The shirts have been revealed, the transfer window is gathering pace and another Premier League season is almost upon us. The 2026/27 campaign begins on 22 August, giving clubs only a few more weeks to integrate their new arrivals, settle on their strongest line-ups and convince supporters that this could be their year. Ahead of the opening weekend, we have selected five of our favourite new kits and taken a closer look at ten major transfers that could influence the season.
Five of Our Favourite Premier League Kits for 2026/27
Arsenal Away Shirt – adidas
There is no pretending that Arsenal and adidas have discovered an entirely new source of inspiration here. The famous “Bruised Banana” design has been revisited several times, and the well may finally be beginning to run dry. For 2026/27, the familiar zigzag pattern has been placed across a dark navy base, with yellow and red details replacing the overwhelmingly yellow appearance of the original 1991–93 shirt. The adidas Trefoil and Arsenal cannon complete a kit that leans heavily into early-1990s nostalgia. It is a perfectly good-looking shirt. The colours work, the darker base makes it easy to wear and the pattern is instantly recognisable. It is simply difficult to escape the feeling that Arsenal have been here before.
Our verdict: An attractive reinterpretation of a classic, even if the Bruised Banana revival is starting to feel a little familiar.
Coventry City Home Shirt – hummel
Coventry City could easily have marked their Premier League return with a safe, traditional sky-blue shirt. Instead, hummel has produced something much more likely to divide opinion. The blue and white striped design takes inspiration from Coventry’s 1986/87 kit, worn during the season in which the club lifted the FA Cup at Wembley. That historic shirt used delicate pinstripes across alternating white and blue sections, while the new version presents the idea in a much bolder form. Abandoning an established home-shirt identity is always a risk, especially during such an important season. Judged as a shirt in isolation, however, it is distinctive, relevant to the club’s history and far more memorable than another plain sky-blue template.
Our verdict: A brave home shirt for Coventry’s return to the top flight, with enough historical meaning to justify the change.
Sunderland Home Shirt – hummel
Few shirts released this summer contain as much genuine club history as Sunderland’s new home kit. The design commemorates the club’s 1937 FA Cup triumph and arrives ahead of Sunderland’s long-awaited return to European competition. The modern crest is placed inside a shield, while the original city crest appears on the back of the neck. Inside the collar are the names of the starting XI from Sunderland’s victory at Wembley. A subtle jacquard pattern also runs across the shirt, using the handles of the FA Cup to create a repeated letter “S”. There are plenty of retro-inspired shirts released every summer, but Sunderland and hummel have gone beyond simply recreating an old pattern. The references feel deliberate, specific and connected to an important moment in the club’s history.
Our verdict: The most thoughtfully constructed shirt on the list and an excellent example of how club history can inspire a modern kit.
Manchester United Away Shirt – adidas
Manchester United’s new away kit takes inspiration from the blue adidas shirt worn during the late 1980s. The flowing wave pattern represents the River Irwell, creating a direct connection between the design, Old Trafford and the city of Manchester. A dark blue base is combined with red trim, while the adidas Trefoil adds another strong retro element. It is recognisably influenced by an older United shirt without becoming an exact reproduction. That balance makes it one of the better heritage-led designs of the summer.
Our verdict: A clean and wearable away kit that references the past without being completely controlled by it.
Liverpool Away Shirt – adidas
Liverpool’s white away shirt is reportedly inspired by match tickets from the 1970s, with the most distinctive reference appearing in the shield-shaped crest pattern across the body. Maroon-red logos stand out against the white base, while red and grey detailing appears around the collar and cuffs. The use of the adidas Trefoil rather than the modern Performance logo gives the shirt a more casual, archive-inspired appearance. The ticket graphic is the detail that separates it from a standard white Liverpool away shirt. It is a relatively subtle piece of storytelling, but one that feels specific to the club rather than borrowed from a generic adidas template.
Our verdict: Understated from a distance, but filled with the sort of small historical details that reward a closer look.
Ten Transfers That Could Shape the Premier League Season
Rather than judging the summer purely by transfer fees, the more interesting question is how these players will change their new teams.
Chelsea Add Another Major Attacking Talent
Morgan Rogers – Aston Villa to Chelsea, reported £117 million
Morgan Rogers arrives at Stamford Bridge after developing into one of the Premier League’s leading attacking players. During his time at Villa, he contributed to 40 goals across 85 league appearances and helped the club secure a top-four finish and win the Europa League. His ability to carry the ball, operate between midfield and attack and play across several positions should give Chelsea another route through compact defences. The challenge will be creating a defined role for him in a squad that already contains Cole Palmer, João Pedro and several other attacking options.
Marco Palestra – Atalanta to Chelsea, reported £47 million Palestra gives Chelsea additional pace and width on the right. He can compete at full-back or wing-back and should suit a team that wants its wide defenders to contribute high up the pitch. Together, the Rogers and Palestra signings suggest Chelsea are building a squad capable of changing shape during matches rather than relying on one fixed system.
Tottenham Begin a Complete Tactical Rebuild
Sandro Tonali – Newcastle United to Tottenham Hotspur, reported £100 million
Mateus Fernandes – West Ham United to Tottenham Hotspur, reported £85 million
Jan Paul van Hecke – Brighton to Tottenham Hotspur, reported £52 million
No Premier League side has reshaped its spine as dramatically as Tottenham. Tonali brings intensity, defensive awareness and an ability to control possession from central midfield. Newcastle will miss his pressing and ball recovery, while Spurs gain a midfielder capable of dictating the tempo without sacrificing aggression. Fernandes adds a more progressive presence. He combines technical ability with strong defensive numbers and should help Spurs move the ball through midfield more effectively. His previous Premier League experience also reduces the usual adjustment period associated with a young signing. Van Hecke may prove equally important. The defender already understands Roberto De Zerbi’s demands from their time together at Brighton and is comfortable receiving the ball under pressure. That familiarity should help Tottenham implement their new manager’s approach more quickly. Spurs have not simply added three good players. They have recruited specifically for the football their manager wants to play.
Manchester City Find Their Next Midfield All-Rounder
Elliot Anderson – Nottingham Forest to Manchester City, reported £116 million
Elliot Anderson’s rise has been rapid, but his move to Manchester City feels like the natural result of two consistently impressive seasons at Nottingham Forest. Anderson is energetic enough to press and recover possession, but he also has the passing range and composure required to play in a possession-heavy team. He missed only one Premier League match across his final two seasons at Forest, demonstrating the reliability City will need during another demanding campaign. He may not replace one specific midfielder. Instead, his versatility should allow City to use him as a number eight, a deeper midfielder or part of a more aggressive pressing structure.
Liverpool Invest in the Future of Their Defence
Jeremy Jacquet – Rennes to Liverpool, reported £55 million
Jeremy Jacquet arrives at Liverpool as one of the most highly rated young centre-backs in French football. The 20-year-old made 21 appearances for Rennes during 2025/26 before a shoulder injury ended his campaign early. He has also represented France at under-21 level and was named in the Team of the Tournament at the 2024 European Under-19 Championship. Jacquet should not necessarily be judged on whether he immediately becomes a first-choice defender. Liverpool appear to be planning beyond the current season, giving him time to learn alongside experienced players before taking on greater responsibility.
Aston Villa Replace Lost Creativity with Potential
Johan Manzambi – Freiburg to Aston Villa, reported £51 million
Losing Rogers leaves a significant creative gap at Aston Villa, but Johan Manzambi is an exciting attempt to replace potential with even more potential. The Swiss midfielder was named the Europa League’s Young Player of the Season after helping Freiburg reach the final. He also scored three goals for Switzerland at the 2026 World Cup and has shown that he can operate in both advanced and deeper midfield roles. Manzambi may not replicate Rogers’ output immediately, but his versatility should appeal to Unai Emery. Villa have acquired a player who can develop within the team rather than simply being asked to imitate the man he replaces.
Manchester United Add Greater Control in Midfield
Andrey Santos – Chelsea to Manchester United, reported £48 million
Manchester United have often lacked control in central midfield, particularly when attempting to play through an opposition press. Andrey Santos could help address that weakness. He made 43 appearances for Chelsea during 2025/26 and recorded the highest pass-completion rate and most progressive passes per 90 minutes among Premier League midfielders aged 21 or under. He is composed in possession, comfortable receiving the ball in congested areas and still young enough to develop into a long-term midfield leader.
Brighton Place Another Bet on Young Talent
Luka Vušković – Tottenham Hotspur to Brighton, reported £46 million
Brighton’s recruitment model has rarely been afraid of placing significant responsibility on young players, and Luka Vušković fits that approach perfectly. The 19-year-old Croatia international already has extensive senior experience despite his age. At 6ft 4in, he brings obvious physical presence, but Brighton will also be interested in his confidence on the ball and potential to develop inside a progressive defensive system. The fee creates pressure, but Brighton have built their reputation by identifying what a player could become rather than only judging what he is today.
A Season of Nostalgia and Reinvention
The most interesting theme of the summer is the way Premier League clubs are balancing history with change. The new kits look backwards, referencing FA Cup triumphs, 1970s match tickets and memorable adidas designs from the 1980s and 1990s. The transfer market, meanwhile, is focused firmly on what comes next. Chelsea have added more attacking quality. Tottenham have rebuilt around a new tactical identity. Manchester City have secured another complete midfielder, while Liverpool, Villa, United and Brighton have invested heavily in younger players with room to develop. The shirts may celebrate where these clubs have been, but the new signings will determine where they go next.
Leave a comment