EPL 2017/18: Where do the Top 6 clubs need to strengthen the most?

As the money started flowing into the Premier League, many expected the transfer market to see some sort of inflation but certainly not by this magnitude. With clubs bidding obscene amounts for mediocre players, you can only feel for players seeing each other at training and feeling worthless if they were the subject of a bid that was just £20m from another club.

Most of the top English clubs have done some of their business early but there is still a month to go before the transfer window slams shut.

"There's the usual acceleration in the final part of August," Arsene Wenger said on trasnfer business. Hurried deals on Transfer Deadline Day are all well and good but where do the top six clubs need to strengthen the most?

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1) Arsenal: Goalkeeper

Petr Cech could continue as Arsenal's no.1 but who would be second choice?

Wenger moved in early to secure the signing of Sead Kolasinac (on a free transfer) from Schalke and the Bosnia-Herzegovina defender has shown in pre-season that he could slot into the left wing-back (or left-back) position. The club also broke their transfer record to sign Alexandre Lacazette to improve their attacking options up front.

However, Arsenal would do well to sign a new goalkeeper. 35-year-old Petr Cech will continue to be the no.1 choice but one grouse fans will have is his inability to stop penalties. The Czech goalkeeper has not saved a single penalty in the league since the 2011/12 season.

David Ospina is yet to prove that he can be an able backup and play in the cup competitions. The Colombian's stature has not helped against physical sides while he is prone to the odd error in goal.

Nantes and Fenerbahce have been linked and if he does move then the Gunners need a worthy second-choice as young Emiliano Martinez is not yet the finished product.

2) Chelsea: Right Wing-Back

Can Chelsea get an upgrade on Victor Moses?

Antonio Conte's 3-4-3 (or 3-4-2-1) formation demands his wing-backs to provide not only width but also creativity. With a midfield duo in the form of N'Golo Kante and Nemanja Matic, the Blues saw the least proportion of attacking moves from the centre of the pitch.

In Marcos Alonso, Conte found the perfect player to linkup play on the left and track back to contribute defensively whenever required. His free-kicks were also a bonus and it was little wonder that Alonso was arguably one of Chelsea's best players after Kante and Eden Hazard last season.

Victor Moses also adapted to his role on the right and did contribute in many games but his offensive contributions could have been so much better - especially considering that he was a winger before the switch to wing-back. Moses had only two assists last season and did not directly contribute to a single Chelsea goal after January.

The second half of the season saw a dip in from apart from the momentary flash of brilliance and it was underlined by the way he was run ragged in the FA Cup final by Arsenal who dared to play a similar system. Moses looked lost and it culminated in a red card leaving Chelsea to play the rest of the game with 10 men.

3) Liverpool: Centre-Back

Liverpool have only Dejan Lovren and Joel Matip to look to for the centre-back positions

Jurgen Klopp has taken his time to re-establish Liverpool among the Premier League elite but he seems to have done his job. However, the biggest test awaits the Reds as they get back into the Champions League for the first time since 2014.

Last season saw Klopp manage to take Liverpool to a Top 4 finish thanks to their lack of participation in European competitions. It allowed the German boss to play the same XI in nearly every league game.

While he has brought in Mohamed Salah and Dominic Solanke (free transfer) to improve the Reds' attack, it is their defence that needs some reinforcement. Liverpool only have two established centre-backs at the moment - Joel Matip and Dejan Lovren.

Mamadou Sakho has been frozen out of the squad (he wasn't taken on the pre-season tour even though he was fit) while 20-year-old Joe Gomez is coming back from an ACL injury. And Ragnar Klavan will be 32 this season.

With plenty more games to play this season, especially if they go far in cup competitions, another centre-back is a top priority for Klopp.

4) Manchester City: Central Midfield

Yaya Toure and Fernandinho may not be at Manchester City beyond this season

Pep Guardiola's teams in the past have been known for having some of the best players in midfield and it seems almost unconventional to see some of the current midfield personnel he has in his squad.

Of course, it was a squad that he inherited and he is still trying to mould it in his image. This summer saw a major cull at the back and Guardiola spent more on his defence than most small countries' armed forces do on their own.

With the defence now reinforced and plenty of options in attack, there is a void of sorts in central midfield. Guardiola would love a player capable of playing in a midfield pivot, acting as the attacking fulcrum for circulating possession while also protecting the defence.

Fernandinho is yet to prove he can take the step up to be considered among the Premier League elite (three red cards last season alone) while Fernando has been sparingly used. Both players are likely to be replaced if Guardiola has his way.

Yaya Toure's contract has been renewed but this could be the 34-year-old Ivorian's final season with the club. Meanwhile, Ilkay Gundogan's fitness issues continue to restrict his appearances while Fabian Delph seems like he's just there to make up the numbers so that City have homegrown players in their squad.

5) Manchester United: Right Wing/Right Forward

Henrikh Mkhitaryan and Juan Mata are wasted on the flank for Manchester United

"I cannot say that I am happy with our transfer window." Jose Mourinho clearly feels he is not getting enough support from the Manchester United board. The Red Devils have made just two signings this summer in Romelu Lukaku and Victor Lindelof.

The Portuguese manager has already missed out on signing Antoine Griezmann and Alvaro Morata. It remains to be seen if they will get Ivan Perisic from Inter Milan and Nemanja Matic from Chelsea.

However, one position Mourinho really needs to look at is the right wing (or the role of the right forward). Last season saw United use the right flank the least with nearly 40% of their attacks coming from the left.

That was always going to be the case with Marcus Rashford and Anthony Martial out on the left. But on the right Mourinho deployed either Juan Mata or Henrikh Mkhitaryan.

Both players are much more suited to the no.10 role in midfield. The pair only had four assists combined in the league last season. In contrast, Mkhitaryan had 15 assists in his final season with Borussia Dortmund.

Neither player have the energy to run up and down the flank and will not contribute defensively as much as a specialist winger or wide forward would. Their creativity is wasted on the flank and United have struggled to consistently test opposition left-backs as a result.

Jesse Lingard has been used on the right at times but had little to show for it in spite of making a number of appearances. The 24-year-old was involved in just six goals in nearly 2,000 minutes of action last season.

6) Tottenham Hotspur: Right-Back

No backup for Kieran Trippier at Tottenham?

Mauricio Pochettino has managed to build a squad that is actually capable of winning the Premier League title but is yet to show that consistency over a full season. There is no doubt that Spurs have been the best side over the past two seasons combined but have always fallen in the final stretch.

Surprisingly, Spurs have managed to keep their entire core intact and are yet to open their purse strings in the transfer market as they move to Wembley Stadium this season while White Hart Lane is rebuilt. They don't have happy memories of Wembley and their home form will be looked at with a magnifying glass this season - especially after they never lost at home in 2016/17.

Kyle Walker was sold to Manchester City for £53m

But Kyle Walker's fallout with Pochettino and eventual sale will see Spurs short at the back. While Kieran Trippier is an able replacement - a player Pochettino preferred to use instead of Walker - there is no backup option should the 26-year-old be rested (or worse - gets injured).

Even if Pochettino plays a back-three, Trippier will be used as a right midfielder or wing-back - just as Walker was when he was played.

Spurs are also in Europe this season but whether Pochettino will focus on that or not is another matter. However, going into the season with just one decent right-back would be a grave mistake.