The World Cup that caught the imagination of a nation already seems a distant memory.
Now, with less than two weeks until the Premier League starts — Manchester United provide the curtain-raiser with a Friday night game at home to Leicester — are the Big Six ready?
Sportsmail’s team of experts examine the evidence…
How are Jose Mourinho (left), Pep Guardiola (right) and Co getting on with their preparations?
Manchester City (by Jack Gaughan)
How is the manager shaping up?
Pep Guardiola seems far calmer than in the previous two summers. It’s a measure of how calm that he has been watching The Open. On the pitch he wants to see how City’s youngsters cope in their three friendlies.
How big will their World Cup hangover be?
Seven of their squad made the last four and don’t have to be back until a week before the season starts. That is likely to place the onus on players such as Aymeric Laporte and Riyad Mahrez in the opening games.
Man City are waiting on key players to return from the World Cup, such as Kevin De Bruyne
How does the summer transfer business look?
Signing Mahrez was a big piece of business and he could play centrally more than expected. Missing out on Jorginho was a huge blow and City are looking around for alternatives.
Who wants out?
Aleks Zinchenko could leave for Wolves or Fulham but he was poor during the defeat by Dortmund anyway. Joe Hart simply has to find a new club or is set for a season in limbo. Quite a few youngsters are expected to head out on loan.
What needs to be done before season starts?
The most important thing for Guardiola is his main men keeping themselves fit and raring to go when back from the post-World Cup break. He can’t have players taking weeks to bed themselves back in.
Premier League opener
Sunday Aug 12: Arsenal (a)
City’s biggest signing of the window was a club-record deal to bring Riyad Mahrez to the club
Manchester United (by Chris Wheeler)
How is the manager shaping up?
Jose Mourinho has wasted no time getting his excuses in early: too many World Cup players unavailable and his Friday night start to the season has left him ‘worried’.
He even warned that his team could suffer some heavy defeats on tour in games against AC Milan, Liverpool and Real Madrid.
How big will their World Cup hangover be?
United have been without 12 World Cup stars on tour and Alexis Sanchez’s arrival was delayed.
That is bound to disrupt their preparations. David de Gea, Nemanja Matic and £52m signing Fred are set to join up with the squad next week, but it’s possible they could be the only players from the tournament who will start the season for United.
Man United are lacking stars on their US tour and Jose Mourinho is preparing excuses already
How does the summer transfer business look?
Fred is a gifted midfielder but left-back Diogo Dalot, 19, from FC Porto, is an unknown quantity. Mourinho has not ruled out another signing.
Who wants out?
Anthony Martial’s agent has confirmed that he wants to go. Luke Shaw can afford to wait as he enters the final year of his contract in a strong position.
What needs to be done before season starts?
There needs to be more positivity around the place.
Premier League opener
Friday Aug 10: Leicester (h)
They have already bought Brazilian Fred for big money, but could still make more additions
Tottenham Hotspur (by Rob Draper)
How is the manager shaping up?
Mauricio Pochettino is said to be relaxed about the lack of transfer activity: he wants to move surplus players out before making major signings. He has high hopes for a rejuvenated Erik Lamela and Kyle Walker-Peters. Harry Winks, when fit, will feature.
How big will their World Cup hangover be?
Huge. No club had more players (nine) involved in the final games. That is almost the entire first team not back until a week before the start of the season, with others such as Davinson Sanchez and Christian Eriksen having reached the last 16.
Tottenham will hope that the players will need minimal pre-season though, having trained all summer.
Tottenham look slightly worse for wear with the most absentees and no new signings
How does the summer transfer business look?
Tottenham are the ultimate club in brinkmanship but there are 19 days to go and no signings made. Wilfried Zaha could be the first this week and a midfielder, likely to be Jack Grealish, is expected to arrive.
The major changes will be outgoing, with Pochettino confident those two additions will see him through.
Who wants out?
Toby Alderweireld, Moussa Dembele, Danny Rose.
What needs to be done before season starts?
Too much. Then again, Tottenham always go to the brink and always seem to survive.
Premier League opener
Saturday Aug 11: Newcastle (a)
They have been continually linked with a move for Aston Villa’s Jack Grealish (centre)
Liverpool (by Dominic King)
How is the manager shaping up?
Jurgen Klopp has been in very good spirits and it is not difficult to see why. He has all the signings he believes he needs so there will be no mad scramble in the final few days of the window.
How big will their World Cup hangover be?
Liverpool had eight players in Russia and Klopp has ruled Jordan Henderson and Dejan Lovren out of the opening weekend. He will not rush them back to fitness.
Liverpool are in good spirits and looking to build on last year after strengthening in key areas
How does the summer transfer business look?
Positive, the tone set by the capture of Fabinho from Monaco two days after the Champions League final. The only thing that could have made it better would have been the addition of Nabil Fekir from Lyon but that fell down due to his medical.
Who wants out?
There will be no saga like the one that surrounded Philippe Coutinho last summer. All of Liverpool’s top performers are on long-term contracts and happy where they are.
The squad will be trimmed, though, with Danny Ings keen to find a new club to get regular game time. Goalkeeper Simon Mignolet is in a similar position as there simply isn’t room for him, Alisson and Loris Karius.
What needs to be done before season starts?
It is a case of ensuring the squad do not suffer any injury problems before the first game of the new season.
Liverpool go to Evian in France for a week-long training camp after they have played three games in the United States. They then complete their preparations with friendlies against Napoli in Dublin on August 4 and Torino at Anfield three days later.
Premier League opener
Sunday Aug 12: West Ham (h)
After the World Cup they landed No 1 target in goalkeeper Alisson, who cost £65m
Chelsea (by Kieran Gill)
How is the manager shaping up?
Maurizio Sarri is certainly getting down to work. Chelsea arrived in Perth for the start of pre-season on Thursday night and their new manager scheduled double training sessions for Friday, Saturday and Sunday.
They will hold another session tomorrow morning before playing local side Perth Glory in the evening. A hectic workload.
How big will their World Cup hangover be?
Significant, particularly when it comes to the Community Shield against Manchester City on August 5. The 25-man squad who have travelled to Australia are decent but a few big names are missing.
Eden Hazard, Thibaut Courtois, N’Golo Kante, Willian and Olivier Giroud are among those absent until August.
Chelsea will face a battle to keep some of their key men, including Eden Hazard
How does the summer transfer business look?
At least they have got going and they made a statement in doing so. Chelsea beat Manchester City to the signing of Jorginho, despite Pep Guardiola thinking he had his man.
The Blues swooped in under City’s noses and Sarri now has his former midfield lieutenant from Napoli with him. More signings should follow.
Who wants out?
A penny for Hazard’s thoughts. Chelsea, though, do not think their Belgian superstar will kick up a fuss and try to leave. Supporters hope they are right.
Goalkeeper Courtois may be different as his contract demands have changed, with him thinking he is now worth more than £200,000 a week.
What needs to be done before season starts?
Chelsea just have to get to grips with Sarri’s style as soon as possible. It is very particular, according to those who worked under him in Italy, and it may take time to be implemented in the Premier League.
Maybe they need a few signings to add quality in some areas.
Premier League opener
Saturday Aug 11: Huddersfield (a)
They have brought in Jorginho – from under Man City’s noses – but need to add more quality
Arsenal (by Rob Draper)
How is the manager shaping up?
It’s all change after 22 years and the initial signs are good. Unai Emery has shaken up training with more tactical work and is spending a lot of time on defensive shape.
The players are happy so far and fly to Singapore today for pre-season friendlies against Atletico Madrid and Paris Saint-Germain. The real test of Emery’s methods will be formidable opening fixtures against Manchester City and Chelsea.
How big will their World Cup hangover be?
Not huge. Mesut Ozil has had plenty of rest, unusually for a German. New signing Uruguay midfielder Lucas Torreira and England’s Danny Welbeck will be excused initial tour matches having reached the latter stages in Russia.
Mesut Ozil has had plenty of rest after Germany’s early World Cup exit and will soon return
How does the summer transfer business look?
It was taken care of earlier than usual but Arsenal’s business is the talk of bemused scouts in Europe: a 34-year-old right back in Stephan Lichtsteiner; Germany’s No 4 goalkeeper Bernd Leno and Sokratis, who most say has been reasonable rather than scintillating for Borussia Dortmund.
Torreira was impressive in the World Cup with his tactical understanding, while Matteo Gunedouzi is a prospect. Look out for 17-year-old Emile Smith Rowe, a left-sided attacker, on tour and making waves at the club.
Who wants out?
Aaron Ramsey hasn’t signed his new deal and shows no sign of doing so.
What needs to be done before season starts?
Not much. If Emery wants to add Andre Gomes as a marquee signing he’ll need to get busy but Sven Mislintat effectively did the new manager’s major recruitment in January by giving Ozil a huge deal and signing Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang.
Premier League opener
Sunday Aug 12: Man City (h)
Arsenal’s new regime have signed a number of players, the most notable being Lucas Torreira