2001-2002 Football Season Preview

Any true football addict will already be twitching with excitement at the thought of the forthcoming football season. The few weeks between now and August seem like an eternity to go without football so I thought I had better provide a short fix of intense club information to see you through until the start of the 2001-2002 season.

As the premiership clubs try to strengthen their squads who will be challenging for the title? The contenders: The top two finishers last season will obviously be in contention again. Manchester United have spent £43million this summer on Ruud Van Nistlerooy and Juan Sebastian Veron and set the target for the other English clubs to emulate. Arsenal have decided to buy British this year with Sol Campbell, Francis Jeffers and Richard Wright. To top that Dutch mid-fielder Van Bronkhorst will also be wearing an Arsenal shirt next year. Liverpool and Leeds haven't yet ventured into the transfer market which they will need to do if they really want to challenge for the title. Meanwhile Chelsea who found it hard to find some consistency last season have strengthened their midfield with Frank Lampard from rivals West Ham and Barcelona reject Emanuel Petit.

As the other clubs struggle to keep up with the amount of money being spent by the giants who will be chasing that top pack?

The chasers: We will all hold our breath to see whether last years surprise package Ipswich can produce the same kind of form which got them into Europe. They have lost the exciting England international goalkeeper Richard Wright but hope to land Norwich goalkeeper Andy Marshall in the process. Aston Villa who had an under par season last year have grabbed Hassam Kachloul on a free transfer and Mustapha Hadji for £4.5 million from relegated Coventry. Everton continue to stay in top flight football for another year and have completed the signing of recovered cancer victim Alan Stubbs from Celtic. The Merseyside team have also been linked with Anderlecht hitman Tomasz Radzinski throughout the summer. A club that had mixed fortunes last season was Leicester. They got off to a flying start but could not last the pace and their form dropped. This summer they have drafted in experienced centre-mid Dennis Wise to hopefully fill the gap left by Neil Lennon. Leicester have also been linked with John Hartson, Jamie Scowcroft and out of favour Tottenham goalkeeper Ian Walker. Talking of Tottenham, under new manager Glenn Hoddle they have snapped up golden oldies Gus Poyet and P F A Player of the year Teddy Sherringham from Manchester United. Charlton have signed Jason Euall for a record £4.75 million from Wimbledon to add to their squad. Southampton, Sunderland and Newcastle have yet to make any signings but many rumours have been around concerning the three clubs. West Ham under new management with Glen Roader and Middlesborough, under new management with Steve Mclaren will be looking at a fight yet again at the bottom of the premiership table. Will the promoted clubs have the spending power to stay up this season? The new boys: Fulham who seem to have a never ending supply of money under chairman Mohamed Al Fayed have been linked to many players over the summer. Jean Tignon who has many contacts within football has been rumored to be negotiating with West Ham in a deal for Frederick ...... Blackburn, back after a long spell in the first division hope to stay in the premiership for longer than one season this time round. Bolton are back as well and are still holding back in the transfer market.

Written by Merlin Jones