The inaugural Premier League Summer Series is just days away from kicking-off, and the six clubs involved have plenty of star players at their disposal.
Chelsea and Newcastle may have more household names, but that doesn’t mean Brighton & Hove Albion, Brentford, Aston Villa, and Fulham are without quality players.
From Ollie Watkins to Alexander Isak, there are several exciting names that are set to feature in the Premier League Summer Series that spans from July 22 to July 30 in the United States.
Miguel ‘Miggy’ Almiron may not be the most exciting name on the list, but it will be a homecoming for the Paraguay international. Before blossoming into a solid player for the Magpies under Eddie Howe, Almiron played for MLS side Atlanta United – where was the driving force behind their 2018 MLS Cup triumph.
Now, the 29-year-old is returning to his former home stadium at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta, Georgia, when Newcastle take on Chelsea in a tantalizing matchup.
Like Almiron, Bryan Mbuemo might not be the most popular name on the list, but he’s an excellent player that might even be classified as underrated. The Cameroon international contributed nine goals and eight assists in all 38 games for Brentford last campaign.
Mbuemo has long been a key player in manager Thomas Frank’s system as they just missed out on Europe in 2022/23. The former Troyes player scored two memorable goals in the Bees’ impressive 3-1 win away at Tottenham Hotspur late in the season, and he’s primed for more special moments in a Brentford shirt.
Ollie Watkins recorded his best goal-scoring season in 2022/23 for Aston Villa as they qualified for Europe for the first time since 2010. The England international found the back of the net 15 times, which was good enough for joint-seventh among the top scorers in the league.
At 27-years-old, Watkins’ best years are ahead of him as Aston Villa look to climb to new heights with Unai Emery at the helm.
Another Paraguayan-born player makes the list, as Julio Enciso came up huge for the Seagulls on several occasions in the back-end of last season. The 19-year-old winger scored two wonder-strikes against Chelsea and Manchester City that put the Premier League on notice.
With some experience now under his belt, the sky may be the limit for Julio Enciso and he is bound to put on a show in the USA.
Moises Caicedo has an argument for being one of the most versatile players in the Premier League. He’s typically deployed as a defensive midfielder, but is more than capable of playing higher up the pitch as well as a right-back in certain scenarios.
Caicedo has already featured at a World Cup at just 21-years-old, and has attracted plenty of interest from the likes of Premier League giants Chelsea and Liverpool. But as of now, he’s set to anchor the Seagulls’ midfield under Roberto De Zerbi in the Summer Series.
Several clubs in England and abroad have been monitoring Joao Palhinha’s situation at Craven Cottage, and it’s to no surprise given how valuable he is to their midfield.
West Ham have shown some interest in the player after Declan Rice left for Arsenal in a record-breaking $134m deal, as both players occupy the same position in the middle of the park. The 28-year-old has proved that he’s in the upper echelon of defensive midfielders in England, as he made 147 tackles across the 2022/23 season, 47 more than second-placed Moises Caicedo.
After making the switch to Chelsea from Benfica for a reported $132m, there was always going to be massive expectations for Enzo Fernandez to perform straight away for the Blues. The 2022 World Cup winner showed promise as a lone bright spot in Chelsea’s abysmal season.
The young midfielder is now poised to continue his development under fellow Argentine Mauricio Pochettino, and he will look to pull the strings in Chelsea’s exhibition games in the US.
Despite missing the first-half of the 2022/23 season, Alexander Isak still enjoyed success in his first season in England after a solid return of 10 goals and one assist in 22 games played.
The Sweden international went on a show-stopping run down the touchline against Everton at Goodison Park to assist Jacob Murphy in their 4-1 victory. If last campaign is anything to go off of, Isak could be a dark-horse candidate in the Golden Boot race.
Ever since Bruno Guimaraes joined Newcastle, he’s been the spark in Eddie Howe’s midfield that keeps the Magpies ticking. Last season, he scored four goals and five assists to help Newcastle qualify for the UEFA Champions League for the first time in two decades.
Guimaraes has come up clutch for his side, and is more than capable of anchoring the midfield in a more defensive role if needed. Guimaraes just might be the most important player for the Toon.
Christopher Nkunku is yet another extremely versatile player making the list, after making a $66m move from Bundesliga side RB Leipzig. Nkunku capped off his time in Germany with a 16-goal season, which was good enough for joint-top scorer.
Although usually deployed as a withdrawn forward or striker, Nkunku can also take up roles in attacking midfield and on either the left or right-wings. Mauricio Pochettino may have another Dele on his hands, and he looks set to entertain in the States.
