Premier League Managers: Who Could Dominate Next Season
Written by Noah J.N
With the summer transfer window open, and clubs for the most part having their managers figured out, it’s important to look at who is coaching these big summer signings. A player must rely on their manager to put them in the best positions to succeed, and these six managers are some of the best at doing so. These are the managers who could dominate in the Premier League next season.
Xabi Alonso – Chelsea F.C.
Xabi Alonso is undoubtedly the headlining Premier League appointment of the summer, and was one that came with lots of speculation. His former club Liverpool was believed to be the ideal match for him, however Xabi Alonso would sign for Chelsea weeks before Liverpool had even decided to depart with their manager at the time - Arne Slot. A reunion with his club, and a reunion with the player who played the biggest part of his success at Bayer Leverkusen, Florian Wirtz - it was a match made in heaven. But Alonso decided to sign with the Blues - simply because of timing. The Spaniard became a free agent in January after a difficult spell at Real Madrid that reportedly ended amid dressing-room divisions over his role. Alonso gained his status as one of the best coaches in the world at Leverkusen, where he led his team to an unbeaten Bundesliga title. In 2024/2025, he also picked up important group-stage Champions League wins against giants like AC Milan and Inter Milan. His success drew the attention of arguably the biggest club he could have attracted: Real Madrid. His spell in Spain’s capital started on fire, winning 13 of their first 14 La Liga matches. Alonso’s tactics focused on possession, often starting in a defensive 4-4-2 shape that morphed into an aggressive 3-5-2 built on verticality and relentless pressing. That approach produced a 72% win rate in his initial matches, a feat comparable to the start of Zinedine Zidane’s tenure, and included a 2-1 El Clásico win over Barcelona.
Mid-season, however, problems began to arise. Despite Madrid still averaging over two goals scored per game and conceding just one, squad rotations and player happiness began to work against Alonso. A 4-0 defeat to PSG in the semi-finals of the Club World Cup did not help his case at the beginning of the season, but many claim the locker room and hierarchy’s expectations were what really pushed both sides toward a mutual parting of ways. On June 29th, Xabi Alonso signed for another European heavyweight, Chelsea, where he will look to bring much-needed stability and identity. The Blues have endured a few chaotic years, mixing both flashes of success and deep disappointment. After finishing 10th this season, securing no European football and winning no trophies – aside from the Club World Cup won under Maresca that summer - Chelsea are seeking redemption. Combining Alonso’s tactical prowess with the quality Chelsea can attract, the ceiling for this season is extremely high and will surely be talked about relentlessly as the campaign goes on.
Unai Emery – Aston Villa F.C.
The second manager on this list is not in charge of a big six club. In fact, Unai Emery was appointed as manager of a club who had just finished 14th, moving down three spots from their previous finish of 11th. Unai Emery has since changed the standards at the club. The 54‑year‑old Spaniard took the reins of Aston Villa Football Club in October 2022 and immediately led Villa to a seventh‑place finish in his first season and qualified for European football. Running a defensively minded 4‑2‑3‑1 that shifts into a 4‑4‑2 when out of possession, he has created another consistent challenger for the Premier League’s Champions League spots. Despite a dip in form from Ollie Watkins, Aston Villa still managed to grab the fourth of England’s five UCL spots this year and finished five points ahead of Liverpool.
Emery’s xG (expected goals) numbers were questioned throughout the season, but it ultimately did not matter: Villa converted low‑probability chances and consistently made other teams uncomfortable. Players like Morgan Rogers, Youri Tielemans, and John McGinn played huge roles in delivering a second Champions League qualification and a fourth straight season of European football under Emery. A dramatic change for the claret and sky blue. He has proved he can get the absolute best out of his squad and raise the floor of almost any team he walks into. Emery has now solidified himself as one of the best coaches in the world and will have offers from the biggest clubs every summer to leave his role in Birmingham. Further improvement at Villa will always be difficult as the club is already spending very close to its limit, but smart recruitment and avoiding poor contracts could significantly increase their odds of winning more trophies than just the Europa League.
Mikel Arteta – Arsenal F.C.
Mikel Arteta is one of the most polarizing managers in world football. Opinion on where he stands is sharply divided, and there are good arguments on both sides of the debate. Arteta was appointed in December 2019 after Arsenal directors grew unhappy with the results they were getting toward the end of Unai Emery’s run. Emery was only given 18 months at the helm and, despite an incredibly strong start that included a 22‑match unbeaten run and a Europa League final appearance, he was replaced after a dip in form and a seven‑match winless streak.
At that point, Arteta had no senior‑level managerial experience. He had spent three years learning under Pep Guardiola at Manchester City before jumping straight into leading Arsenal’s dressing room. Arteta’s teams look to dominate possession, usually setting up in either a 4‑3‑3 or 4‑2‑3‑1, with a strong defensive structure that is rarely vulnerable. In his first season, the team was shaky and average at best, but an FA Cup semi‑final win over Manchester City sparked real excitement as they set up to face Chelsea in the final. That final ended 2-1 after Christian Pulisic’s opening goal for Chelsea was canceled out by an Aubameyang brace, earning Mikel Arteta his first piece of silverware just months into his managerial career.
It would then take almost exactly six years for Arteta to get his hands on another trophy, after sustained backing and heavy spending by the club. During that time he repeatedly challenged for the Premier League title, finishing second to Manchester City three years in a row before finally beating his former boss to the title. Arteta’s tactics have been criticized for their focus on defensive control and for consistently being part of a team heavily reliant on set pieces. With the quality on the roster, people argue the club’s ceiling could be much higher with more focus on the offensive side of the game. People still have questions about Arteta and his approach, but his success cannot be denied. Whether you attribute it more to Arsenal’s spending power or to Arteta’s coaching, there is always a mix of both.
Enzo Maresca – Manchester City F.C.
Enzo Maresca now sits in one of the most influential seats in modern football. The locker room and pitch that were overseen for years by arguably the greatest manager in the sport’s history are now under the Italian’s guidance. Pep Guardiola’s shoes are not easy to fill, and Manchester City fans will be desperate to win back the Premier League after losing out in the race to their powerhouse rivals Arsenal. Maresca will need to deliver results fast and consistently to have a chance, and although City won both the FA Cup and the EFL Cup this past year, that kind of haul has become a standard season under Guardiola - and fans will always hunt for bigger trophies.
Maresca arrives at City after an 18‑month stint at Chelsea, a spell that started with promising results but quickly deteriorated. A typical lineup under the Italian looks like a 4‑3‑3 or 4‑2‑3‑1, morphing into a 3‑2‑5 in possession similar to Guardiola’s structure. Maresca wants to bait the press, similar to Pep, making him a natural stylistic replacement for the job. Sam Lee of The Athletic reported that internally, Manchester City directors believed the three managers who could replace Guardiola were Enzo Maresca, Bayern Munich’s Vincent Kompany, and now Tottenham Hotspur coach Roberto De Zerbi, largely due to their similar tactical ideas. Maresca was always their dream target from day one, with the other two seen as backup options if a deal fell through.
He finished his first year with the Blues on a high note, finishing fourth in the Premier League, stealing a Champions League spot, and giving Chelsea their best finish since 2021–22. He then went on to win the Club World Cup in the summer, dominating PSG 3‑0 in the final. In his second season, Chelsea showed quality at times but struggled against mid to lower‑table clubs and looked vulnerable defensively. A public statement from Maresca in mid‑December, after a 2‑0 win against Everton, claimed he had experienced the “worst 48 hours” because “many people didn’t support us.” Many fans and analysts took this as a dig at ownership, and reports soon followed about growing friction between Maresca and the club. On January 1st, Chelsea announced a change in the dressing room after what was officially described as a mutual agreement between club and coach. Whether a change of scenery proves to be exactly what he needs can only be answered with time, and his spell at City will be one of the most talked‑about stories in the world.
Andoni Iraola – Liverpool F.C.
Liverpool have signed one of the most exciting managers in Europe, and he came from 270 miles to the south. Andoni Iraola gained immense credibility during his time with AFC Bournemouth. The Spaniard was given the keys to the Bournemouth project in the summer of 2023, and after early struggles, never looked back. Bournemouth wanted to change their identity from a reactive side under Gary O’Neil into a modern, high‑energy, front‑footed team. Iraola’s first nine games were rough, managing only three draws and six defeats. The squad did not initially react well to the new style, and Iraola was under real pressure to make things click.
The tenth game of the season was different though. Bournemouth hosted Burnley at the Vitality Stadium and came from behind to win 2‑1 in a match that seemed to trigger a mental breakthrough in the squad. Despite a 6‑1 loss to City right after, Iraola went on to take 19 points in just seven games, including an iconic 3‑0 win over Manchester United at Old Trafford. The Cherries finished 12th that year, but the breakthrough for the team – and for players like Antoine Semenyo and Dominic Solanke – helped turn Iraola into one of the most exciting gaffers in the Premier League.
His first season breakthrough then led Bournemouth to what was, at the time, the club’s highest finish, ending ninth with a record 56 points. That campaign was highlighted by a 12‑match unbeaten run, and the squad consistently ranked near the top of pressing and intensity metrics such as average passes allowed per defensive action (PPDA). What once felt like the ceiling of Bournemouth as a club was raised again the following season, as Iraola guided the Cherries to a record sixth‑place finish despite losing some of his best players – Dean Huijsen, Milos Kerkez, and, midway through the season, Antoine Semenyo. Iraola is undoubtedly going to be one of the most exciting managers in the Premier League next season, and if Liverpool can adapt to his tactics, their ceiling will be among the highest in the world.
Roberto De Zerbi – Tottenham Hotspur F.C.
Roberto De Zerbi, described by Pep Guardiola as “one of the most influential managers in the last 20 years,” now has the keys to one of the biggest rebuilds in Europe. Tottenham Hotspur appointed De Zerbi during one of the worst seasons in the club’s modern history. A campaign that began under Danish manager Thomas Frank, fresh off a highly successful seven years at Brentford, started strong and had fans genuinely hopeful for the future under the always‑adapting coach. Injuries, however, shattered the optimism. Crucial players like James Maddison, Mohammed Kudus, and Dejan Kulusevski all missed extended time. Fan frustration, damaged player mindsets, and a lack of faith in the club’s direction left the squad ready to look for new teams as Spurs headed toward relegation.
Frank was fired in February in an attempt to reset the club and change the season’s trajectory, but the appointment of Igor Tudor only made matters worse. Tudor managed Tottenham for just 44 days, recording one win, one draw, and five defeats in seven games. It was an abysmal spell that many fans saw coming, as few believed he was the right man for the job. A 0‑3 loss to Nottingham Forest, who were directly competing with Spurs to escape relegation, proved to be the final straw and forced yet another change. After Tudor’s failed attempt to redirect the club, Tottenham found themselves sitting just one point above the drop zone, with West Ham breathing down their necks.
Then, in what can only be described as a gift from the football world, an appointment that had originally been agreed only if Spurs survived the season - came early. Roberto De Zerbi changed his mind and wanted the job immediately. The Italian accepted the challenge of keeping Tottenham Hotspur in the Premier League, with just seven matches to implement his tactics and change the club’s mindset.
A manager who gave Brighton their first taste of European football, De Zerbi was no stranger to the Premier League. His tactics turned Brighton into a possession‑dominant, press‑baiting force that became one of the most entertaining sides in the league. De Zerbi most commonly lines up in a 4‑2‑3‑1, and his tactics are defined by building out from the back to bait the press. The midfielders play the key role, working with centre‑backs, full‑backs, and the goalkeeper to surgically cut through opponents once they are drawn high enough up the pitch. After leading Brighton to some of the best football in the club’s history and helping develop talents such as Carlos Baleba, Alexis Mac Allister, and Bart Verbruggen, the football world had its eyes on the fiery, passionate coach.
De Zerbi moved to Marseille after two successful seasons at Brighton, where he led the Ligue 1 club to a second‑place finish and Champions League qualification in his debut campaign. Despite a year that involved a huge squad overhaul and tricky adjustments to his tactics, he turned Marseille into a domestic powerhouse, with Mason Greenwood finishing as one of the league’s joint‑top scorers. His second season unfolded very differently, however. Defined by mounting pressure and inconsistency, Marseille made headlines as De Zerbi clashed with players and cancelled days off to push gruelling training sessions in an attempt to “refocus” the squad. The club was eliminated from the Champions League in the league phase, with a 3‑0 loss to Club Brugge capping off their struggles. With Marseille sitting fourth in Ligue 1 and pressure at an all‑time high, De Zerbi’s side went into a domestic match against the reigning champions, Paris Saint‑Germain. PSG handed him a humbling, devastating 5‑0 defeat that left the club and its fans in disarray. Just three days later, De Zerbi and Marseille mutually agreed to part ways.
Although a risky and controversial appointment, De Zerbi was by far one of the best coaches available on the market, and his Premier League record made him the best pure “football hire” out there. Controversies surrounding his stance on the Mason Greenwood situation and headlines about clashes with the Marseille dressing room left fans deeply divided over the club’s decision to put their fate in his hands. Fortunately for Spurs supporters, the gamble quickly started to look like it was going to pay off. De Zerbi went on to take 11 points from his seven matches with Tottenham, earning wins against fourth‑place Aston Villa, Wolves, and, on the final day at home, Everton. He has captivated the Tottenham fanbase and is credited by the players with changing the mentality and feeling inside the dressing room. Alongside a few early splash signings that signal a real shift in ambition by the club, fans are incredibly excited to see what the Italian can produce next season.
