Premier League buzz: Mbeumo's United role, Isak's return and Dowman's rise
By David Bellington
With the Premier League season around the corner, clubs are putting the finishing touches to their squads and systems. From Xabi Alonso’s plans at Chelsea to Bryan Mbeumo’s new role at Manchester United, the pre-season is already offering plenty of clues about what could be coming.
ALONSO EYES FOUR AT THE BACK
When you meet Xabi Alonso he is a cool customer, quiet and thoughtful. On pitchside, he almost changes character and can become very animated. As his Chelsea side lost to Tottenham, against the bookmakers’ odds, followed by defeat to Juventus, his cool disappeared and he spent most of the games shouting at his players, instructing them and moving their positions.
It is Alonso’s intention to include four or even five central defenders in his Chelsea squad, with the incoming Maxence Lacroix from Crystal Palace to play next to Levi Colwill and form the backbone of the Blues’ defence. It depends on player fitness in three weeks, but that is the long-term plan for this season.
The only regret is that Lacroix is not touring with Chelsea because of his extended break following the World Cup.
Alonso has been impressed with Jamie Gittens, who became a figure of fun and hate amongst Chelsea supporters last season with his less-than-adequate performances.
“Why did they sign him?” asked many fans on the terraces at Stamford Bridge.
His three consecutive goals in back-to-back matches on tour have partly answered that question and put him very much in Alonso’s mind after a 2025/26 season during which time he spent a lot of time warming the bench. Whatever Alonso has done to improve Gittens’ confidence appears to be working.
Mykhailo Mudryk has spoken to Xabi Alonso following his green light to restart his career after nearly two years out following a drug ban. The Ukrainian winger is still only 25 years of age and there is plenty of time for him to get fit for the beginning of the season.
He flew out to join Chelsea in Hong Kong and Alonso commented: “To be honest, we were not expecting to have this great news at this moment, so we are very pleased. We feel that he will be working with us.”
SEMENYO EMBRACES MARESCA’S STYLE
New Manchester City manager Enzo Maresca has issued very clear orders to Antoine Semenyo.
“I want to see our wingers playing high and wide and create new patterns through defences. Never let up for a minute and press consistently.”
Semenyo duly obliged as he cut through the Inter Milan defence in Hong Kong despite the Citizens losing the match. Time and again he cut through the Inter defence and set up Divin Mubama to allow him a tap-in for the first goal. Semenyo played down the outside wing several times before cutting in through defenders.
He said how excited he was when he heard Maresca was taking over from Pep Guardiola and commented: “From day one he got his ideas over to us. We understood perfectly what he wanted us to achieve. I reported a little later than some of the other players and I had individual meetings with him on how he intends to organise the team. His ideas are quite similar to Pep. I remember playing Chelsea when he was there and his wide men played high and with freedom. That excited me.”
The 26-year-old took a summer holiday after the World Cup, but during that time he worked out in a gym to make sure he came back as one of the fittest City players. He is surely going to light up the Premier League this coming season.
DOWMAN IMPRESSES ARTETA AGAIN
Mikel Arteta has firmly rejected any possibility of Viktor Gyokeres leaving the Emirates following media reports that linked the striker with several Spanish La Liga clubs.
Reports claimed that the Swedish front man had been mentioned as part of a deal to bring Argentine star Julian Alvarez to Arsenal from Atletico Madrid. Arteta pointed out that Gyokeres finished last season as the Gunners’ top scorer with 14 goals. When asked directly about Gyokeres leaving, Arteta said: “He’s going to stay!”
One player who is feeding Arsenal’s confidence and delighting supporters with his pre-season performances is Max Dowman. He caught my eye almost a year ago after watching him play in a junior match and said he was one definitely to make the big time.
Sure enough, he has developed and this season is likely to be huge for the 16-year-old. During Arsenal’s 4-1 win against Italian side Girona last weekend, Dowman scored one and made one assist, and it was good to see Arteta getting excited as Max weaved his way past defenders almost at will.
CAN ISAK JUSTIFY 125M POUNDS FEE?
When Alexander Isak signed for Liverpool on transfer deadline day in September 2025, manager Arne Slot and all the supporters thought that the price of £125 million was worth it and he would carry on his superb scoring record achieved at Newcastle.
Alas, that did not happen. Slot reminded us that Isak had signed a six-year contract and not a six-month one because he scored only two goals in 15 matches and then, after scoring away at Tottenham, he broke his leg.
Nearly 12 months later, new manager Adoni Iraola is anxious that he introduces his striker back into the first team with the greatest of care. Playing a few minutes in a pre-season tour match in Chicago, he knows that if the upcoming season is going to be successful, he is going to need Isak’s undoubted goalscoring talent to be 100 per cent on form.
It is true that one of the reasons Arne Slot was shown the exit door at Anfield is because his two expensive signings, Isak and Florian Wirtz, fell well below expectations, although they would say it was because of the manager’s negative football, which did not favour his forwards.
Since joining Newcastle, only three forwards have superior goalscoring numbers to Isak: Erling Haaland, Mohamed Salah and Ollie Watkins. Now, with Hugo Ekitike out of the Liverpool squad with a long-term ruptured Achilles injury, Iraola needs Isak and he said: “Three or four weeks of quality training and I think he will be in a good place because he is going to be massive for us.”
Isak has been training in a Chicago gym alongside Dortmund, Barcelona and Bayern Munich legend Robert Lewandowski, and he has put on some muscle to make himself more of an attacking threat in the box because Iraola intends to use him as an out-and-out No. 9 with Wirtz working in the No. 10 position.
MBEUMO COULD BE UNITED’S ACE
Manchester United were hoping that Bryan Mbeumo could once again reproduce his performances recorded at Brentford before his transfer to Manchester United. He scored 12 goals for United last season, which for a player of his quality is not great.
When United beat Diego Simeone’s Atletico Madrid in Stockholm to win the Snapdragon Cup, he delighted the Red Devils’ fans and manager Michael Carrick with a superb two-goal performance.
His first was, admittedly, from the penalty spot, but he then notched the winner with a 74th-minute effort which sent the 21,000 fans home feeling confident that the upcoming season could be a very good one. United had already thumped Rosenborg 5-0.
There is still uncertainty regarding Joshua Zirkzee’s future and, with Benjamin Sesko’s shin injury, it was up to Mbeumo to move inside from right wing. With United playing through the middle and passing to him as striker, the move paid off. It could be a significant way forward for United this coming season, however, they are still looking for another centre-forward.
Shea Lacey’s name might not be on many supporters’ radar, but his standout performance for United against Rosenborg, highlighted by scoring the opening goal, earned him a start against Atletico.
He moved into the No. 10 role with ease before being sent out to the right wing when Jack Fletcher replaced Diallo at half-time, and he created problems for the Spanish team’s defence. He has the ability to go left or right and deliver the ball with either foot.
It was his skill that earned United their penalty. Lacey was a keen boxer before taking up football and he showed he is also capable of tough, aggressive play and is able to hold his own against big defenders.
Jack Fletcher, too, was very impressive and Michael Carrick spent much time making notes and shouting encouragement. This next season could see some of these talented youngsters making a real mark in the Premier League.
MARESCA MUST REVIVE FODEN
Top of Enzo Maresca’s priority list is getting Phil Foden back to his best.
Following the loss against Inter Milan on penalties in the Asahi Super Dry Trophy match in Hong Kong, Maresca recognised that after seven weeks off to recover both mentally and physically following a hard, demanding season, his attacking midfielder needs a lot of close attention.
He was given the captain’s armband against Inter and Maresca built his team around Foden. The game, however, almost passed him by in the first half and he was rarely contributing.
Maresca has complete faith that he can solve the problem and said: “Knowing Phil from years ago, I know how good he is, so it’s my duty to help him be the player we all know he is capable of… Phil in a good mood can help us to win games and titles.”
EVERTON BRING IN NORGAARD
I was pleased that Arsenal let Christian Norgaard leave to join Everton. I never understood why Norgaard, a rock at Brentford and their captain, would leave and join Arsenal, where he would be at best only a squad player, and he spent much time on the bench. He is too good for that.
Everton singled out midfielder Norgaard because negotiations surrounding a new contract for Gana Gueye were not going well. He has now left the Toffees, but James Garner is out after groin surgery and will not start the season.
Norgaard made seven league appearances last season and 20 overall since his transfer in 2025 for £15 million. He said he wanted more game time, and the arrival of Bruno Guimaraes from Newcastle would certainly put an end to that.
RICHARLISON: STAY OR GO?
In a frank exchange of ideas, new Tottenham manager Roberto De Zerbi says he does not know if Richarlison wants to stay at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium or leave.
The Brazilian is now 29 years of age and he scored the winner against Xabi Alonso’s Chelsea. De Zerbi said after the win: “I like him as a player and I like him as a guy. He has an unbelievable attitude, works hard and his behaviour is excellent, but in the end we have to respect what he wants to do.”
When he was pressed for an answer, De Zerbi said: “I don’t know if he will leave. Sometimes he wants to stay and sometimes he wants to leave. We have to speak together anyway. He’s a lovely guy and everyone, players, staff, the club, all love him because he works hard every day.”
Tottenham have returned to London for pre-season training for their opening matches in the Premier League.
NEWCASTLE SIGN NEW KEEPER
Newcastle have succeeded in signing SC Braga goalkeeper Lukas Hornicek. Both he and new coach Matthias Jaissle have joined the Toon squad in Spain’s high-profile training camp at La Manga, the prestigious luxury holiday resort.
The Czech keeper has cost £25.7 million, but his arrival leaves a question mark over England international Nick Pope.
He is due to talk with Jaissle over the next few weeks, but Newcastle have not received any firm offers for his services despite interest from Ipswich and Leeds. Both clubs have now signed other goalkeepers, which leaves Pope and Ewen Jaouen as back-up options to Hornicek.
SUNDERLAND WELCOME XHAKA BACK
Regis Le Bris welcomes his captain Granit Xhaka back to the Stadium of Light next week when the Black Cats return from their pre-season training camp in the USA.
Xhaka rejected an approach from Chelsea boss Xabi Alonso, who was very keen to team up with the Swiss international midfielder at Stamford Bridge.
Le Bris did not make contact with Xhaka during Sunderland’s American trip because it is a Sunderland policy not to contact players during their summer holidays.
Le Bris said: “The way he can influence the whole behaviour of the squad. It’s going to be really positive when he joins the team next week… We created a situation for fast attacks after we regained the ball last season and we were good on set-pieces as well. And we built layers. At the end of the season, we were really balanced with the ability to manage different situations properly. So, we have that advantage this season.”
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