Four new Premier League signings head into the 2025/26 season under huge pressure to deliver from day one, with Alexander Isak potential Liverpool move adding even more drama to the summer transfer window.
The curtain is yet to rise on the 2025/26 Premier League season, yet the stage is already swarming with narrative, expectation, and the relentless pursuit of results. After a summer transfer window that has already seen nearly £2 billion spent league-wide, it’s clear that this is not a time for patience. For some signings, acclimation is a luxury they simply cannot afford.
Further additions are expected before the summer window slams shut, and the one currently dominating the headlines is Alexander Isak. The Newcastle United hitman has been coveted by champions Liverpool for the past six months, but the Reds remain some £40m shy of the Magpies' valuation for their super Swede. Should he ultimately end up on Merseyside, then online sports betting sites will slash odds on Arne Slot's side successfully defending the title even further.
The latest online sports betting at Bovada odds currently have The Reds listed as a 2.70 favorite to claim the title again this term, well clear of both Arsenal and Manchester City. While they are under pressure to deliver after over £250m spent on new arrivals at Anfield, some of the league's newest additions also have monstrous expectations on their shoulders. Here are the four under the most pressure to succeed right away.
Few transfers encapsulate the weight of Arsenal’s ambition better than their bold £63.5 million capture of Viktor Gyökeres from Sporting CP. The Swedish striker built a fearsome reputation in Portugal, racking up a near-mythical 97 goals in 102 appearances—a staggering strike rate of 0.95 per game.
But Portugal is not England. The Premier League’s intensity, physicality, and scrutiny are altogether different beasts. The Gunners have spent over £550 million in the last four windows chasing one elusive prize: a Premier League crown that’s remained beyond reach since 2004. The Emirates faithful remember all too well how last season’s promising title push fizzled out—once again, due in no small part to a lack of a ruthless center-forward.
Gyökeres is tasked with ending an over two-decade drought. His strength, directness, and poacher’s instincts offer a tantalizing focal point for Arteta’s intricate system. Yet every chance missed, every game without a goal, will invite comparisons to his predecessors and intensify murmurs of impatience in North London.
Can Gyökeres translate devastating efficiency into England’s top flight under the microscope of title expectation? Arteta is banking on it. The alternative is a familiar story: hope, heartbreak, and silverware slipping away yet again.
Liverpool do not gamble; they strategize. Yet circumstances forced their hand this summer. With Newcastle’s Alexander Isak out of reach - for now - the Reds turned to Hugo Ekitike, orchestrating a stunning £79 million move from Eintracht Frankfurt for the 23-year-old Frenchman.
The pressure is immense. The former PSG youngster arrives as more than just a marquee signing—he is Liverpool’s solution to persistent attacking inconsistency. Last season, the Reds finally pulled the plug on the Darwin Núñezproject, but luckily, the talismanic Mohamed Salah stepped up to the plate, firing home 29 goals en route to the title. Now, Ekitike must take some of the pressure off the Egyptian King.
Last summer. Arne Slot inherited a squad in transition, but he managed to stamp his authority on things almost immediately. Now Ekitike - as well as record signing Florian Wirtz - becomes the symbol of a new direction. He brings energy, movement, and a talent for stretching defences, but expectation at Anfield is relentless. Darwin Núñez’s erratic form and Cody Gakpo’s flashes of brilliance have yet to yield sustained success. The Kop demands more.
Manchester City operated with their customary ruthlessness in the window, spending over £300 million throughout 2025 to retool their squad. Yet among all the signings, the acquisition of Rayan Cherki from Lyon for €42 million might be the most intriguing. After the shocking early exit at the FIFA Club World Cup, pressure could not be higher.
August 19, 2025
Cherki, just 21, is a technical marvel, renowned in Ligue 1 for dazzling dribbles and creativity under pressure. But City’s standards are ruthless. Recent arrivals such as Nico González and Abdukodir Khusanov found it almost impossible to settle, often undone by Guardiola’s sky-high requirements and the complexities of his system.
This time, there is little room for gradual integration. With Kevin De Bruyne now in Naples - talking creative depth with him - Cherki is expected to hit the ground running. His unpredictability could rejuvenate City’s attack or, if he fails to grasp Guardiola’s positional play, leave the team exposed in tight matches where innovation is not a luxury but a necessity.
The pressure? Enormous. The upside? League titles, European runs, and the chance to become the next City icon. In a team built on precision and process, can Cherki provide the explosive moments that flip finely balanced contests? We’re about to find out.
Perhaps the most quietly pivotal signing of the window is Thierno Barry’s £27m switch to Everton. At 22, Barry arrives from Villarreal, having netted 19 times last season—a hope-bringing statline for a fanbase wearily accustomed to misfiring frontmen.
The context at Everton borders on dramatic: three consecutive seasons spent flirting with relegation, a home atmosphere thick with anxiety, and a legacy of big-money forwards who flattered only to deceive. Dominic Calvert-Lewin, so often the Toffees’ attacking focal point, is gone. Neal Maupay and Armando Broja couldn't impress. Enter Barry—a player whose composure, agility, and acceleration are designed to electrify a stagnant attack.
Yet, there is no soft launch in sight. Everton need goals and statements—fast. Their new era at the Hill Dickinson Stadium and the Moyes renaissance demands a talisman up front. If Barry clicks, a resurgence is on the cards. If he stutters, Everton could again find themselves teetering above the drop.
