The second half of the 2025-26 season has already produced a steady stream of kit reveals and leaks for 2026-27. Across the division, manufacturers and clubs are leaning on retro references, subtle details and new commercial partners.

Arsenal’s reported home shirt appears traditional at first glance but carries small refinements. The design reportedly includes a burgundy collar with a zig-zag pattern and multiple shades of red. There is also discussion that golden Premier League badges could be applied to the home attire for the campaign.

Aston Villa’s leaked home kit takes a clear step back in time. The design is said to draw on the club’s 1969 attire and will feature a sky blue collar on a polo-style shirt. The choice is notable given Villa’s position around the bottom end of the Second Division in that era and their relegation to the third tier in 1970.

Bournemouth have agreed a new multi-year partnership with Hummel, described as a club-record kit deal. The Cherries have moved away from Umbro and the new supplier will coincide with a fresh front-of-shirt partner for the 2026-27 season.

Brentford will replace Hollywood Bets with Indeed as principal sponsor. Teasers show the club retaining its classic red and white stripes while a subtle wave motif has been worked into the fabric.

Chelsea’s expected home shirt uses sharp yellow accents known as Midwest Gold to cut through royal blue. The club’s lion badge may be layered across the centre and could gain prominence if a permanent front-of-shirt sponsor is not secured. IFS, signed in February, is due to expire at the end of the season, a commercial gap that has had financial consequences for the club.

Leeds United are set to wear horizontal stripes at home for the first time in the club’s history. Designers appear to have taken some inspiration from the 2005-06 Admiral shirt, which featured vertical blue and yellow pinstripes.

Liverpool’s leaks point to a darker take on the Candy-sponsored shirt of 1989-91. That vintage coincided with the club�s last long spell of domestic dominance, capped by the 1989-90 title, a 10th crown in 15 seasons before a 30-year wait for the next.

Manchester City’s home shirt looks largely traditional with a fade from sky blue to white at the hem, which could encourage some fans to pair it with white shorts. Manchester United mock-ups featuring Bruno Fernandes attracted attention after the Red Devils’ feel-good derby victory that marked Michael Carrick’s debut of his second spell. The leaked United shirt shows a clean collar and white accents.

Newcastle’s proposed design keeps stripes as the defining element but experiments with varying bar widths and narrowing black stripes that bleed out from each large section, a pattern some observers liken to a Doppler effect visual.

With four gameweeks left, Gameweek 35 demands careful moves. Managers still chasing mini-league gains should prioritise reliable returns and inexpensive enablers that free funds for captains in the final stretch.

Goalkeepers: David Raya (£6.0m) remains the standout option among keepers after a 10-point haul last weekend and offers value alongside Arsenal’s defence. Fulham have blanked in four of their last six league games, making a home clean sheet plausible. At the other end of the budget spectrum, Karl Darlow (£3.9m) has accrued 24 points across his last five games and faces relegated Burnley at home, serving as a low-cost enabler. For managers planning ahead to double Gameweek 36, Dean Henderson (£5.1m) is an alternative given Crystal Palace’s two fixtures next round, despite a tricky away match with Bournemouth this Sunday.

Defenders: Gabriel (£7.2m) is a must, while Nico O’Reilly (£5.1m) has become increasingly attractive for managers preparing for City’s double in the next round; he has returned 27 points from his past three fixtures and faces low-scoring Everton away on Monday. Crystal Palace options include Jaydee Canvot (£4.5m) and Chris Richards (£4.4m) as budget routes into their backline, and Daniel Muñoz (£5.8m) offers more attacking upside after scoring in the defeat at Liverpool. Leeds defensive targets such as James Justin (£3.9m), Jayden Bogle (£4.4m) and Pascal Struijk (£4.3m) are also useful given a favourable fixture.

Midfielders: Bruno Fernandes (£10.4m) stands alone as the essential midfield pick; he is chasing the Premier League assist record for a single season and has delivered returns in each of his past seven matches, even ahead of Manchester United’s home game with Liverpool. Other options highlighted are Eberechi Eze (£7.2m), who made an impact after being brought off the bench in Europe, Rayan Cherki (£6.5m) with 23 points across his last three matches, Ismaïla Sarr (£6.3m) ahead of a double, Noah Okafor (£5.6m) despite a slight injury concern, and Enzo Fernández (£6.5m) under Calum McFarlane.

Forwards: Erling Haaland (£14.5m) is essential following recent goalscoring exploits. Support options include Dominic Calvert-Lewin (£5.7m), who could benefit from Burnley’s struggles after Scott Parker’s dismissal, and Jarrod Bowen (£7.8m), who has produced 24 points across his past two home games for West Ham ahead of a trip to Brentford.

Manchester United are understood to have identified Andoni Iraola as the clearest external option should they decide not to appoint Michael Carrick permanently. The Telegraph reports Iraola is regarded as the “strongest” alternative to Carrick, and his confirmed departure from Bournemouth at the end of the season has placed him on the market.

United remain likely to favour Carrick, with the interim boss still the frontrunner, but the club are not ruling out at least speaking to other candidates. That approach reflects a caution born of past experience; the club are wary of repeating the decision to hand Ole Gunnar Solskjær a full-time contract while the season was still ongoing. Solskjaer produced United’s most consistent Premier League finishes in the post-Sir Alex Ferguson era, but results dipped after he was given a permanent deal in March 2019.

Iraola’s appeal at Old Trafford is said to rest on his attacking style, a philosophy that aligns with what decision makers at the club are seeking. Yet there is a clear counterargument: Iraola lacks experience at the elite level. After more than 500 appearances for Athletic Club as a player, the Basque coach has managed Rayo Vallecano and Bournemouth, roles in which his remit was to build modest clubs into outfits that punch above their weight.

That background is both a strength and a limitation. His record suggests he can instil a coherent style and get strong performances from limited resources, but Manchester United are an organisation with different expectations and a demand for immediate, high-level success rather than a long-term development project.

Meanwhile, competition for Iraola’s services is reportedly present, with Chelsea linked to interest following the sacking of Liam Rosenior. Carrick could still be handed the job, particularly if Champions League qualification for next season is secured, but United appear intent on weighing options before reaching a final decision.