Premier League Summer Series: Reasons to Watch

The second edition of the Premier League Summer Series kicks off today, offering fans a valuable opportunity to observe four Premier League clubs in action: Manchester United, AFC Bournemouth, Everton and West Ham United. Held in the United States, the round-robin tournament gives supporters a taste of competitive football ahead of the 2025/26 season, which begins in mid-August.

While these pre-season fixtures primarily serve as preparation for the new campaign, if the 2023 edition, which Chelsea won, is anything to go by, we can also expect plenty of goals, exciting new signings, and the emergence of fresh talent.

Here are eight key things to keep an eye on throughout the 2025 Summer Series.

Expect More Goals After 2023’s High-Scoring Matches

One of the main attractions of the 2023 Summer Series was the sheer volume of goals scored. Four out of nine matches featured five or more goals, culminating in 35 goals overall – an average of 3.9 per match. This figure significantly surpasses the goal average of a typical Premier League season or standard pre-season competitions.

The attacking talent on display this year suggests this trend may continue. Manchester United and West Ham struggled defensively last season, while Bournemouth have already lost key defenders Dean Huijsen and Milos Kerkez this summer.

Regardless of whether the games are high-scoring or not, the Summer Series remains a useful window into the teams’ early progress. In 2023, Chelsea’s two wins and a draw helped spark enthusiasm for Mauricio Pochettino’s early tenure, especially his use of youthful players – a trend that continued into the 2023/24 season. Similarly, this year’s event will likely offer early insight into the 2025/26 campaign.

A New Breakout Star Will Likely Follow in Adingra and Pedro’s Footsteps

The 2023 Summer Series helped launch the careers of several promising talents. Among them, Joao Pedro, recently signed from Watford, impressed for Brighton & Hove Albion with a goal and an assist in a thrilling 4-3 loss to Chelsea in Philadelphia. That performance may have sparked Chelsea’s interest in signing him two years later as their new No 9.

Another standout was Simon Adingra, who netted twice against Brentford before enjoying a strong debut season in English football. Meanwhile, Elliot Anderson’s brace versus Brighton got Newcastle United supporters buzzing about their academy prospect.

Similar stories could unfold this summer. Everton are closely watching Harrison Armstrong, their talented No 10 who excelled while on loan at Derby County. Manchester United’s Diego Leon, a dynamic young wing-back, has also impressed, while West Ham’s El Hadji Malick Diouf showed promise in a recent friendly. Bournemouth’s Romain Favre, once overlooked, scored against Hibernian and could emerge as a surprise package.

A Crucial Tournament for Amorim to Lay the Foundations

There is significant pressure on Ruben Amorim and Manchester United heading into the new season. No manager and club have perhaps been under more scrutiny before even playing a competitive match. For many fans and pundits, these pre-season games are essential indicators of whether progress is being made.

Although winning pre-season matches is not mandatory, the psychological boost of a cohesive, coherent performance could be crucial. Amorim’s tenure so far has been disappointing. His points-per-game ratio of 1.0 from 27 league matches is the worst in Manchester United’s Premier League history, while his 38.1% win rate in all competitions is the lowest of any permanent manager since Frank O’Farrell in the early 1970s.

To reverse that trajectory, Amorim needs to solidify a clear tactical identity and utilise this summer as a rigorous preparation period. In this context, United’s involvement in the Summer Series takes on greater significance than usual.

Mbeumo and Cunha’s Debuts Will Shape Man Utd’s Future Direction

The arrivals of Matheus Cunha and Bryan Mbeumo for a combined reported fee of £135 million have brought fresh excitement to Old Trafford. As the sixth and ninth most expensive signings in the club’s history, expectations are high.

How Amorim integrates them will be a major storyline. Will they start together? What dynamics will they show? And most importantly, what will their on-pitch relationship reveal about United’s tactical future?

Given United’s goal tally of 44 in 38 league games last season, these two players are seen as potential catalysts for attacking transformation. The Summer Series will give fans their first chance to see how this new attacking duo could shape the Amorim era.

A Test for Potter to Showcase West Ham’s Tactical Identity

Six months into his role, Graham Potter has yet to imprint a clear tactical style on West Ham United. Under his management, the club gained 20 points from 18 games, a marginal decline from the 23 points in 20 games before his arrival.

While there has been a slight increase in possession (from 46.7% to 50.4%), the overall tactical shape remains ambiguous. Pre-season is Potter’s chance to communicate his footballing philosophy effectively.

At Brighton and Chelsea, Potter favoured structured possession and patient build-up play. However, with the Premier League leaning more towards fast transitions in 2025, questions remain: has Potter adapted? Or will he persist with a style that may no longer be effective?

These Summer Series fixtures could begin to answer those questions.

Bournemouth’s Response to Defensive Departures Will Be Under the Microscope

Bournemouth fans have endured a difficult summer. With Kerkez moving to Liverpool and Huijsen joining Real Madrid, and speculation surrounding Illia Zabarnyi, their defence has been significantly weakened.

Fortunately, they’ve retained Antoine Semenyo, who netted 11 goals last season, but that might not be enough. Under Andoni Iraola, Bournemouth have tended to start seasons slowly, collecting only three points from their first nine games in 2023/24 and 15 from the opening 12 games last term.

For Iraola to avoid a repeat, he must stabilise the defence quickly. The Summer Series will help test whether Adrien Truffert, their new left-back, can adapt swiftly to Premier League intensity.

Everton’s New Striker Barry Offers a Glimpse of Moyes’s Attack Plans

David Moyes enjoyed an immediate positive impact after his return to Everton during the 2024/25 season. Now, after a full summer of preparation, expectations are higher.

His new No 9, Thierno Barry, signed from Villarreal for a reported £27 million, is expected to be a key figure. Barry bagged 11 LaLiga goals last season and played an important role in Villarreal’s qualification for the UEFA Champions League.

Standing at 6ft 5in, Barry brings aerial dominance, ranking second in aerial duel success among forwards in Europe’s top five leagues with a 66.7% win rate. He will compete with Beto for the starting role. The Summer Series should provide insights into Moyes’s tactical preferences and how Barry fits in.

A Taster of the 2025/26 Premier League Season

Finally, the Summer Series offers fans their first real taste of Premier League-style football ahead of the 2025/26 season, which kicks off on 15 August. Everton and Bournemouth launch the tournament on Saturday 27 July.

From new kits to fresh faces, this unofficial start to the season brings nine all-Premier League matches in a league-table format. With goals, tactical experiments, and early narratives already forming, the Summer Series is the ideal prelude to what promises to be another thrilling campaign.