to capitalise upon the club's growing profile across the globe.

Kaoru Mitoma has been behind the spike in Brighton's popularity in Japan over recent years. The J-League winner with Kawasaki Frontale enjoyed a breakthrough Premier League campaign throughout the 2022/23 season, bewitching England's top flight with unrivalled dribbling skills which he famously honed during an extended stay at university. Injury hampered Mitoma last season but he will certainly be front and centre of Brighton's two-match tour of Japan.

Chelsea

This will be the third season on the spin that Chelsea have conducted a pre-season tour of the United States. Last year's American sojourn ended in disaster as star signing Christopher Nkunku pulled up with a knee injury after a 1-1 draw with Borussia Dortmund. The revered French forward struggled for fitness throughout the entirety of the campaign, making just two Premier League starts all term.

There will be no return for Chelsea to the bobbly playing surface of Chicago's Soldier Field this summer. The Blues will simply be travelling to every other available venue on the continent. Chelsea's five-match series begins against third-tier Wrexham on the West Coast and ends with a lofty matchup with European royalty Real Madrid on the other side of the country. The tour spans 12 days, five states and almost 4,000 miles.

Crystal Palace

In the same summer that Crystal Palace set sail on a tour of the US, the off-season began with the announcement that their American co-owner John Textor was trying to sell his 45% stake in the club. But nothing could dampen the mood surrounding the south London outfit as they soared through the final month of the 2023/24 campaign.

Oliver Glasner's modern approach - along with the return to fitness of Eberechi Eze and Michael Olise - saw Palace collect 19 points from their final seven games, a miraculous haul only bettered by eventual champions Manchester City. Palace's opening fixture of the club's first pre-season under Glasner isn't until August.

Everton

As late as the end of May, Everton had not confirmed any pre-season plans. Former Everton midfielder Michael Ball expressed his concern in the Liverpool Echo, fretting: "The players don't know where they're going or what kind of quality they'll be facing and that's hurt us."

Everton were one of the first clubs to feel the negative impact of an arduous pre-season tour. The top-flight runners-up in 1909 bounced between Portugal, Cape Verde and Brazil. After two months on a ship, the Toffees slumped to 10th place the following campaign. Wherever Sean Dyche's side eventually travel, the journey shouldn't be quite so strenuous.

Fulham

For the second year in succession, Fulham will face Bundesliga outfit Hoffenheim in pre-season. The former village team propelled to the German top flight by the unloved billionaire owner Dietmar Hopp lost 2-1 to Fulham at Craven Cottage in August 2023. Raul Jimenez's strike that afternoon was his only goal until November before embarking upon a brief return to form.

Much like their upcoming opponents, Hoffenheim tailed off after a bright start to the 2023/24 campaign once their position in mid-table was secure before a final flourish. Pellegrino Matarazzo's side concluded the season with a 4-2 victory over dethroned German royalty Bayern Munich.

Ipswich Town

Luton Town's executives mulled over plenty of options ahead of the club's first Premier League season in 22 years. The Championship runners-up considered cashing in on their rediscovered top-flight status with a lucrative tour of the US before settling upon an understated schedule designed to offer the best preparation for a successful campaign.

Kieran McKenna snubbed the likes of Brighton and Chelsea to sign a new four-year contract ahead of pre-season. The sought-after coach will lead the Tractor Boys into a home friendly against German sister club Fortuna Dusseldorf in July ahead of an intensive training camp in Austria, which served as the perfect grounding for Ipswich's promotion campaign last term.

Leicester City

No one at Leicester City would have wanted to tempt fate, but their Premier League promotion was effectively secured long before they mathematically finished top of the Championship. The delay in the club's finalisation of their pre-season plans likely revolves around their uncertain financial future after being charged by the Premier League.

Leicester were accused of breaching the division's profit and sustainability rules (PSR), the modern equivalent of financial fair play regulations (FFP), in March 2024. The independent commission analysing the case is not working to a deadline but is expected to make its conclusion regarding a potential punishment - which could come in the form of a points deduction - before the 2024/25 campaign. Whether Leicester have scrambled together any pre-season games by then remains to be seen.

Liverpool

Arne Slot's unofficial debut as Liverpool manager will be a friendly against Real Betis in Pittsburgh's Acrisure Stadium at the end of July. The Dutch tactician has the unenviable task of following Jurgen Klopp, widely considered to be one of Liverpool's greatest managers of all time.

While most of his squad is competing in either the Euros or Copa America this summer, Slot won't have long to work with his new set of players before coming up against two Premier League opponents for the first time. Arsenal took four points off Liverpool last season and Manchester United knocked their fierce rivals out of the FA Cup.

Manchester City

After six Premier League titles in seven years and an unprecedented four top-flight trophies on the spin, Pep Guardiola and his staff have effectively mastered the art of tailoring a pre-season schedule to ensure that the players peak at the right time. Unlike Chelsea, Manchester City have planned their US friendlies to limit the amount of travelling.

England's all-conquering outfit will be strictly based on the East Coast, taking in a glittering list of former European Cup winners as their opponents. The most eye-catching fixture may be Guardiola's reunion with his former side Barcelona at the end of July, although Xavi Hernandez - the Catalan's technical leader on the pitch - has been replaced in the Spanish club's dugout by German coach Hansi Flick.

Manchester United

Manchester United's sporting arm may be under the control of Sir Jim Ratcliffe, but the club's marketing department is still clearly governed by the hotly controversial majority shareholders, the Glazer family. United's pre-season schedule is a perfect example of the club's strategy - prioritising revenue over results - over the last two decades.

Before setting off on a three-game tour of the US, where the Red Devils come up against Premier League rivals Arsenal and Liverpool, United have set up a pair of European friendlies. The FA Cup winners start their pre-season with a clash against Norwegian outfit Rosenborg in Trondheim ahead of taking on Scottish giants Rangers at Murrayfield.

Newcastle

Before most clubs had even begun their brief summer holiday, Newcastle United managed to squeeze in a pair of post-season friendlies on the other side of the globe. Two days after edging a penalty shootout against Tottenham Hotspur in Melbourne, Eddie Howe sent out a young side to face an XI of the best Australia's top flight had to offer.

Much to the surprise of most in attendance, the A-League All Stars romped to an 8-0 thrashing of their Premier League foes. The wonderfully named Ben Old - who was only 21 at the time - set the tone with an opening goal after five minutes. Howe's senior players should be back for the club's matches at the end of the summer in Japan.

Nottingham Forest

Nottingham Forest are yet to release the details of their pre-season plans. In fairness to the club's owner Evangelos Mariankis, he had his attention diverted towards the end of the 2023/24 campaign. In the same month that Forest's sister club Olympiacos became the first Greek side to ever win a European trophy, the Tricky Trees were battling against relegation and a points deduction for breach of financial fair play regulations.

The free-spending Midlands outfit may not be in an economic position to make as many personnel changes as recent years gone by. This will at least afford manager Nuno Espirito Santo a settled squad for the mysterious slate of pre-season friendlies.

Southampton

Southampton only secured a return to the Premier League with victory in the play-off final on 26th May. Nothing about the club's near future - let alone their pre-season schedule - could be etched in stone until their position in the English football pyramid was decided.

While the technical team on the south coast frantically scour flight listings and hotel availability, manager Russell Martin will be mentally preparing himself for his first season of Premier League football on the touchline. The former Scotland international amassed 125 appearances in England's top flight - more than the likes of cult figures such as Jay-Jay Okocha or Yannick Bolasie - while marshalling Norwich City's backline, but has never managed above the Championship.

Tottenham

Spurs got started on the preparations for next season early. Within 65 hours of the final whistle bringing a halt to Tottenham's Premier League campaign, Ange Postecoglou's side had travelled 10,500 miles to line up against Newcastle in a friendly at Melbourne Cricket Ground.

A dizzying pre-season schedule which takes the club to Scotland and South Korea could be seen as disruptive, but the Lilywhites were inspired by a chaotic buildup in 2023. Despite a lack of senior figures to oversee the club's transfer strategy last summer, Spurs pulled off some of the best signings of the season and enjoyed a record-breaking start in the Premier League, amassing 26 points from the first 10 games. Injuries derailed the campaign which still brought a return to European football.

West Ham

Julen Lopetegui has been afforded an easy start to his West Ham United tenure with a friendly against local non-league side Dagenham & Redbridge before he is thrown to the wolves, quite literally. The new Hammers boss took charge of Wolverhampton Wanderers' entire 2023 pre-season before stepping down six days ahead of their Premier League opener against Manchester United after falling out with the club's ownership.

The 2020 Europa League winner with Sevilla has a reputation for summer exits. Lopetegui was forced out of his post as Spain boss on the eve of the 2018 World Cup after agreeing to take over Real Madrid. If he doesn't get itchy feet once again, Lopetegui will lead the Hammers into a US tour which features fixtures against Wolves and Crystal Palace in Florida.

Wolves

Gary O'Neil has taken charge of 72 Premier League matches, steering Bournemouth and Wolves comfortably clear of relegation while collecting a few notable scalps along the way, without taking charge of a single pre-season fixture. The tactically savvy English coach will finally have the luxury of an extended preparation period this summer as Wolves travel to the US for the inaugural Stateside Cup.

Wolves lost all four Premier League games against their upcoming pre-season opponents last term, shipping 11 combined goals when facing Crystal Palace and West Ham. O'Neil will undoubtedly be in search of improved results but may be satisfied if the friendlies simply don't involve VAR.

Information via the Premier League. Correct as of 31st May 2024.