Premier League Big Six left with glaring squad holes despite £1.7bn spend

The Premier League transfer window is finally closed, and while the traditional Big Six have spent a combined £1.7bn on reinforcing their squads for the 2026-27 campaign, the spending spree has not masked every flaw.

Despite record-breaking investments and frantic Deadline Day activity, several heavyweights have emerged from the summer with glaring squad vulnerabilities. From striking shortages to unbalanced attacking lines, these are the unresolved issues that could force England’s elite back into the market in January.

Arsenal: The over-reliance on Christos Tzolis

Following the departures of Leandro Trossard to Besiktas and Gabriel Martinelli to Al-Hilal for a club-record €70m, Arsenal promised a marquee signing on the left flank to help Mikel Arteta take the final step. However, pursuits of Morgan Rogers, Vinicius Junior and Julian Alvarez all proved unsuccessful.

While £34m arrival Christos Tzolis brings impressive numbers from his time in Belgium, he is now Arsenal’s only natural left-winger capable of offering genuine pace and one-on-one threat. Eberechi Eze and Noni Madueke can operate out wide, but the lack of a proven, world-class alternative on the left leaves Arteta worryingly short of natural depth in a crucial area.

Chelsea: The Deadline Day midfield void

Enzo Fernandez’s £125m departure to Manchester City was a financial triumph for Chelsea, but their failure to secure a replacement has left Xabi Alonso with a major tactical headache. A €55m deal for Monaco’s Lamine Camara collapsed in the final hours of the window, leaving the Blues without a specialist midfielder to step into the void.

With Moises Caicedo sidelined and 36-year-old Jordan Henderson nursing his own fitness issues, Alonso is left relying on the injury-prone Romeo Lavia, youngster Valentin Barco, or converting Reece James into a central role. For a team that spent so heavily elsewhere, the midfield looks dangerously thin.

Liverpool: A right-footed traffic jam

Replacing Mohamed Salah was always going to be an impossible task following his move to Trabzonspor, but Liverpool’s recruitment has created an unusual tactical imbalance. Andoni Iraola has welcomed Victor Munoz and £120m signing Bradley Barcola, but both players share a distinct trait with Cody Gakpo and Rio Ngumoha: they are right-footed attackers who prefer to operate from the left.

Salah’s magic stemmed from his ability to cut inside onto his lethal left foot from the right flank. Without a natural left-footed winger to stretch the play on that side, Liverpool risk creating a tactical bottleneck, especially given right-back Jeremie Frimpong’s tendency to aggressively overlap.

Manchester City: No safety net for Erling Haaland

Erling Haaland remains the most lethal striker in world football, but Enzo Maresca enters the demanding 2026-27 season without a natural deputy for the Norwegian. Omar Marmoush, who previously served as Haaland’s understudy, was sold to Tottenham Hotspur for £60m late in the window.

While City boast an abundance of creative talent operating behind the striker — including Jeremy Doku, Phil Foden, Rayan Cherki and new £34m signing Allan — they lack a recognised centre-forward to lead the line if Haaland suffers an injury or requires rest during a relentless calendar.

Manchester United: The familiar left-back crisis

Twelve years after arriving at Old Trafford, Luke Shaw remains Manchester United’s undisputed left-back. The problem for Michael Carrick is that Shaw is also their only senior option in that position. Despite exploring moves for Newcastle’s Lewis Hall, Barcelona’s Alejandro Balde, and attempting a late loan for Rayan Ait-Nouri, United failed to secure any cover.

If Shaw’s familiar injury issues resurface before January, Carrick will be forced to rely on wing-back Patrick Dorgu, shift Noussair Mazraoui across from the right, or risk playing Lisandro Martinez out of position. It is a gamble United have taken before, rarely with positive results.

Tottenham Hotspur: A massive gamble between the posts

Roberto De Zerbi was heavily backed this summer with 10 new arrivals following two consecutive seasons flirting with relegation. Yet, the decision to loan Guglielmo Vicario to Juventus and hand the number one shirt to Antonin Kinsky is a major risk.

The 23-year-old Czech goalkeeper showed immense promise but was also prone to high-profile errors in the Champions League last season. If Kinsky struggles with the pressure of being Spurs’ last line of defence, De Zerbi will have to turn to 37-year-old Martin Dubravka, who arrives following Burnley’s relegation. It is a precarious situation for a club desperate for defensive stability.