Pep Guardiola gives verdict on Arsenal, Newcastle, Liverpool & Man Utd transfer policies

Pep Guardiola has named four Premier League sides who have added ‘starting XI’ players to their squads over the summer transfer window, and look to have strengthened ahead of the new season.

The Manchester City manager is hoping to lead his men to a fourth consecutive top-flight title in 2023/24 - a feat that has never been achieved before in English football - but said Newcastle United, Liverpool and Manchester United could make that more challenging this season.

Yet it’s Arsenal who look like the biggest threat after the summer signings of Kai Havertz, Jurrien Timber and Declan Rice, with Guardiola saying on Friday that the latter is an ‘incredible player’. The City boss also claimed those additions could take Arsenal to a ‘next level’, this season, and said Mikel Arteta has reestablished the Gunners as one of the league’s top sides once again.

“They [Arsenal] didn't buy players to make the squad bigger, they buy starting XI players - really I could not expect different,” the ex-Barcelona manager said on Friday, ahead of Sunday’s Community Shield between City and the Gunners. 

“Newcastle have done it, Liverpool a bit less but I think with [Jordan] Henderson and Fabinho gone they will go to the market again, United do it again. It's normal. Every season, the teams want to do better, not just Man City.

“Maybe Mikel brings them again to a position where Arsenal were all the time,” Guardiola added, when asked if Arsenal will be City’s main title challengers this season. “There is not one or two teams but a lot of teams who will fight for everything.

“The challenge is massive for us. Mentally, how we can grow as a team and football-wise and sustain that level. It’s almost impossible that we do more, but the challenge is that. How starving are we, how is our desire to defend what we won? We will see during a process of 11 months in the lower moments. I think we will have them more than ever, so it is how we overcome them.”