Nobody is more excited for the upcoming English Premier League season than Chelsea fans.
The soccer giant is coming off a stunning summer run that saw them win the 2025 FIFA Club World Cup. Chelsea’s surprising run was expected to end in their finals matchup against an incredible PSG squad, but a hot start helped them to a 3-0 lead.
Now, the club will be looking to carry that momentum into August, but the road won’t be easy. Last season’s EPL Champion Liverpool improved over the summer, while Arsenal and Manchester City return many of their talented players. Below, we’ll provide a quick preview of Chelsea’s prospects in the 2025/26 season.
Liverpool Enters as Betting Favorite
To no one’s surprise, most sportsbooks have Liverpool as a slight favorite to defend its EPL title from last season. The club returns most of their squad, and added more talent by acquiring Bayer Leverkusen’s Florian Wirtz. The 22-year-old German star led his Bundesliga club in assists (13) while scoring the second-most goals (10).
The club will be a popular option for bettors making their daily soccer picks, but many might look elsewhere when picking the EPL winner.
Arsenal and Manchester City both pushed Liverpool last season and are favored ahead of Chelsea heading into this season. Arsenal was fantastic last season but fell apart late in the year to end any hope at the top spot on the table. The club added some pieces and are hoping to learn from the experience heading into the new season.
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City also looked like a team that could beat Liverpool but suffered a massive dip in production after losing Rodri to an ACL injury. The superstar is back on the pitch, but doctors have warned that he is still in the recovery process and will take time to return to top form. Chelsea went 0-6 last season against the three clubs currently favored ahead of them.
How Will Short Offseason Affect Chelsea?
Winning the 2025 Club World Cup was a massive accomplishment for this Chelsea squad, but it will come at a cost. The team will have about three weeks to recover before starting league play. That isn’t much time, especially considering Liverpool and Arsenal have both enjoyed longer breaks.
The club will open play by hosting the VisitMalta Weekend tournament, with matches against Bayer Leverkusen and AC Milan. While the pre-season squad has yet to be announced, many expect boss Enzo Maresca to give his stars all the rest he can.
The good news is that Chelsea will face some bad EPL clubs in August. The club’s first true test will come when they face Manchester United on September 20, two weeks before its first matchup against Liverpool. This should give them time to lean on reserves while still getting their starting 11 some minutes.
New Faces Will Help with Depth
Chelsea had a busy transfer window, despite its tournament run. Liamp Delap, Joao Pedro, and Jamie Gittens have all joined the club over the last couple of months, helping to bolster offensive depth.
Delap and Pedro both joined Chelsea for part of its Club World Cup run and were fantastic. Pedro, formerly of Brighton & Hove, was especially great. In just two starts, he scored three goals on six shots, one of which came in the championship match. That ended any question over the 23-year-old’s ability to play on a bigger stage, and has fans thrilled to watch him work with Cole Palmer for a full EPL season.
While 20-year-old Jamie Gittens didn’t join the EPL powerhouse until after their international summer success, he may be the most exciting signing of the three. The English forward has been with the Bundesliga’s Borussia Dortmund for the last four seasons. He’s coming off his most impressive campaign, where he posted eight goals and three assists on 51 shots (23 on target) over 21 starts.
Gittens won’t play a starring role this season, but he will likely play a significant role for the club early this season. With Chelsea looking to rest its top players, he will have plenty of chances to showcase his ability and earn a bigger role for the remainder of the season.
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