Best of the Rest XI: Picking the strongest team outside the ‘Big Six’

“This summer, the traditional ‘Big Six’ clubs signed more players from the rest of the Premier League than in any of the previous 15 seasons. As Oliver Kay explained, Arsenal, Chelsea, Liverpool, Manchester City, Manchester United, and Tottenham Hotspur bought a combined 11 players from the ‘other’ 14 clubs. As recently as the 2021-22 season, those six clubs only signed three from the other Premier League teams. A big reason for this is the purchasing power advantage these clubs enjoy, especially since the Premier League introduced its profit and sustainability rules (PSR). The ‘Big Six’ clubs do not always occupy the top-six spots in the league — Tottenham and Manchester United actually finished in the bottom six last season — but their commercial and matchday revenues are on a different level. …”
NY Times/The Athletic