So that's Man City, Liverpool and Tottenham all expected to be in again, but who takes the final spot?
All three remaining sides in the so-called 'Big Six' have a weakness that could cost them a place in the Champions League but, as hard as Leicester and Wolves may be pushing to enter the top six, they might just have to settle for best of the rest.
Chelsea completed the top four last season, actually leapfrogging Spurs to third in the end, but they have to adapt to life without Eden Hazard, life under a transfer ban, and life under Frank Lampard.
The former Derby boss could have done with a revamp of his squad and it looks like he will try to do that with some youth players, following their successful loan stints. But it remains to be seen how the bulk of this group can perform, and whether Tammy Abraham, Michy Batshuayi or even Christian Pulisic can be the 20-goal-a-season striker they need.
Lampard might just have to carry the team through to next summer before shaping his desired squad. They have showed promise in pre-season, but that is so easily done when the pressure is off, and they're hard to fancy in terms of mounting a serious title challenge.
Chelsea may be short of goals but Arsenal should have them in abundance with Golden Boot-winning forward Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang alongside Alexandre Lacazette, supported by flare in attacking midfield which is bolstered by the addition of record buy Pepe. It is their defence that lets them down, however. Arsenal remain massively short at the back going into the new campaign and if it is not addressed then that is a serious worry for their top-four or even top-six hopes. They could miss out on Champions League football again.
Manchester United are getting a huge late boost in the transfer window by making Harry Maguire the world's most expensive defender, having previously seen their summer dominated by 'will they, won't they?' questions hanging over the futures of Paul Pogba and Romelu Lukaku, as well as Bruno Fernandes and Paulo Dybala as potential arrivals.
While Lukaku is apparently not going to be disruptive should he have to stay, getting him and Pogba - wantaway players - out of the squad and bringing in hungry players in the process could totally transform this side.
They will be a lot more solid with Maguire at the back, energetic purchases Dan James and Aaron Wan-Bissaka (who has looked excellent in pre-season) add more pace to a team who, with Marcus Rashford, showed how quick they can be on the counter when Ole Gunnar Solskjaer made his impressive start.
Best bet: