Premier League 2026-27: Every Transfer, Preseason Result, and What to Expect Before August 21

The countdown is on. Twenty-eight days from now, Arsenal will walk out at the Emirates to begin their first title defense in 22 years. Coventry City, Hull, and Ipswich — the three newly promoted sides — get their shot at the big time. And somewhere in a boardroom, the remaining dominoes of the summer transfer window are still falling.

This is your one-stop briefing on everything that's happened so far and everything still to come before the 2026-27 Premier League season kicks off.

Transfer Window: The Biggest Deals So Far

The summer window opened on June 15 and doesn't close until Deadline Day. But plenty of clubs have already done serious business. Here's what you need to know.

Christos Tzolis to Arsenal — £34 Million

The Gunners moved early for the Greek winger after his standout season at Club Brugge, where he posted 14 goals and 11 assists across all competitions. Tzolis gives Mikel Arteta a genuine left-sided threat to balance Bukayo Saka on the opposite flank. At 24, he's entering his prime and fits the age profile Arsenal have targeted under this regime. The fee could rise to £40m with add-ons.

Alejandro Garnacho to Aston Villa — Loan

The strangest move of the window so far. Garnacho fell out of favor at Chelsea after arriving from Old Trafford, managing just three league starts in the second half of last season. Unai Emery has rolled the dice on a straight loan with no buy option. If Garnacho rediscovers the form that made him a €50m asset, Villa have pulled off the steal of the summer. If not, he's back at Stamford Bridge next June with even less leverage.

Xaver Schlager to Nottingham Forest — Free Transfer

Nuno Espírito Santo's midfield needed steel after a season that saw Forest concede the fourth-most shots from central areas in the division. Schlager arrives from RB Leipzig on a free — a combative Austrian international who averaged 3.1 tackles per 90 in the Bundesliga last term. Low risk, high floor signing.

Harrison Bettoni to Chelsea — Free

The 19-year-old Wigan academy product made 34 Championship appearances last season. Chelsea's loan army grows by one — Bettoni will almost certainly spend the season at Strasbourg or a Championship side. One for the spreadsheet, not the starting XI.

Other Notable Moves

Preseason: Who's Flying and Who's Stumbling

Ten Premier League clubs have already played preseason matches. Some look sharp. Others... less so.

Crystal Palace 5-1 Swindon Town (July 18)

Pierre Sage's first game in charge couldn't have gone much better. Matheus Franca bagged a hat-trick — two from open play, one from the spot — and Eddie Nketiah added a brace. Palace lined up in a 3-4-3, with Franca operating in the left half-space behind the striker. Early signs that Sage's system suits the Brazilian, who looked lost for large stretches of last season. Swindon are League Two opposition, so calibrate expectations accordingly, but five goals and a clear tactical identity is exactly what you want from your first preseason outing.

Everton 4-0 Dundee (July 18)

Everton traveled to Dens Park and dismantled their Scottish hosts without breaking a sweat. Four different scorers — no single-player dependency — and a clean sheet to boot. David Moyes used 22 players across the 90 minutes, giving minutes to every fit senior squad member. Dundee are mid-table Scottish Premiership, so not a glamour test, but a 4-0 away win with a rotated squad suggests fitness levels are exactly where they need to be with Bolton up next on July 25.

Manchester United 0-1 Wrexham (July 18, Helsinki)

Yes, you read that correctly. Wrexham — the League One side owned by Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney — beat Manchester United in Finland. It was a young United side (no Bruno Fernandes, no Rasmus Højlund, a back four that averaged 21 years old), but the optics are terrible. Wrexham's winner came from a set piece in the 67th minute — exactly the kind of goal United's first team conceded 14 times in the league last season. The new manager has work to do.

Tottenham 1-0 MK Dons (July 22, behind closed doors)

No broadcast, no highlights package, just a brief club statement confirming Bruno Fernandes — yes, that Bruno Fernandes — scored on his Spurs debut. The Portuguese midfielder joined on a free after his United contract expired, and Roberto De Zerbi threw him straight into the starting XI. Fernandes volleyed home from a Dejan Kulusevski cross in the 34th minute. Spurs controlled possession (68%) and limited MK Dons to two touches inside the box. De Zerbi's first outing: tidy, controlled, unspectacular. Exactly how preseason should look.

Nottingham Forest 2-1 Blackburn Rovers (July 22, Albufeira)

Forest took a squad to Portugal and got a result against Championship opposition. Nuno set them up in the 3-4-2-1 that worked well in the second half of last season. Both goals came from wing-back deliveries — a pattern Forest will lean on heavily with the Schlager signing adding midfield protection that frees the wide players to push higher.

Key Dates for 2026-27

What to Watch: The Big Six

The Promoted Three

Coventry City are back in the top flight for the first time since 2001. Their preseason has been pragmatic — a 2-3 loss to AFC Wimbledon and a 0-0 with Northampton, both behind closed doors. Espanyol visit on August 8 for their final warm-up. Mark Robins has kept the core of the promotion side together, but the gap between Championship mid-table and Premier League survival is a chasm.

Hull City grabbed Matt Targett on a free from Newcastle — smart business for a side that will need every ounce of top-flight experience they can get. Targett has 150+ Premier League appearances and immediately becomes their most seasoned defender.

Ipswich Town are the wildcard. Kieran McKenna's side played some of the best football in the Championship last season — high press, quick transitions, brave on the ball. Whether that translates against Manchester City and Arsenal is the three-point question that will define their season.

The Tactical Trend to Watch

Three-at-the-back systems are making a comeback. Palace used a 3-4-3 in their first preseason outing. Forest stuck with Nuno's 3-4-2-1 in Portugal. De Zerbi experimented with a back three at Spurs in his Brighton days and may well deploy it with the personnel he now has. Expect at least five Premier League sides to line up with three centre-backs on opening weekend — double the number from two seasons ago.

The reason is straightforward: the modern full-back is essentially a winger, and playing three at the back lets you push both wide defenders high without leaving yourself exposed. It's not revolutionary — Antonio Conte won the league with it in 2017 — but the 2026 edition comes with higher lines, more aggressive pressing triggers, and centre-backs who can pass like midfielders.

Bottom Line

The 2026-27 Premier League season has more unknowns than any in recent memory. A defending champion adjusting to life at the top. Three of the Big Six under new management. A transfer window that's only half-done. Preseason results that range from encouraging (Everton, Palace) to farcical (Manchester United). And three promoted sides who could finish anywhere from 12th to 20th.

Twenty-eight days. If you're counting, so are we.

Last updated: July 24, 2026. Transfer data sourced from BBC Sport, Sky Sports, and official club announcements. Preseason results verified against Premier League official site and club channels.