Arsenal

Manager: Arsene Wenger.

Stung by Patrick Vieira's claim that the club lacks real ambition, Wenger splashed out on Sol Campbell whose arrival should go a long way towards shoring up a defence that was finally showing real signs of cracking.

Giovanni van Bronckhorst should help the cause in midfield too, while Francis Jeffers looks more of a gamble with his £8million price tag.

Richard Wright may get his chance sooner than the young striker, while the club's other signings will have to grab their chance when it arrives.

There wasn't too much wrong with them last year and they will be better now but more action was required over the summer months if they were to overhaul United.

In: Francis Jeffers (Everton, £8m); Giovanni van Bronckhorst (Rangers, £8.5m); Sol Campbell (Tottenham, free); Richard Wright (Ipswich, £6m); Inqi Hojsted (B36 Torshavn, free); Junichi Inamoto (Gamba Osaka, £4m). Total £26.5m.

Out: Nelson Vivas (Inter Milan, free); Stefan Malz (Kaiserslautern, £580,000); Guy Demel (Borussia Dortmund, £200,000); Alberto Mendez (Racing de Ferrol, loan); David Noble (Watford, loan); Guillame Norbert (Leyton Orient, free), Tomas Danilevicius (Beveren, undisclosed), Alex Manninger (Fiorentina, loan), John Lukic (retired). Total: £780,000. Net spend: £25.7m.

Rep of Ireland players: Graham Barrett.

Last year: Prem: 2nd, FAC: RU, Europe: CLQF.

This year: 2nd.

Official website: www.arsenal.co.uk