The new season is upon us and of course, we have some new faces. After a gruelling 2025-26 campaign in the Championship, Coventry City, Ipswich Town and Hull City are back in the big time.
So, will they be able to beat the drop? Have they signed anyone interesting? Who could be their key man?
All those questions and more will be answered here.
ESPN gives you the lowdown on all three promoted sides and what to expect.
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Coventry City
Coventry City are back in the Premier League after a 25-year absence from the top flight, having come up as champions. This has been a few years in the making, with Coventry having some of the most consistently smart recruitment in the Championship for several years. They simply needed the right man in charge and they found him in Frank Lampard.
How did they come up?
Lampard’s side racked up a 97-goal haul — the fourth-highest in a 46-game Championship season — and also conceded the least with 45. That propelled them to winning the league by 11 points and with four games to spare.
Style of play
It has been very front-footed under Lampard and what was notable is that they didn’t rely upon a single goalscorer. Seven Coventry players scored seven or more league goals and they had the most shots on target in the league while also ranking second for big chances created. They usually set-up in 4-2-3-1 but Lampard has also opted for a 4-3-3 at times.
Key man to watch
Jack Rudoni. He had seven goals and seven assists across the Championship last season and has developed into a roaming midfielder, capable of crashing into boxes and providing attacking power. For many avid watchers of the Championship he’s had a touch of Premier League quality about him for some time and this is a big moment to prove he does.
Key signing
Coventry have broken their club record transfer fee on three occasions over the summer and most recently it was to bring Caleb Yirenkyi to the club. The midfielder arrived for £23.1 million ($31.3m) from Nordsjaelland and featured in all four of Ghana’s games during the World Cup, including starting and scoring against Panama. He operates from the base of midfield, ideally playing as a No. 6, as he looks to not only break up play but also carry the ball and initiate attacks. He’s the sort of dynamic presence to help make sure Coventry don’t get overrun in games.
Final verdict
Out of the three coming up, they could be the side with the best chance of survival. Lampard has created a real unity at the club and it could bode extremely well for them. They could well stay in the league by the skin of their teeth and continue to build.
Ipswich Town
Ipswich are back in the Premier League after just one season away, having secured an immediate return to the top flight. After back-to-back promotions before that 2024-25 campaign, Kieran McKenna couldn’t keep them up and they managed to win just four games and finish 19th with 22 points.
McKenna is gone now after his departure over the summer and Gary O’Neill has been brought in to steer the club to safety.
How did they come up?
They had the second-best defensive record in the Championship last season, keeping 17 clean sheets and conceding just 47 goals. However, they were still some way behind Coventry despite this.
Style of play
McKenna opted for a more pragmatic approach last season, a departure from the chaos of their Premier League spell. Ipswich were very difficult to break down and beat, so O’Neill will look to certainly keep that shape in place. O’Neill, going off his previous jobs, often prefers a 4-4-2 and likes his teams compact.
Key man to watch
Azor Matusiwa hasn’t featured in any of Ipswich’s pre-season outings but upon returning to fitness he could be a key cog in the Ipswich midfield. They’re likely to be up against it most weeks and someone willing to put in the dirty work as Matusiwa does will be vital.
Key signing
Goals will be key, so that means new club record signing Emersonn needs to hit the ground running. Four Ipswich players scored 10+ goals in the Championship last season but this is a huge step up — Emersonn must also step up to justify the £24m ($32.5m) outlay on a striker that hit just six goals for Toulouse last season. He’s young however and has shown glimpses of genuine talent.
Final verdict
The departure of McKenna is simply too big to overlook. The decision to step away will hit Ipswich hard given the level of influence he has had turning the club around. It looks very much likely they will be heading right back down despite a decent core of talent.
Hull City
Hull’s story is perhaps the most unprecedented one. They survived relegation to League One on goal difference the season before last, entered 2025-26 under a transfer embargo and scraped into the playoffs with a win on the final day. There’s a grit and determination that have got Hull here though and they will need all of it, plus more, in the top flight.
How did they come up?
How did they, indeed. As well as making the playoffs on the last day of the season, Hull also conceded 66 goals — the fourth worst defensive record in the Championship. However, they played well against the top-10 sides and also showed resilience away from home against those sides. They ended up not conceding a single goal during the playoffs too, including that 1-0 victory over Middlesbrough in the ‘Spygate’ overshadowed final.
Style of play
Sergej Jakirovic arrived at Hull as something of an unknown but has soon imprinted his style on the team. Often set up in a 4-2-3-1, Jakirovic has shown a knack for being flexible and moving to a back three with wing-backs hurt Millwall in the playoff semifinal. Jakirovic has been keen to emphasise the unit and collective at Hull, insisting that it’s their key strength.
Key man to watch
Ryan Giles has been a huge presence at left-back, becoming Hull’s key playmaker with his gallops forward. Giles created eight assists for Hull City in the Championship last term and is extremely astute with his crossing and dead-ball delivery.
Key signing
There was a clear focus on the defence over the summer and Hull smashed their club record to bring in Konstantinos Tzolakis from Olympiacos. His exploits between the sticks could be key as Hull chase an unlikely survival. A word for Lucas Gourna-Douath too, his arrival is of great interest as big things were once expected of the 23-year-old and if he can showcase his ability then the Tigers could have a real player on their hands.
Final verdict
It could be argued that Hull are one of the weakest teams to come into the Premier League for some time. Despite impressive results against top-half Championship sides the defensive record is a huge concern as will be where the goals are coming from. The squad is short on quality, experience and depth. It’s going to be a very tough season ahead.
