We say pretty much every summer that this is going to be one of the most hotly contested title races ever.
But with so much money available to the top Premier League clubs serious investment each window is not just expected but inevitable.
So who will come out on top of the pile in May 2018 after another grueling, nine-month Premier League battle? Thefootballfreak.com takes a look at the runners and riders.
Manchester United
Few expected Jose Mourinho to fail at Manchester United and his first season at the club has to go down as a success.
United may not have won either of the top club prizes – they finished way down in sixth in the Premier League and didn’t even qualify for the Champions League this term – but they won more trophies than any other English team with the Community Shield, The League Cup and The Europa League now locked away in the Old Trafford cabinet.
And most assume that further progress will be made this year at United with more heavy investment to come.
Victor Lindelof has been added to the defence and Manchester United will surely start next season with one or two new stellar forwards and a new anchor man.
Chelsea
They have always been in the upper echelons of the Premier League but they still surprised many last season with their runaway title victory.
Antonio Conte masterminded a sensational title charge and it’s difficult to see how they will be too far away from the title again next season with such a top manager and two or three A-list stars arriving.
The biggest problem for Chelsea could be holding on to Eden Hazard and Diego Costa.
Manchester City
Pep Guardiola looked as if he might run away with the Premier League title in his first season in England as Manchester City started the season like a train.
But the train was derailed in the winter and never quite recovered despite a strong end to the season. Pep was left empty handed but has been quick to spend this summer and Manchester City will be there or thereabouts come May 2018.
Liverpool
Another team who looked wholly convincing in the autumn but failed badly in the colder months and couldn’t buy a victory for periods of the season.
But Liverpool have one of the best attacks in the league and if they can stiffen up a sometimes brittle defence then they have as good a chance as anyone of winning the title.
Tottenham
Mauricio Pochettino has done an amazing job at the club and it’s now safe to say that Tottenham are currently the best team in North London.
They finished the season in remarkable form but whether they can kick on again and win the league next term is the billion dollar question.
They will need to have a superb summer in the transfer market if they are to compete with the elite.
Arsenal
A lot of Arsenal fans will be disgruntled that the club have decided to hold on to Arsene Wenger for another term.
The club has appeared to be in stasis for too long. They are consistent until the crunch point of each season and then predictably hit the rocks.
But an FA Cup win appeared to steady the ship and Wenger will surely now be intent on adding some stellar names to his line up ahead of next season – surely his last if he doesn’t win the title.
TITLE PREDICTION
This could well go to the wire with some much depth in the squads of the top six or seven clubs in the Premier League. Chelsea should start the season as favourites for the title after a sensational return to form under Antonio Conte in 2016/17.
Manchester City, Tottenham and Liverpool all have realistic chances of winning the Premier League as they have forward lines that can score goals against any team in the world.
But TFF has a feeling that Jose Mourinho will get his Manchester United side off to a flyer in the next campaign and be absolutely hell bent on bringing the title back to Old Trafford after an unusually long period – five years – without their name etched onto the famous trophy.
TFF Premier League Winners Football Prediction for 2018: Manchester United