^ ^ Troy Deeney predicts where Arsenal, Man Utd, Chelsea and Liverpool will finish this season

Former Premier League striker Troy Deeney (Picture: BBC)

Troy Deeney has backed Arsenal to win the Premier League again this season and revealed his top-four prediction.

Following three successive second-place finishes, Mikel Arteta finally guided Arsenal to their first league title in 22 years last season.

And with the World Cup finished and pre-season back underway, the Gunners will now turn their attention to defending their title this season.

It has been a quiet start in the transfer market for the north London club, who have only added Christos Tzolis and Illan Meslier to their squad after confirming Piero Hincapie’s permanent move from Bayer Leverkusen following his successful loan last campaign.

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Arsenal are still keen to add reinforcements in central midfield, left wing and up front, while a back injury to William Saliba may force them to consider defensive reinforcements.

However, former Premier League striker Deeney believes Arteta is still blessed with the league’s deepest squad and believes Arsenal should be considered favourites to win the title again this season.

‘They should win the Premier League,’ he told talkSPORT. ‘They have still got the best squad; they haven’t lost anybody as of yet, other than Trossard, but then they’ve replaced him with a younger version of him from Club Brugge as well.

Arsenal will look to defend their title (Picture: Getty)

‘They’ve still got the best squad, still got the deepest squad rotation available. So I think Arsenal should still be the favourites, but I actually think there’s more pressure on them now than last year.

‘I think they’re outright favourites now; everyone’s expecting them to win it. This should mean there’s more expectation now on the style of play and on dominating lesser teams.

‘But I think they win it and it’s everybody else to try and catch them.’

It has been a busy off-season for virtually all of Arsenal’s potential title rivals, with a slew of managerial changes ahead of the new season.

Michael Carrick is set for his first full season at Old Trafford (Picture: PA)

Enzo Maresca is back at Manchester City as he takes on the daunting task of replacing Pep Guardiola at the Etihad Stadium.

Meanwhile, Liverpool have replaced Arne Slot with Andoni Iraola, who will look to bring a renewed energy to the Merseyside club having guided Bournemouth into Europe for the first time last season.

And in London, Xabi Alonso is in the door at Chelsea after a dismal season for the Blues, which saw them miss out on European football entirely.

Xabi Alonso has taken over at Chelsea (Picture: Getty)

Having come in midway through last season as an interim, Michael Carrick is also preparing for his first full season in charge at Manchester United.

But Deeney fears that the added demands of Champions League football will cost the Red Devils in the league this time around.

‘I don’t think they’ll make the Champions League places right now,’ he said. ‘The reason is we don’t know what Carrick’s like with three games in a week at this level. Obviously, we saw a bit of Championship, but not at this level.

Deeney's predicted top-four for this season

1. Arsenal
2. Manchester City
3. Liverpool
4. Chelsea

‘Now, having to look at the Premier League, Champions League, FA Cups, Carabao Cups, you can’t go out as early as you have done in previous years.

‘There’s an expectation now to do more. Bruno Fernandes, do you really think he’s going to have the season he had last season again this season?

‘I just think that with the squad currently constructed as is, I don’t think there’s enough depth to get through all of those competitions, which I think will ultimately leave them short.’

And with United potentially falling out of the top four, Deeney thinks that Chelsea could capitalise.

Asked for his top-four prediction, he said: ‘Arsenal first, City second, Liverpool third, and just to annoy most people, I’m going to say Chelsea fourth.’

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^ ^ Man Utd given deadline to complete £51m Manu Kone transfer after Roma response

United are still to make a bid for the midfielder (Picture: Andrea Staccioli/Insidefoto/LightRocket via Getty Images)

Manchester United have stalled efforts to sign midfielder Manu Kone with AS Roma desperate to complete the transfer before the end of the month.

Following the signings of Andrey Santos and Youri Tielemans, Michael Carrick hopes to make a third midfield signing ahead of the new Premier League season.

United appear to be keeping their options open with interest still lingering in Aurelien Tchouameni and with Carlos Baleba’s representatives reaching out to the club this week.

Kone is another option after his impressive World Cup campaign with France. Reports in Italy have claimed United have already agreed personal terms with the 25-year-old, who has also attracted interest from Arsenal and Chelsea.

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Kone has been priced at €50million (£42m) during the summer transfer window with latest reports claiming Roma want €60m (£51m). United are still to make a formal bid.

The Serie A club are under pressure however to get a deal done as soon as possible. With talks moving ‘extremely slowly’, Corriere dello Sport report Roma are desperate for the transfer to be completed by 31 July.

Doing so would ensure Roma meet the parameters of the settlement agreement they have with UEFA.

Kone had a very impressive World Cup (Picture: Getty Images North America)

It has been reported that Roma had to raise around €50m in funds by the end of June in order to comply with the settlement agreement they reached with UEFA back in September 2022.

It followed the club breaking financial fair play regulations during the 2021-22 season.

An original deadline of the end of June was extended by European football’s governing body last month with Kone’s future possibly set to have a major role to play.

United are in no immediate rush however. While Kone is admired by some within the club’s recruitment team, not everyone supports the move and the deal does not have ‘universal backing’ at Old Trafford, the Telegraph reports.

Carrick wants another midfielder (Picture: Markku Ulander / Lehtikuva / AFP via Getty Images)

He has at least one huge admirer however in France and Arsenal legend Patrick Vieira who hailed him the best midfielder in the Les Bleus squad at the World Cup.

‘He has come into the World Cup with a couple of injuries and it has been a quite difficult season for him,’ Vieira told ITV during their coverage of France vs Norway last month.

‘But he is for me, the best midfielder in France today. I would put him ahead of Aurelien Tchouameni and Adrien Rabiot because he has got this mobility to move around the pitch.

‘He is aggressive, he is a ball winner and he has got this technical ability to be part of the build-up. He can break lines and play forward.’

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^ ^ Arsenal and Chelsea consider shock move for £42m Tottenham star as agent opens talks

Arteta and Alonso both on the search for more options at the back (Picture: Getty)

Arsenal and Chelsea are considering a shock move for Tottenham defender Cristian Romero, according to reports in Italy.

Romero is under contract in north London until 2029 but there is an expectation he will leave Spurs this summer with two new defensive arrivals already in the door in Jan Paul van Hecke and Marcos Senesi.

The Tottenham captain missed the end of last season with a knee injury as the club battled for Premier League survival and enraged supporters after he considered missing the final game of the season against Everton to go watch his boyhood club back in Argentina.  

Inter Milan are eager to sign the centre-half having also shown interest in England full-back Djed Spence.

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The Nerazzurri have held talks with Romero’s representatives with Spurs thought to be asking for €50million (£42m).

Inter would be keen on a loan with an obligation to buy deal, similar to the one that took Manuel Akanji to Italy from Manchester City last year.

Corriere dello Sport report Romero has emerged as Inter’s priority with the player indicating he is open to a return to Italy four years on from leaving Atalanta.

Romero expected to leave Spurs (Picture: Richard Sellers/Sportsphoto/Allstar via Getty Images)

But the report claims Arsenal and Chelsea pose the biggest risk to Inter’s plans and have shown interest in signing him.

A move across north London would appear unlikely but the Gunners are in the market for another defender with William Saliba set to miss the start of the season due to a back problem.

Chelsea meanwhile are on the brink of signing of Maxence Lacroix from Crystal Palace but are on the lookout for another option at the back.

Inter hope to beat the London clubs to the punch, hopeful a promise of a leading role in Christian Chivu’s side will get the job done.

There is work to do however with Inter hoping to pay €25million for his services, half of what Spurs are currently asking.

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^ ^ Atletico make decision on Arsenal offer for Julian Alvarez which includes £64m star

Arsenal have not given up on Alvarez (Picture: Getty Images North America)

Atletico Madrid would be prepared to accept Arsenal’s offer for Julian Alvarez which would include Viktor Gyokeres moving in the other direction.

Alvarez is regarded as a top transfer target at the Emirates with the Premier League champions hoping to lure him to north London this summer.

Barcelona is his preferred destination however with the former Manchester City star revealing during the World Cup he has already spoken to Atletico about completing his ‘dream’ move to the Camp Nou.

‘I spoke with the people at [Atletico] I needed to speak with, and the best thing for everyone is a transfer. I want to fulfil my dream,’ Alvarez said after Argentina’s win over Austria at the World Cup last month.

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‘It’s ‌not the time ‌to talk about this, but I also can’t ‌hide it. I try to be an honest person.’

Atletico are determined not to sell to Barcelona, however, enraged with what they regard as a public and disrespectful pursuit of the 26-year-old. An opening bid of €100million (£86.4m) has already been rejected by Atletico who are so far refusing to do business with the Catalan giants.

While they are determined to hold onto their player, Atletico would rather sell Alvarez to Arsenal if left with no other option.

Gyokeres could move after just one season (Picture: Alex Burstow/Arsenal FC via Getty Images)

Cadena SER report the prospect of Alvarez returning to England is now a growing possibility with Arsenal’s offer of Gyokeres plus for €60m (£51.7m) under strong consideration.

The report explains Atletico want to have a ‘mature conversation’ with Alvarez as soon as possible with the player currently on his summer break following Argentina’s World Cup final defeat to Spain.

They intend to reiterate they will not strengthen a direct rival in Barcelona but if he remains determined to leave, then Arsenal’s offer is the most likely deal to go through given it also solves the immediate problem of finding a replacement.

Alvarez currently on his summer break after World Cup heartbreak (Picture: FIFA/FIFA via Getty Images)

Privately, Atletico will consider cashing in if they cannot reach an understanding. But speaking last week, Atletico’s chief executive, Miguel Angel Gil Marin, insisted that the club would not sell Alvarez for any price this summer.

‘I have no doubt Atletico is the place in the world for Julian and Julian is the perfect striker for Atletico Madrid,’ Gil Marin said.

‘We want to consvtinue counting on him. We do not want to transfer him. We did not accept an offer of €100 million, and we will not accept one of €150m or €200m.’

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