Who’s the best player to have a pint with, which star will become the next Pep and who’s best with the BBQ tongs? The inside story of what the Premier League’s biggest names are REALLY like

After what feels like an eternity, the Premier League is finally back and regular football can once again reign supreme. 

Yes, there was a whole European Championship – and even the Olympic competition – over what was in truth a jam-packed summer of sport, but the top-flight is a different beast entirely. 

As such, with the season curtain-raiser between Manchester Untied and Fulham set for Friday night, which you can follow with Mail Sport’s live coverage, it is time to get back into the Premier League mood ahead of the game. 

With that in mind, who would you most like to go on a night out with? Which ground would you most like to go for a kick about at? And of course, who will be the next Pep Guardiola?

Here, Mail Sport’s Premier League club experts use their insight to reveal the inside story of what the players are really like. 

Jack Gaughan

Reports on: Manchester City.

Born: 1991.

Signed from: Joined on the MailOnline graduate scheme following a year working for the Independent.

Which player would you most like to go on a night out with?

Last year it would have been Burnley’s Jay Rodriguez, who used to play The Smiths to his bemused team-mates as dressing-room DJ. 

Now? Kieran Tierney. 

Decent music taste apparently and friends with Gerry Cinnamon, so we would never be far from the indie scene.

Which ground would you love the chance to play at with your mates?

In the whole country, The Hawthorns. It has a deceptively unique design, the crowd behind the dugout are right on you and the tunnel area is quaint. 

In the Premier League, probably Portman Road for the history and old-school feel.

Which player will be the next Pep Guardiola in 10-20 years’ time?

Martin Odegaard seems a deep thinker about the game and open to innovation. 

Football is more about trigonometry than ever before so the next wave of big managers will surely be technical midfielders.

Which player would you most like to invite to your house for dinner and why?

Bernardo Silva is likely to be the whole package for a bit of dinner. 

Laidback with a slight edge in conversation, well-mannered and capable of switching off away from football. But I’d insist his French Bulldog named after John Stones sits the night out.

If you could be one player or manager for a day, who would it be and why?

It has to be Pep Guardiola. Does he ever bite his tongue at work? How many thoughts whir around at once? Can he fetch a morning tomato juice in that penthouse apartment without debating the merits of a double pivot at the weekend? 

The keys to his inner monologue when facing us in a pre-match press conference would be handy too.

Isaan Khan

Reports on: Arsenal.

Born: 1997.

Signed from: Joined the Mail on the Stephen Lawrence Scholarship scheme. Named sports journalist of the year by the Press Awards in 2023.

Which player would you most like to go on a night out with?

Gabriel Magalhaes. The 6ft 3in centre back is menacing on the pitch, but away from it is partial to a joke. 

You also know that if trouble were to arise, ‘big Gabi’ would not be afraid to intervene. 

That was seen three years ago when the Brazilian fought off a robber wielding a baseball bat who tried to steal his Mercedes from his garage after a night out. He is not to be messed with.

Which ground would you love the chance to play at with your mates?

Wembley. The name evokes memories of the playground game called ‘Wembley’, where you are in a free-for-all trying to score past the goalkeeper to make it through to the next round. 

By the end, two players remain for the final. Glory days.

Which player will be the next Pep Guardiola in 10-20 years’ time?

When a suspended Mikel Arteta had to watch Arsenal’s 1-0 defeat at Aston Villa in December, midfielder Jorginho was seen waving his arms on the touchline and barking instructions. 

His Italy team-mates have nicknamed him ‘Il Professore’ and Arteta says he is one of the most intelligent players he has managed. A management career surely beckons.

Which player would you most like to invite to your house for dinner and why?

How about a former player — Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta. There are so many questions to be asked. 

Are goalkeepers really interchangeable? Does the thought of Manchester City keep him up at night? And: how does he keep his hair so pristine?

If you could be one player or manager for a day, who would it be and why?

Darwin Nunez. High-octane and mad as a box of frogs, it would be some experience to lead the Liverpool attack in his shoes. 

Just to understand what’s going through his mind when he approaches goal or interacts with opponents in general. Including those in the stands.

Tom Collomosse 

Reports on: Midlands clubs.

Born: 1980.

Signed from: Joined the Mail following 11 years with the Evening Standard.

Which player would you most like to go on a night out with?

There is never a dull moment with Emiliano Martinez when he is at work, so imagine what the Aston Villa goalkeeper might be like when he lets his hair down.

Which ground would you love the chance to play at with your mates?

If it has to be a Premier League ground, I would say the City Ground. It’s a proper ‘old-school’ venue with a fabulous atmosphere.

Which player will be the next Pep Guardiola in 10-20 years’ time?

Hopefully nobody! I am desperate for the era of over-coaching, with Guardiola wannabes at every club, to end. 

But if I have to name someone, I’ll say Arsenal’s Jorginho.

Which player would you most like to invite to your house for dinner and why?

John McGinn. Humble, funny, irreverent and doesn’t take himself or life too seriously. 

He might even be able to get the Prince of Wales to come along too…

If you could be one player or manager for a day, who would it be and why?

Only one possible answer here: Lionel Messi. Imagine having all that talent. 

In the Premier League, I’d say Jamie Vardy. Still going strong at 37, there may never be another player like him.

Kathryn Batte 

Reports on: West Ham.

Born: 1996.

Signed from: Joined MailOnline in 2019 and became women’s football correspondent in 2021.

Which player would you most like to go on a night out with?

The Euros showed that the Scots know how to party and John McGinn strikes me as someone who would be the life and soul of it. 

If his Bavarian dancing is anything to go by, you would be guaranteed a good time… and a cheap night.

Which ground would you love the chance to play at with your mates?

I was meant to play at Anfield in a schools’ cup competition in 2010 but the venue was switched as Liverpool thought they might make the Europa League final (they didn’t) and would have to host a media day at the stadium instead. 

We ended up playing at Blackburn’s Ewood Park, which was fine but not quite the same.

Which player will be the next Pep Guardiola in 10-20 years’ time?

Rodri. He is the definition of someone who has a ‘football brain’ and has played for Guardiola long enough to have picked up some of his managerial habits. 

He has also previously been backed to be a success by the man himself so he’s surely the best candidate to follow in Guardiola’s footsteps.

Which player would you most like to invite to your house for dinner and why?

Son Heung-min seems like such a nice guy, he would probably come round and cook the meal himself and also supply dessert and drinks. 

In fact, it’s likely he would do all the washing up and then thank me for having him.

If you could be one player or manager for a day, who would it be and why?

Cole Palmer. Ice-cold Cole does not get caught up by the stresses of everyday life and is a man who seemingly has no worries. 

A tough choice between Palmer and Sean Dyche, who gets free drinks at the Royal Dyche in Burnley… but the fact you would have to go to Burnley for that rules him out.

Kieran Gill

Reports on: Chelsea.

Born: 1991.

Signed from: Joined the Mail Sport team via the trainee scheme in 2014.

Which player would you most like to go on a night out with?

Jack Grealish. Not because I think he would be wild but he seems like a genuinely nice guy, those video clips of him being kind to child mascots always bringing a smile. I’d happily buy him a beer or five.

Which ground would you love the chance to play at with your mates?

I would love to take my best mate — my one-year-old son Ezra — for his first kickabout at Goodison Park. 

Then someday, I can tell him how he played at that iconic ground during its last-ever season.

Which player will be the next Pep Guardiola in 10-20 years’ time?

He is as far away from bald as it gets, but I’ll nominate Chelsea’s Marc Cucurella, as I was previously told the 26-year-old Spanish full back had started his coaching badges — and he runs his own tactical football camp for children.

Which player would you most like to invite to your house for dinner and why?

Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall. I lost a bet in pre-season with one of his Chelsea colleagues that I’d introduce myself as ‘K-Dog’ to him before our interview in California, so I could rectify that in a less professional setting over the North East delicacy that is a parmo.

If you could be one player or manager for a day, who would it be and why?

Put me in the shoes of Kevin De Bruyne any day, just so I could know what it’s like to be able to do whatever you want with the ball like the Manchester City midfielder can. I’d clean up at my five-a-side that night.

Lewis Steele

Reports on: Liverpool. 

Born: 1996.  

Signed from: Joined on the graduate scheme in 2020 after studying at the University of Sheffield. 

Which player would you most like to go on a night out with?

Not a player but Sean Dyche. I love a swift half — and so does the Everton boss. 

Most weeks at Finch Farm, we spend the last 30 minutes of the press conference chatting about the nights out he has had and the concerts he has attended. 

Some in the room are zipping up their coats ready to dart off but it is good fun. An old-school gaffer who would be a great night out companion.

Which ground would you love the chance to play at with your mates?

Wembley. It’s the best stadium in the country even though the atmosphere is not the best. 

We used to pretend to be under the arch as kids, blowing fake kisses to our ‘fans’ on the park pitches. 

It is the pinnacle of European football and it would be great to play there. I’ll make do with the press box in this life…

Which player will be the next Pep Guardiola in 10-20 years’ time?

You have to pick a Manchester City player for this one so I’ll go with Rodri. He has played centre half and midfield for City and he can do it all with a football brain that is second to none in the Premier League. 

He has a temper, too, which would be good on the touchline. And his hairline is receding slightly…

Which player would you most like to invite to your house for dinner and why?

I have heard some of the South American lads in the north west do a mean barbecue. Alisson Becker is said to be an excellent chef. 

I also wouldn’t mind popping over to a street party on the estate near Manchester where Erling Haaland, Mohamed Salah and Co all live.

If you could be one player or manager for a day, who would it be and why?

I would be Lionel Messi, the greatest footballer to ever walk the planet. 

I’d go for a kick-about and curl some free-kicks into the top corner! Living in Miami sounds good, too.

Nathan Salt 

Reports on: Man Utd.

Born: 1996.

Signed from: Joined the Mail’s prestigious graduate training scheme in 2017 after a spell at BBC Sport.

Which player would you most like to go on a night out with?

Jack Grealish. It feels like the only acceptable answer, right? 

Grealish may still be finding his groove on the pitch but off it he looks like a hoot. Every time Manchester City head into the city centre he is the life and soul of the party.

Which ground would you love the chance to play at with your mates?

St James’ Park is easily one of the best grounds in England and I like the idea of sticking friends and family right up in the away end so they get a true, authentic experience. 

It’s in the middle of the city so not too far away for a pint afterwards.

Which player will be the next Pep Guardiola in 10-20 years’ time?

It feels like an impossibly high bar but my criteria here was for a player who is at the top of their game in their position and Virgil van Dijk fits that bill. 

The Liverpool captain’s football IQ is immense and the way he carries himself and speaks gives every indication of a future manager.

Which player would you most like to invite to your house for dinner and why?

Son Heung-min seems far and away to be the nicest player in the Premier League and the Tottenham forward gives the impression that he would rather listen to hear about you than talk about himself and all of his achievements. 

Also, I reckon he would muck in and help with the dishes!

If you could be one player or manager for a day, who would it be and why?

Pep Guardiola, mainly to see if his brain is constantly running at 100mph or if he does ever find an off button to rest. 

At City he is always so relentless I feel like one day in his shoes would totally wipe me out.