How the big five clubs strengthened their title hopes in record-breaking transfer window
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Chief football writer Published 3 hours ago Arsenal have started the new Premier League season with two wins as the transfer window closes, looking in ominous shape to retain the crown they won for the first time in 22 years last season.
The Gunners had a quiet final day to the window having concluded their business before the traditional late rush – but those hoping to unseat the reigning champions have all been busy expensively re-shaping their squads to mount a challenge.
So how do Arsenal look? And have their main rivals done enough to prevent Mikel Arteta's side winning a second successive title?
And what are the other big issues as the Premier League's transfer business was concluded until January?
Arsenal 's interest in Atletico Madrid's Argentina forward Julian Alvarez did not bear fruit, despite their attempts to persuade him away from his preferred destination of Barcelona.
Alvarez's dream move to Barcelona was emphatically blocked by the Atletico hierarchy, leaving The Gunners with hope he may take the only choice available to him to leave Diego Simeone's side.
In the end, no deal was done – and perhaps the only flaw in Arsenal 's current make-up is whether they carry a consistent spearhead threat up front.
Elsewhere, they look formidable in all areas and still the team to beat after cruising past Coventry City and winning at Aston Villa in their opening two league games
They also dismantled Manchester City in The Community Shield, and have had an excellent transfer window to build on last season's success, when the Premier League was won and they reached the Champions League Final.
Bruno Guimaraes, a £75m signing from Newcastle United , showed in his brief cameo in the 1-0 win against Aston Villa what he will bring - passes that cut through the home defence and a fierce competitive edge.
England defender Ezri Konsa offers instant class in defence after moving from Aston Villa , and while Christos Tzolis had a tough night at Villa Park, substituted at half-time, he has already demonstrated what an asset he could be on the left flank.
Not quite a case of "No Alvarez No Problem", but he was hardly a deal breaker for Arsenal , who still look best equipped to win another title at the conclusion of the transfer window.
Manchester City have undergone heavy transition, from manager Pep Guardiola being replaced after 10 years by Enzo Maresca, to the departure of key figures in their glory years such as Rodri, Bernardo Silva, John Stones and Jack Grealish, as well as Savio, Omar Marmoush, Nico Gonzales, James Trafford, Nathan Ake and Tijjani Reijnders.
The burning ambition remains, however, as proved by the manner in which they have attacked the market to replenish their squad for a title tilt.
City paid £125m – equalling the British transfer record - to reunite former Chelsea manager Maresca with Enzo Fernandez, having already paid £116m to sign England midfielder Elliot Anderson from Nottingham Forest .
And further quality arrived in the shape of Iliman Ndiaye from Everton for £65m, the brilliant Morocco 18-year-old Ayyoub Bouaddi, who cost £85.6m from Lille, as well as Allan Elias from Palmeiras in Brazil.
It amounts to quite the rebuild, with the Fernandez deal taking City's spending to a Premier League record £458m for a single transfer window, surpassing Liverpool 's £415m from last summer.
However, City have also achieved around £300m worth of player sales this summer, illustrating the vast turnover at the start of the post-Guardiola era.
An eventful window but one that leaves City, who still have so much class elsewhere, in good shape to mount a serious challenge.
Published 1 hour ago Chelsea Image source, Getty Images Image caption, Morgan Rogers has had an instant impact at Chelsea after his £117m move from Aston Villa.
Chelsea may have lost Enzo Fernandez to Manchester City for £125m in the final hours of the window, but the business done this summer will still delight new manager Xabi Alonso.
Alonso opened with two Premier League wins, but goalkeeper Robert Sanchez's display in the opening victory at Fulham persuaded him to finally solve a long-standing problem by signing Emiliano Martinez from Aston Villa .
The list of incomings and outgoings are – as usual – almost too numerous to mention, but Morgan Rogers - a £117m signing from Aston Villa - has already formed a devastating trio in attack with Cole Palmer and Joao Pedro, while Maxence Lacroix is a quality defensive addition.
And in a shift in strategy, veterans Jordan Henderson and Danny Welbeck were brought in to add experience and their consummate professionalism to the Chelsea dressing room.
Chelsea were in the market in the final hours as well, but were bitterly disappointed when Monaco pulled the plug on their move for highly-regarded midfielder Lamine Camara as Fernandez departed.
A huge squad has no European football to offer a distraction, which is why Chelsea and Alonso could well believe they have the quality to also run close – although they remain outsiders.
Published 11 hours ago Camara's £47.1m move from Monaco to Chelsea collapses
Published 13 hours ago Liverpool Image source, Getty Images Image caption, Liverpool have paid £123m to Paris Saint-Germain for Bradley Barcola
Liverpool 's main task this summer after appointing Andoni Iraola to replace sacked Arne Slot, was to somehow compensate for what they would miss without Mohamed Salah after he left Anfield at the end of last season.
Bradley Barcola was the prime target and eventually signed from Paris Saint-Germain for £123m. He possesses lightning pace, creativity and goals, but he is not a like-for-like replacement for Salah, preferring to operate on the left.
Victor Munoz, a member of Spain's World Cup-winning squad, is another wide man who has already shown what he can deliver with a spectacular equaliser in the 2-2 draw with Nottingham Forest .
Rather than simply replace Salah, Liverpool 's strategy has been to find…
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