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#7 Atletico Madrid
Atletico Madrid won La Liga last season and given the state Real Madrid and Barcelona are in, it would not be surprising to see them replicate last season's performances.
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Argentine midfielder Rodrigo De Paul has arrived from Udinese for £31.5 million after some fine performances at Copa America 2021. De Paul will provide creativity, drive and industry from midfield, values that Simeone rates highly.
Saul could be on his way out, though. He only had a limited impact last season, and the arrival of De Paul further pushes him down the pecking order. It was reported earlier that Barcelona could exchange him for Antoine Griezmann, but those rumors have since subsided.
It will be interesting to see how Joao Felix performs this season. The 21-year old has shown glimpses of his undeniable potential since joining the club from Benfica in 2019 for an eye-watering fee of £114.5 million, but more is expected from the Portugal international.
#6 Liverpool
Liverpool did well to finish 3rd in the Premier League last season, given the various serious injuries to important players.
Virgil van Dijk, Joe Gomez and Joel Matip all missed big chunks of the season last time around, and Klopp had to make do with youngsters like Nathaniel Phillips and Rhys Williams at centre-back. Ibrahima Konate's arrival from RB Leipzig is important in that sense.
After a lukewarm first season, there will be immense pressure on midfielder Thiago Alcantara to perform. Portuguese attacker Diogo Jota was good in spells last season for Liverpool, but was another player who was unlucky with injuries.
The club are yet to replace Georginio Wijnaldum. The Dutch midfielder moved to Paris Saint-Germain on a free transfer after five excellent seasons for Liverpool, and it remains to be seen what Liverpool's plans are regarding Wijnaldum's successor.
#5 Manchester United
Manchester United's progression under manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer is clear to see, despite last season's Europa League final loss to Villarreal.
The signings of forward Jadon Sancho and centre-back Raphael Varane is evidence of that. Manchester United now have a good squad, even though defensive midfield remains a big concern.
Paul Pogba looks likely to stay. The France international's contract expires next summer and Paris Saint-Germain were rumored to be interested. However, recent reports have suggested the midfielder could sign a new deal with the Old Trafford outfit to extend his stay.
Solskjaer's task this season will be to get his hands on a trophy. Sancho and Varane are excellent signings, and the likes Declan Rice, Eduardo Camavinga and Kieran Trippier have been linked as well. Manchester United might not be the favorites to win the Premier League, but finishing the season without a trophy will not be well received by the fans.
#4 Bayern Munich
Bayern Munich said goodbye to treble-winning manager Hansi Flick at the end of last season, with Flick taking over the German national team job.
They have let go of long-serving defender David Alaba on a free transfer, with the Austrian joining Real Madrid. Dayot Upamecano has been signed from RB Leipzig to replace him. Bayern Munich have also secured talented English left-back Omar Richards after the 23-year old's contract with Championship side Reading expired.
Robert Lewandowski is the best striker in world football, and the Poland international guarantees goals. A better season is expected from winger Leroy Sane, who endured a quiet debut season with the Bundesliga giants.
Julian Nagelsmann is one of the best young managers in the world, and the 34-year old has proved his credentials with Hoffenheim and RB Leipzig. Known for his versatile tactical setups, Bayern Munich will hope that the young German is the man to take them forward.
Also Read: 5 mega transfer deals that could be completed in the next few days
