Middlesborough



Players In: Tuncay Sanli (Fenerbahce, free), Jeremie Aliadiere (Arsenal, £2m), Jonathan Woodgate (Real Madrid, £7m), Luke Young (Charlton, £2.5m).

Players Out: Mark Viduka (Newcastle, free), Stuart Parnaby (Birmingham, free), Abel Xavier (LA Galaxy, free), Malcolm Christie (released), Danny Graham (released), Jason Kennedy (Livingston, loan), James Morrison (West Brom, £1.5m).

Middlesborough failed to convince last season in Gareth Southgate’s first season in charge and are likely to slip below their 12th place finish last time around.

The partnership of Mark Viduka and Yakubu up front was their saving grace through much of the season. With Viduka having left for North-East rivals Newcastle, and Yakubu looking ever more likely to move, a partnership of Tuncay and Jeremy Aliadiere hardly looks as lethal.

They are ok defensively, but distinctly average everywhere else, so I expect Middlesborough to find themselves in a relegation battle for most of the season. They may just have enough to survive.

Prediction: 17th
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Newcastle



Players In: Mark Viduka (Middlesbrough, free), Joey Barton (Man City, £5.8m), David Rozehnal (Paris St Germain, £2.9m), Geremi (Chelsea, free), Alan Smith (Manchester United, £6m), Claudio Cacapa (Lyon, free), Jose Enrique (Villarreal, £6.3m).

Players Out: Scott Parker (West Ham, £7m), Titus Bramble (Wigan, free), Antoine Sibierski (Wigan, free), Craig Moore (released), Olivier Bernard (released), Alan O'Brien (undisclosed).

Sam Allardyce faces the monumental task of pleasing the St James’s Park crowd as he takes over as Newcastle manager.

He has added a decent selection of players and has shipped out some of the underperformers from years gone past.

It will take a while for Sam to work his magic with Newcastle, but with such a large array of attacking talent, they should be in the hunt for a UEFA Cup place.

Prediction: 7th
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Portsmouth



Players In: David Nugent (Preston, undisclosed), John Utaka (Rennes, undisclosed), Sylvain Distin (Manchester City, free), Hermann Hreidarsson (Charlton, free), Sulley Muntari (Udinese, undisclosed), Martin Cranie (Southampton, undisclosed), Arnold Mvuemba (Rennes, undisclosed), Callum Reynolds (Rushden & Diamonds, undisclosed).

Players Out: Svetoslav Todorov (Charlton, free), Daryl Fordyce (released), Andy Griffin (Derby, free), Collins Mbesuma (Bursaspor, undisclosed).

Harry Redknapp loves to wheel and deal in the transfer market, with this summer being no exception.

He has spent big on two new strikers in Nugent and Utaka, whom he will be hoping will take quickly to the Premiership and provide him good options up front alongside Benjani and their top scorer last season Kanu.

Sylvain Distin is a shrewd free transfer signing and should form a good partnership with Sol Campbell in defence.

I expect Portsmouth to be in the hunt for a top ten finish but to fall just short come the end of the season.

Prediction: 11th
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Reading



Players In: Khalifa Cisse (Boavista, £650,000), Emerse Fae (Nantes, £2.5m).

Players Out: Steve Sidwell (Chelsea, free), Greg Halford (Sunderland, £2.5m), Curtis Ujah (Yeovil, free), Jonathan Hayes (MK Dons, loan).
Steve Coppell’s side surprised almost everyone last season, belying their tag as favourites for relegation to secure an 8th place finish.

However, second-season syndrome is almost certain to kick in this time around as it did for Wigan last season.

They have lost Steve Sidwell to Chelsea and without his influence in midfield they may struggle to control games as they were able to last season.

With a lack of summer signings they may have become a bit too predictable and I expect them to struggle, although they should be comfortably safe from relegation.

Prediction: 13th