Former England and Manchester United defender, Rio Ferdinand, has made a bold prediction for the upcoming Premier League season. According to him, only two clubs stand a chance of clinching the coveted title.
Liverpool had an impressive run in their first campaign under Arne Slot, securing their second Premier League title with aplomb. The Reds finished ten points clear of Arsenal in second place and thirteen ahead of Manchester City. Despite this dominant performance last season, Liverpool have shown no signs of complacency during the early weeks of the transfer market.
Despite losing Trent Alexander-Arnold to Real Madrid on a free transfer, Liverpool have been proactive in strengthening their squad. They've already secured Jeremie Frimpong from Celtic FC, Florian Wirtz from Bayer Leverkusen and Milos Kerkez from AC Milan. These signings are expected to bolster Slot’s squad significantly.
Manchester City's fresh look
Manchester City also had a disappointing previous season under Pep Guardiola but they too have been active in the transfer market. The signings of Rayan Cherki from Lyon FC, Rayan Ait-Nouri from Wolverhampton Wanderers FC and Tijjani Reijnders from AZ Alkmaar are set to give Guardiola’s side a fresh look heading into pre-season.
In contrast to these two teams' proactive approach is Arsenal who are yet to land any marquee summer signing as they grapple with striking issues. Mikel Arteta’s side is expected to confirm deals for Martin Zubimendi soon while also closing in on Kepa Arrizabalaga and Christian Norgaard.
However, Ferdinand believes that without significant big-money transfers like those seen at Liverpool or Man City this summer, Arsenal will struggle to mount a serious title challenge next season.
Rio Ferdinand, Manchester United legend, said:
‘It’s only going to be between Liverpool and Man City next season. Arsenal might kick up a fuss for a couple of months – six months maybe – [but nothing more].
‘Arsenal’s signings right now look likely to be Norgaard, who is 31 years old, Kepa, who was a reserve keeper at Chelsea, and Martin Zubimendi, but the entire fan base is crying out for a centre forward or a left winger.’
Ferdinand's praise for Liverpool's swift moves
Ferdinand was particularly impressed with how swiftly Liverpool moved in the early weeks of the transfer market. He praised their ability to fend off interest from other European heavyweights and secure highly-rated Wirtz.
According to Rio Ferdinand's predictions, it seems like the Premier League title race will be primarily between Liverpool and Manchester City. However, as any seasoned sports fan or betting enthusiast knows, anything can happen once the whistle blows on a new season.
