Chelsea
Find a top-class replacement for Petr Cech. Jose
Mourinho reportedly has reservations about
letting the man he regards as one of the best
two goalkeepers in the world - along with last
season's first choice Thibaut Courtois - make his
projected move to Arsenal. Understandably so.
Cech provided the perfect safety net for Courtois
last season, relieving Mourinho of any worries
about that position.
He will expect a high-quality replacement for
Cech - and the word is Stoke City's Asmir
Begovic is the name attracting his attention.
Mourinho may also want to strengthen in a
couple of other positions. With talk of John Mikel
Obi being allowed to leave, a holding midfield
player may be acquired as cover for Nemanja
Matic, while a striker will also be needed after
the departure of Didier Drogba.
Manchester City
Manager Manuel Pellegrini needs to spend the
summer rediscovering how to inspire a squad
that should have made a much more robust
defence of its Premier League title than finishing
eight points behind champions Chelsea.
Manchester City chairman Khaldoon Al Mubarak
has already put the marker down for both
Pellegrini and their rivals by announcing they will
build a squad to take them to "the next level".
Pellegrini will be expected not only to assemble
that squad but get them firing from the first
whistle, otherwise the shadow of Pep Guardiola
will loom even larger over his future.
He must relight Yaya Toure's fire and needs to
spend big on a new central defender given that
Eliaquim Mangala so far represents poor value at
£32m. He will also be in the market for midfield
reinforcements to partner Toure and supplement
the loss of the versatile James Milner.
And the biggest question of all may be asked
very soon. How does Raheem Sterling fit in?
Arsenal
The main priority for manager Arsene Wenger is
to maintain the outstanding form from the
second half of last season that culminated in the
ruthless beating handed out to Aston Villa in the
FA Cup final.
The Gunners look closer to genuine title
challengers than they have for many seasons.
But how often have we heard that before only to
be disappointed?
The major problem of a high-quality keeper
appears to have been solved in style with the
imminent signing of Cech - now Wenger must
beef up his midfield to allow the skills of the
likes of Aaron Ramsey, Jack Wilshere, Mesut Ozil
and company to flourish further.
In an ideal world big money would also go on an
elite striker to give support to Alexis Sanchez
and put pressure on Olivier Giroud.
Manchester United
Top priority is a very simple one. With David De
Gea seemingly Real Madrid-bound, manager
Louis van Gaal must somehow find the man to
replace the player who turned so many draws
into wins last season. De Gea was player of the
year by a country mile.
Central defence needs work, with Phil Jones,
Jonny Evans and Chris Smalling still
unconvincing. United looked too vulnerable too
often last season.
With a reported £150m to spend, Van Gaal needs
to add quality in midfield and must surely bring
in a high-class striker, with the failed Falcao
experiment over and Robin van Persie fading.
Tottenham
The priority is to find the sort of young, flexible
players who fit in with manager Mauricio
Pochettino's trademark high-intensity, pressing
game. Too often last season it looked like Spurs
were struggling to implement his style.
Pochettino also needs a goalscorer to support
Harry Kane and somehow get Emmanuel
Adebayor off the wage bill. He has outlived his
usefulness at White Hart Lane.
And, at all costs, keep goalkeeper Hugo Lloris.
Liverpool
Where do you start? Number one on manager
Brendan Rodgers' "to do" list is to make an
instant impact in the face of a testing fixture list,
starting with a return to the scene of last
season's final day debacle at Stoke City, where
they lost 6-1.
The bottom line is that if Liverpool make a poor
start Rodgers will surely lose his job, such was
the ill-feeling by the time the last ball was
kicked.
Priorities are everywhere.
Liverpool must sort out Sterling's situation, find
a reliable central defender to partner Martin
Skrtel, replace Steven Gerrard in midfield, find
buyers for the likes of Mario Balotelli and Rickie
Lambert - then bring in a reliable, top-class
striker to replace the goals Luis Suarez took with
him and which were never replaced.
Oh and perform the miracle of keeping Daniel
Sturridge fit.
Enough to be going on with Brendan?