ARSENAL (2nd place)
Juggling another run at the title with the demands of playing in the Champions League looks to be Arsenal's biggest problem.
Squad depth became a growing issue at the end of this season - look at the collapse in the defensive stats following the injury to center back William Saliba, for example - and it will be even more stark when the team has to play high-level games twice a week.
Reinforcements at left back, center back and central midfield are needed, especially if Granit Xhaka leaves.
However, Mikel Arteta's squad - the youngest in the Premier League - will be better for the experience of going toe to toe with City before eventually falling short. "We understand where the level is," Arteta said.
"If we want to be the real deal, we can't be happy with what we have, and we have to be next season much better. I think we have some great foundations, that is true but in sport you have to prove it again."
NEWCASTLE (4th place)
Newcastle has arrived and, given that the Saudi-controlled northeast team has the wealthiest owners in world soccer, it is probably here to stay.
Will this summer see the club really flex its financial muscles for the first time since the 2021 takeover, having spent sensibly rather than lavishly in the intervening 20 months?
The likes of Callum Wilson, Dan Burn, Miguel Almiron, Jacob Murphy and Joe Willock have been dependable squad members this season as Newcastle secured a return to the Champions League for the first time in 20 years, but they might be unsure of their futures if the Saudi ownership want to bring in some higher-profile names, which it can afford.
Central midfield and wide forwards are areas that needs to be strengthened. The likelihood for the foreseeable future is that Man City and Newcastle will occupy two of the four Champions League qualification spots.
CHELSEA (12th place)
Chelsea is the great unknown because who really knows what its American owners will do next?
Having spent more than $600 million on players in their first two transfer windows in charge, will Todd Boehly and Clearlake Capital go big again this offseason after an unacceptable 12th-place finish?
They may not even afford to do that, with the priority likely being trimming a large squad to adhere to financial regulations and give incoming manager Mauricio Pochettino a tighter group of players to work with.
Romelu Lukaku's return from a loan spell at Inter Milan gives Chelsea another option up front, while the futures of midfielders Mason Mount, N'Golo Kante and Mateo Kovacic are uncertain amid the rebuild.