Rodri joined the Spain giants after parting ways with Man City, where he made 298 appearances across all competitions, while scoring 28 goals and registering 32 assists in the process.

The former Ballon d’Or winner had one year left on his City contract, but opted to join the Catalans rather than extend his contract with City.

The 30-year-old arrives at Barca after putting pen to paper on a four-year contract, which keeps him at the club until 2023.

“I’m very happy and excited about this new stage in my career.

“It’s a fresh challenge, a chance to experience new things and feel that excitement again.

“I’m here to compete for everything, for big things like the Champions League.

“I’ve come to a hugely ambitious club that really suits my personality, so I’ll try to help in every way I can to achieve our objectives this season.”

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Lacroix has finally completed his move to the Blues from London rivals Palace, where he scored four goals and grabbed four assists in 98 appearances across all competitions.

Delighted to have you, @LacroixMaxence. 💙

— Chelsea FC (@ChelseaFC) July 30, 2026

The 26-year-old arrives at Chelsea after signing a six-year contract at Stamford Bridge.

Maxence Lacroix is Chelsea. 📸🤩 pic.twitter.com/nwKgUVbXiU

— Chelsea FC (@ChelseaFC) July 30, 2026

He becomes the latest signing behind Marco Palestra, Geovany Quenda, Morgan Rogers and Harrison Bettoni.

“I am really happy to be part of this beautiful club. Everyone knows the legend of Chelsea, its tradition of winning, and to be a part of that is a proud moment,” Lacroix told his club’s official website.

“When I spoke with the manager, I saw that we have the same direction and desire for this club.

“We want to win. When you see the quality of the players here, everything we have around the club, it’s something that we can achieve. The ambition is to lift trophies, and I can’t wait to contribute.”

The talk of the town. 📻 pic.twitter.com/Eix5531jhy

— Chelsea FC (@ChelseaFC) July 30, 2026

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Gvardiol arrived at City from RB Leipzig during the 2023-24 season and has gone on. to score 13 goals and grabbed 10 assists in 122 appearances across all competitions

The 24-year-old has since put pen to paper on a new five-year contract at the Etihad Stadium.

The Croatian international will now extend his stay at the club until 2031.

“As soon as I knew City wanted to renew my contract, I felt straight away it was what I wanted,” Gvardiol told his club’s official website.

“The City fans have been unbelievable with me from day one – and the club provide absolutely everything for players. It’s the best club in the world to be at.

“I have felt so much love and respect during my three years here and I don’t take that for granted.

“The players we have here are amazing. This is a world-class squad that is young and full of potential. I truly believe we will have a lot of success in the coming years.”

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The 24-year-old arrives at Arsenal after completing a move from Belgian outfit Club Brugge, where he scored 43 goals and registered 45 assists in 108 appearances across all competitions.

Tzolis arrives at the club after putting pen to paper on a five-year contract with the Gunners.

Adding another string to our bow 🎻

Great to have you with us, Christos 🤩 pic.twitter.com/PZSmkmpLok

— Arsenal (@Arsenal) July 23, 2026

The Greek winger’s transfer free is understood to be in the region of £34m,, a record transfer for the Belgian Pro League.

The Gunners have revealed that Tzolis will wear the number 17 jersey at Arsenal ahead of the 2026-27 season.

💬 “It’s absolutely amazing to sign for the champions of England.” 

Our exclusive interview with Christos Tzolis features his Premier League experience, his pride at joining The Arsenal and much more 📺

— Arsenal (@Arsenal) July 23, 2026

“We are delighted to announce the signing of Christos Tzolis on a long-term contract,” Arsenal said in club statement.

“The 24-year-old forward joins us from Club Brugge where he made 108 appearances in all competitions, scoring 43 goals and assisting 45 times for the Belgian side.”

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The 26-year-old previous contract at the club was set to expire next season.

However, Foden has now committed his future to the club after signing a four-year contract.

The England international has opened up about signing a new deal and says he is living out his childhood dream of representing City.

“Committing my future to City means everything to me,” Foden told his club’s official website.

“Playing for this Club is all I’ve ever wanted to do and it’s always an honour to wear the shirt.

“It’s not lost on me that I’ve been lucky enough to be part of a historic period with so many titles won, but we’re always looking to the future and trying to win more.

“I can only thank the Club, staff, team-mates and fans who continue to put their faith in me and trust that I give everything I can for City and I hope I’ll be able to repay you for years to come.

“I can’t wait to work with Enzo again. He was brilliant during the Treble season – someone all the players respected and loved working with. To have him back here is exciting.

“Personally, I know I’ve improved so much from working with our coaches and world-class squad and as many of the legends who were here when I first broke through move on, I am excited for the next phase of my career at this great Club.”

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Th 23-year-old arrives at the club after putting pen to paper on a seven-year deal at Stamford Bridge.

Signed for the Blues. 🔵✔️

— Chelsea FC (@ChelseaFC) July 21, 2026

Rogers has now become the most expensive British play of all time and broke the record set earlier by Elliot Anderson, who joined Manchester City for a fee of £116m.

He chose Chelsea. pic.twitter.com/V6NrGsuZH9

— Chelsea FC (@ChelseaFC) July 21, 2026

The England international becomes the Blues third signing behind Marco Palestra and Geovany Quenda.

“I’m so excited,” Rogers told his new club’s official website.

“For me, Chelsea are the biggest club in London and a club I’ve always admired since I was a kid.

“I’m really excited about the project with the new manager, the players we’ve got and where the club is heading. That’s why I’m here and I can’t wait to get started.

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Tielemans joins the club for £36m from fellow Premier League side Aston Villa.

The 29-year-old arrives at the club after putting pen to paper on a five-year deal at Old Trafford.

The Belgian midfielder has become the second arrival after the £50m transfer of Andrey Santos from Chelsea.

Tielemans believes the club’s ambition to compete for the game’s biggest honours matches his own determination to achieve even greater success in the years ahead.

“It’s hard to describe just how proud I am to join Manchester United,” Tielemans told the officially Man Utd website.

“Signing for such a special club feels incredible, it is the culmination of years of dedication since I first fell in love with football.

“I have had the privilege of experiencing success in the game and it has only increased my determination to achieve more.

“The ambition from everyone at the club is extremely clear; we are all determined to push for the biggest trophies over the coming years.”

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The 22-year-old arrives at the club after putting pen to paper on a deal that keeps him at the club until June 2031, with the option to extend for a further year.

Santos featured 43 times for Chelsea across all competitions last season and scored three goals while claiming four assists.

The Brazilians international joined the Blues from Vasco da Gama in 2023 and spent time on loan at Nottingham Forest and Chelsea’s sister club Strasbourg.

“Everything about Manchester United is special; it is an incredible feeling to join a club that some of my biggest idols have represented,” Santos told Man Utd’s official website.

“As a midfielder, I am really excited to have the opportunity to learn from Michael Carrick, he is the perfect coach to help me take the next step in my career and push to achieve my dreams.

“Everybody told me about how ambitious the club is and the amazing environment that has been created here. I know just how strong the squad is and I cannot wait to fight together to compete for the biggest trophies.”

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The 19-year-old joins the club after parting ways with Sporting, where he scored nine goals and grabbed 17 assists in 86 appearances across all competitions.

Quenda arrives at the club after putting pen to paper on a eight-year deal at Stamford Bridge.

He becomes Xabi Alonso’s second signing following the £42m signing of Atalanta full-back Marco Palestra.

“It feels great to be here,” Quenda told the Chelsea website.

‘I am excited to work with my teammates and the Manager, Xabi Alonso.

“I’m a very hard-working young person and I like to help my team.

“I want to be someone known for having the right mentality to help my teammates and who does their best for the club to win trophies.”

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The new European football season is still weeks away and much remains uncertain.

The transfer market has not settled yet, coaching changes continue and clubs will spend the time after the 2026 World Cup trying to reshape squads and assess players whose reputations have risen or fallen in North America.

That makes long-range predictions difficult. Yet while personnel changes are uncertain, we can look to history for some clues.

Across Europe’s five major leagues, title races are often remarkably similar and the same trends repeat themselves over time. So what should we expect this time round?

ENGLISH PREMIER LEAGUE

England continues to offer the most competitive title race among Europe’s leading leagues, but recent history suggests there is a clear benchmark for success.

Premier League champions have averaged 89 points over the last decade and eight of the last 10 winners have earned at least 86.

Arsenal ended a 22-year wait for the title in 2025/26, but repeating that achievement may prove more difficult.

Back-to-back champions are comparatively rare in England. Since the formation of the Premier League in 1992, only four clubs have defended the title – Manchester United, Arsenal, Chelsea and Manchester City.

City’s dominance has shaped the modern era. Before Arsenal’s recent success, they won six successive league crowns and eight of the previous nine.

Defending champions generally remain competitive. Since 2010, only three title holders have finished outside the top two the following season.

Manchester City are again likely to challenge despite the departure of Pep Guardiola after a decade in charge.

Liverpool are expected to improve after an underwhelming campaign, while Manchester United’s progress under Michael Carrick suggests they may enter the conversation.

Chelsea remain harder to assess. Their squad depth suggests potential, but instability has undermined them in recent seasons.

They are, for all intents and purposes, a basket case. Another trend concerns promoted clubs. Of the 15 promoted sides over the last five Premier League seasons, 11 were relegated immediately, highlighting the increasing gap between divisions.

Coventry City, Ipswich Town and Hull City will all battle to stay up this season.

SPANISH LALIGA

Spain’s title race has been dominated by familiar names over the last two decades.

Barcelona, Real Madrid and Atlético Madrid are the only clubs to have won LaLiga since 2005, with Barca and Real accounting for 18 of the last 21 championships.

Barcelona begin 2026/27 as defending champions, though history suggests Real Madrid rarely stay down for long.

And with the returning José Mourinho at the helm, there is sure to be a shake-up.

Since 2000, Real have failed to reclaim the title within two seasons of losing it only twice.

Their decision to bring Mourinho back to the club reflects that urgency, though questions remain over whether he can rediscover the consistency that defined earlier periods of his career.

Is he ‘yesterday’s man’, rather than a coach for the present? The average LaLiga-winning points total over the last decade stands at 87, underlining the importance of consistency against lower-ranked opposition.

Barca have also tended to respond well to success, defending the title in five of the last eight opportunities when entering a season as champions.

GERMAN BUNDESLIGA

No league in Europe has been shaped by one club to the extent of Bayern Munich in Germany.

Bayern have won 18 of the last 22 Bundesliga titles and secured an 11-season streak between 2013 and 2023.

The average Bundesliga champion over the last decade collected around 80 points, though Bayern have frequently moved beyond that mark with ease.

Their advantage is reflected in attack as well. Bundesliga champions have averaged 84 goals a season in the last 10 years, while Bayern regularly surpass 90 and occasionally exceed 100.

Last year they scored a massive 122 in 34 games, just a staggering number.

Borussia Dortmund, Bayer Leverkusen and RB Leipzig have mounted challenges at various stages, but sustaining pressure across a full season has proved difficult.

Harry Kane remains central to Bayern’s attack. Despite operating in deeper positions at times last season, he again produced elite scoring numbers.

The broader trend suggests Bayern remain the side others must catch rather than merely compete with.

ITALIAN SERIE A

Along with the Premier League, Italy offers greater competitive variation than many of Europe’s leading leagues.

Four clubs have shared the last 10 Serie A titles – Juventus (four), Inter Milan (three), Napoli (two) and AC Milan (one).

Inter enter the campaign as defending champions, but retaining the Scudetto has historically been difficult.

Juventus are the only side to defend a Serie A crown in the last decade.

Serie A champions have averaged around 85 points over the last 10 seasons, often with tighter margins than elsewhere in Europe.

Napoli face uncertainty after the departure of Antonio Conte, while Juventus and Milan are rebuilding after disappointing campaigns.

Roma and Como appear to be moving in the right direction but may still lack the depth required for a sustained title challenge.

FRENCH LIGUE 1

France presents perhaps the clearest picture of who will be champions because they have serial winners who can dwarf the rest of the league in spending power.

Paris Saint-Germain have won 11 of the last 13 Ligue 1 titles and have not finished outside the top two since 2011.

Only Monaco in 2016/17 and Lille in 2020/21 interrupted Paris Saint-Germain’s dominance during that period.

The average Ligue 1 champion over the last decade earned about 83 points, though Paris Saint-Germain frequently exceed that figure comfortably.

Financial disparity remains decisive. Paris Saint-Germain’s spending power continues to dwarf domestic rivals, leaving challengers reliant on inconsistency from Paris rather than expecting to outperform them over a season. Lens pushed them closely last year but still finished six points adrift.

THE WORLD CUP FACTOR

The season following a World Cup often brings disruption and can mean there are surprises in the title races, not so much the winner but who challenges.

Players return late, injuries increase and clubs reassess recruitment plans after standout performances on the global stage.

Unexpected contenders can emerge, while established sides occasionally struggle for rhythm That uncertainty will shape the opening months of the 2026/27 season.

But while transfers and managerial appointments may alter expectations, historical patterns continue to offer the best clues and the champions in each league will come from those who can hit the average number of points required and go a little beyond it.

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