The 2023-24 Premier League season is only two weeks away, but the transfer window will be open all the way through the end of August.
That means teams might look drastically different after a few weeks of the new campaign.
Louis Saha thinks some of his former teams might be the ones that are the most dramatically different come September.
Speaking to Betway, ex-Man United, Tottenham, Newcastle and Everton forward Saha said:
- Man United need ‘proper striker’ Harry Kane to bring Red Devil’s ‘forwards to life’
- Newcastle need Sadio Mane’s character to help win them titles and trophies
- I feel sorry for PSG now they’re losing Lionel Messi and Kylian Mbappe – Ligue 1 will suffer
- I can see Jordan Pickford staying at Everton but he could replace Hugo Lloris at Tottenham
Man United need ‘proper striker’ Harry Kane to bring Red Devil’s ‘forwards to life’
“Alejandro Garnacho’s goal will be to start more games next season and eventually become one of the first names on the team sheet. He has all the qualities to do it, but he needs to understand that he won’t play every weekend, even Cristiano Ronaldo was on the bench sometimes. Garnacho still has time to learn and work hard, especially in his position on the wing, it’s not easy. I’m sure he’s wanting to double his starting games from this season. It’s very important for Manchester United to get a solid striker upfront so he can support Garnacho.
“We’ve seen Pep Guardiola neglect having a proper striker in his team, and now he has Erling Haaland, no one asks questions about Manchester City’s attack. That’s the power of the number nine position, they can bring the other forwards to life and sometimes I think the position is disrespected the way it can be overlooked. A proper striker can hold the ball up for 10 seconds, which allows players to come to support them or run in behind, these are the qualities you can imagine that Harry Kane could provide. Players like Garnacho, Marcus Rashford and Jadon Sancho will benefit greatly by playing with Kane.”
Newcastle need Sadio Mane’s character to help win them titles and trophies
“Newcastle United needs world-class players now, despite their amazing season, but they need players who have won titles and know how to win trophies. That’s the club’s next step, and players like Sadio Mane can definitely help and provide inspiration to the team to take them to the next level. It’s necessary to have players like Mane’s calibre to help them get through competitions. Newcastle United need to be careful because clubs like Leicester City did not bring in the right characters and look where they ended up. A signing like Mane would be bringing in the right character who can help win on the biggest stages.”
I feel sorry for PSG now they’re losing Lionel Messi and Kylian Mbappe – Ligue 1 will suffer
“If PSG loses Mbappe, Neymar and Messi, then they’re not the same club and lose their structure completely. I’d be surprised if they attract any players with the same calibre. Even Ligue 1 will suffer if they lose all those superstars. I’m not saying no one will watch the French league, but it’s not going to be the same without them. But if Real Madrid gets Mbappe, it’s a brilliant signing by them and he’s one of the few players who can replace Benzema. The fans who boo Messi and Neymar don’t realise that it invites Mbappe to leave the club alongside them.
“It seems like it’s now the perfect time for Kylian Mbappe to leave PSG and join Real Madrid now Karim Benzema has left. I feel sorry for PSG, they’ve lost two of the biggest stars in the world, Lionel Messi and Neymar, but the way they were treated was disrespectful. That’s the nature of football, sometimes you have to move. It’s very important PSG now make the right choices, and one of them is to keep Mbappe.”
Jordan Pickford will stay at Everton but he could replace Hugo Lloris at Tottenham
“I would like to see Jordan Pickford replace Hugo Lloris at Tottenham. Pickford has the confidence to fill the massive gap that Lloris will leave. It’s all down to the changes Tottenham wants and the new faces they want to bring in. It’s a shame Lloris is leaving, but if Pickford wants to reach the next level, Tottenham could be the place to do it. Ange Postecoglou might like this opportunity to replace a big name in the club, the same with Harry Kane, and bring in ambitious players like Pickford who have different types of qualities.
“I can see Pickford staying at Everton. Pickford is a great goalkeeper and if he wants to leave, he deserves it and should get the respect from the club to do so. Pickford has done his job in the best way possible, he’s saved Everton from relegation twice. As a fan, it’s a horrible position to be in because I’m sure they were thinking of trying to get European football. I think whatever Pickford’s decision is, it will be respected by the club.”