The former Manchester City captain discusses the clubs summer transfer business, and looks ahead to Ireland's World Cup qualifiers in September.
Richard Dunne believes Manchester City are set up for another Premier League title challenge after a strong summer for Pep Guardiola’s side.
City are currently / in the Premier League odds to win the league in 2025/26, with Liverpool and Arsenal slightly ahead of them in the market. However, Dunne believes the arrivals of players like Tijjani Reijnders and the return of Rodri from injury will put City back in the frame for the title.
In our exclusive interview, Dunne also discusses Jack Grealish’s future and Ireland’s upcoming international matches in September.
Do you think Man City go into the season refreshed with their new signings before the Club World Cup?
They’ve had plenty of time together now to gel, it’s been like having a mini pre-season at the Club World Cup.
I do think the quality of players that Manchester City have brought in has been good.
Last season, they struggled at times for energy and legs in midfield, so Tijjani Reijnders is certainly a player who can fill that gap.
Obviously, with Rodri being back, that will make a huge difference for City.
I’m sure everyone in that dressing room would class last season as disappointing, so the aim and the hunger to challenge for the title again will be there.
Is the squad strong enough to challenge Liverpool at this stage, particularly given their transfer business this summer?
There was a massive drop-off last season for City, which was unexpected from that group of players.
I think the effect of winning the title four years in a row played a big part in that drop-off, so I can only imagine City will raise their levels again this season.
It’s a squad that’s been refreshed, so they will be raring to go again.
There’s a point to prove for those players after a disappointing year. They’ll certainly have enough quality to compete for the title.
The depth in the squad is a lot better than it has been in previous seasons, so I think it’s a fresh start for them all.
I’m sure the manager will be desperate to show that last season was a slight blip. I can’t see City having another ‘off’ season like they did last year.
Does Rodri change it all for City now that he’s fully fit?
He just gives them that anchor in midfield that was missing last season.
It allows the other players to go forward and express themselves because you know he will just sit in midfield.
He prevents counterattacks and plays a part in starting City’s own counters.
He’s been a huge miss for that team. Much of the success over the past five years has been largely down to how important he is in the team.
You only have to look at last season and the drop-off because he wasn’t in the team.
Getting him back, getting him fit, and having someone like Reijnders around him who can some of the running for him will definitely help.
I just think at times they lacked leaders in midfield. They obviously had experienced players in there, but they lacked that defensive-minded player.
It’s like any team. If you take Mo Salah out of the Liverpool side, then they’d have obvious problems.
The same goes for Rodri, so it’s a huge boost for City.
This is a player who won the Ballon d’Or. He’s not been able to show why he was the best player in the world due to his injury.
I’m sure he’ll be keen to have a good season and show the world what he’s capable of again.
Will he be the same player after an ACL injury?
I would have thought it will take him some time to get back to his best. I don’t expect him to walk back into the team and be the same player before the injury.
Rodri will still be one of the top midfielders in the world, even if he’s slightly off a few percent of his best.
We saw it with Virgil Van Dijk a few years ago. Yes, he wasn’t at his best, but he was still better than most.
So, I would expect the same with Rodri. Especially with the players that have come in gives Pep Guardiola the opportunity to give him more of a rest.
Previous to that, he would play every game week in, week out. He barely missed any games, or any minutes for that matter.
I think there will be an opportunity for him to reintegrate into the team at his own pace because the manager has other options, which will be important for him.
Obviously, the more he plays the better he’ll get. I’m sure he’ll be desperate to get back to those levels he showed.
But he has to realise that it could take a bit of time to get there. Over the course of the season, I’m sure he’ll pull his weight in this team.
Do you think Ait-Nouri will improve City’s defence this new season?
It’s hard to say that they had problems at left-back last season, but certainly, the way they played was different.
City don’t play with traditional fullbacks, so you’re asking someone like Nico O’Reilly to do different things that he wouldn’t be used to.
Having Ait-Nouri now gives the manager that option to play in a more traditional manner.
It might roll into a back-three at times to allow whoever’s on the right to go forward, but I think he’ll be a good addition.
The only worry I have is the counterattacks. It’s great having an attacking fullback, but as we’ve seen last season, City are suspect to the counter at times.
You need a bit of a solid base in the backline. Having Rodri will help the defenders, and I’m sure Ait-Nouri will have that defensive mindset as well in terms of recovery.
James Trafford has been re-signed, but Ederson will still be around – how do you think that’ll work having two goalkeepers who are essentially number 1s?
I’ve seen it at a few clubs where the number two goalkeeper is as good as the number one.
Caoimhin Kelleher is a good example of that. He was as capable as Alisson in that team, but he decided he wanted to move on and be first-choice.
Liverpool have gone out and signed another number one in Giorgi Mamardashvili, so it isn’t unusual.
City will be looking to go a lot further than they did last season, which could mean up to 60 games or so.
So, you know both goalkeepers will play their part across the season.
Obviously, James Trafford will be going there wanting to be the number one, especially in a World Cup year.
I’m not sure how it looks. Whether it will be as straightforward as one plays league games, and the other plays in the cup.
It’s a position where you need a reliable backup. To do that, you have to give the players game time.
So, I think it’s something the manager would have discussed with both goalkeepers, and if they’re both happy with the role, then City are in a good position.
It seems like a situation that can be worked out.
Is it a surprise that Ederson is the one staying rather than Ortega?
I’m not too sure because I don’t know the ins and outs of the offers in the past for Ederson.
I mean, one of the offers I heard was £3million, and that’s not even worth City’s time entertaining it. You can’t sell a goalkeeper of that quality, for that price.
They’re better off keeping him for that amount of money. I think out of him and Ortega, then Ederson is the better choice to keep.
If the options are there, then I think keeping Ederson over Ortega is the right decision.
I think in general nobody would have been happy with their performances last season.
Everyone seemed a bit down about how they were playing as an individual. Ederson was certainly one of those players who wasn’t at his best compared to previous years.
I just have a feeling that this season with fresh players will give the squad a lift.
When Ortega came in, you still knew that Ederson was going to comfortably be the number one.
But now with Trafford, you feel there’s real competition in that department. If Ederson sulks about it, then he won’t be here much longer, but if he takes on the challenge, then you could see an improved player.
We might see the best of Ederson again if he’s being challenged.
Nottingham Forest had a £25 million bid rejected for James McAtee, do you think there’s a chance he leaves this summer if a higher bid comes in?
Yeah, I would have thought he’d be someone who would be allowed to leave.
You look at the players that have been brought in, even going back to January with Omar Marmoush. There’s a lot of competition for game time.
For McAtee, you’d expect his game time to be limited this season with the options in the squad.
For City as well, you’d expect the real Phil Foden to turn up this year, which limits game time for other players.
McAtee is a quality player. He’s proved it with City and Sheffield United in the Premier League.
He’s more than capable of playing for another Premier League club. He’s had success with the England U21s squad, so I’m sure he’ll be an asset to any club.
For him as well, if he wants any chance of making it into the World Cup squad, he has to play regularly.
If there are clubs willing to pay the money for him, then I’m sure he’ll be gone before the window shuts.
Whoever gets him is getting a great player. Obviously, City have turned down offers, so I’m expecting him to go for around £30-£35 million.
I think that’s a really good price for somebody. He’s got time on his side to learn and develop into a top player.
But for him, it’s about getting out on the pitch and proving what he can do at the top level.
Jack Grealish is set for a loan move to Everton, do you think that’s the right decision for him to get away from Manchester?
He’s a player who’s too good to be wasted on the bench, so he needs to be playing more regularly.
It’s probably been 18 months now since he hasn’t been one of the main players, and someone that Pep isn’t turning to in the big games.
I think he just needs to rediscover his best form. A move to Everton, or any club would help him find his best football again.
Wherever he moves, the team would need to play to his strengths and build players around what Grealish can do on a football pitch.
It’s the only way we’ll see the best of Jack Grealish. He’s still got plenty left in the tank and energy in his legs, so he’s a great signing for any club.
When you watch the Premier League, you want to see the best players playing, and Jack Grealish is one of those players.
Grealish in full flow is a great sight, and he’s achieved that at City. But I do think it’s the best time for him to move on.
David Moyes sounds a little worried about the lack of additions at Everton. Can you understand his frustration?
I can understand his frustration because quite a few players have left Everton as well.
They haven’t had the strongest squad for several years now, they’ve become a team in and around the relegation spots in recent seasons.
Moyes did brilliantly last season. He came in and dragged the club away from trouble quite early on.
But they do need options, especially with the new stadium. You want to be going there watching a quality Everton side.
He’s already mentioned how late we are into pre-season, and the fact that he won’t have what he wants yet for the start of the league season.
If Everton want to recover and get themselves back into the top six or top eight, which is where people believe they should be, then they quite simply need players.
These players will cost money, and it’s not something Everton have been able to do in a long time.
The positive for Everton is that it seems to be a big window this year. A lot of players seem to be moving clubs or looking for moves.
At the moment, Everton are shy on squad numbers. They’ve probably got to wait and be patient for those targets to become a reality.
The one thing with Moyes is that if he’s given the players and given the backing, then Everton will eventually get back to where they want to be.
There’s a real possibility that Everton get back into Europe with Moyes, and he’s already proved that at West Ham.
For me, Everton are a bigger club than West Ham, so he can certainly give the club some good rewards if he’s backed financially.
Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall is close to joining, and a bid has been placed for Tyler Dibling – can fans be excited about those additions?
Yeah, I certainly think they can.
I did some coverage for the Europa Conference League last season on Irish TV, and Dewsbury-Hall looked a real leader in that competition for Chelsea.
He just stood out from the rest, I thought he was fantastic in those games.
He’s a player who will bring a lot of energy to Everton’s midfield. He can score goals, and he isn’t shy about putting the work in.
He would be a really good addition to this Everton squad.
As for Tyler Dibling, he looked an exciting prospect at times last season.
Whether they could get Dibling one side and Grealish on the other, I’m not so sure.
But it would certainly be exciting for Everton fans to see players of this quality coming through the door.
They’re players who want to play on the front foot and want to attack, which is what you want to see as a fan.
Everton for a long time have had players who keep things tight and keep you in the division.
With the players they’re looking at currently, that suggests they’re trying to come away from that and be a little more ambitious.
If they can get these profiles through the door, I think it’ll be an exciting time for Everton.
How big a bonus is Branthwaite’s new contract? How good can he be – and where would you like to see him improve?
It’s really positive for Everton. There have been some big clubs looking at him over the past couple of years, so to be able to tie him down tells me they’ve outlined the ambitions going forward to him.
He’ll be another player looking at the England squad for the World Cup, so for him not having speculation about his future is massive.
It’s important for Branthwaite that he stays fit. He needs to play the majority of the games this season, and take on that leadership role of being the main player in the defence.
Jake O’Brien has come in and done really well, so you can potentially see a partnership developing there.
Everton have some big centre-backs in there, so they will be a physical force.
If Everton are going to improve, then they need to keep their best players, and Branthwaite fits that narrative.
The one thing with centre-backs is, it’s an ongoing battle to get better.
Especially for a young player like Branthwaite. He’s playing for a team that will be under the cosh at times, so he needs that ability to gain some control of the situation.
If he can put his foot on the ball and relieve some of that pressure, then that will help the team massively because he has that ability to do so.
If other teams see him popping the ball around them, then that stops the press to a certain extent.
It’ll be the mental side for Branthwaite, knowing when to slow things down, and I think you learn that more as you get older.
He’ll naturally improve as a player, as long as he stays fit.
David Moyes has spoken highly of your ex-Irish teammate Seamus Coleman – how long can he keep going at the top level?
It’s hard to put a timeline with Seamus and everything he’s done at Everton.
It’s difficult to keep playing at the top level, but he does whatever is asked of him despite the way the season was going and the injuries.
I think the qualities that Moyes is looking for is the person, and who they are.
As you get on, your legs might go and the quality might drop, but one thing for sure with Seamus is the mentality will never go away.
That’s what he brings to the club and what he brings to the dressing room, so I’m sure Moyes loves having him around the place to show other players how to be a professional.
It’s so important for managers to have a real leader around them, and it can be someone who isn’t necessarily on the pitch all the time.
He’ll be used sparingly this season, but he’ll be a massive asset in the dressing room.
Will he go down as Everton’s greatest signing?
I think he has to.
He cost the club £60,000 which is ridiculous for a player of that quality. In his career, he probably would have been a £60 million player at some point.
What he’s given to Everton throughout his career is incredible. I know there would have been plenty of opportunities to move on at different points, but he stayed.
He could have gone on to teams challenging at the top end, but for him he found his home at Everton.
It’s obviously not been the easiest time at the club over the past few years, but he’s someone who never shies away from a challenge.
I think that’s why he will go down as one of the very best at Everton. I mean, the cost is one thing, but the impact he’s had on the club down the years. I don’t think you can truly put a value on that.
The fans have always loved him, and when he does decide to hang up his boots, it’ll be a sad day.
But I think he will remain around the club for a long time.
The Ollie Watkins rumours are still lingering with Manchester United, despite the Benjamin Sesko news in recent days – can Villa afford to lose their star striker?
It’s a difficult one with Ollie Watkins.
I saw that Villa are bringing in the striker from Nice, who is obviously a younger player but a similar sort of profile.
I think at times with Watkins, what he does for the team is amazing in terms of all the hard work. But in terms of the link-up play, sometimes it’s not there.
There were examples of it with Marco Asencio and Marcus Rashford last season. That link-up play wasn’t quite working and maybe the manager has just decided it’s time for a change in style.
The manager might want that striker who can link the play, and Watkins isn’t that type of player. He prefers to run in behind and use the space behind defenders.
The money involved potentially isn’t bad for a 29-year-old, so it’s a possibility.
Listen if he stays, then I have no doubt he’d still be the number one striker regardless of who comes in.
If he leaves, then it will be down to Aston Villa wanting to play in a different style.
It’s all down to the manager’s preference. Does he move him on now, or does he risk his value going down in six months to a year?
Emi Martinez looks set to stay for at least another season, how important is it for the club to keep hold of their best players?
It’s the same for every club. You want to keep progressing.
Villa missed out on the Champions League, and the aim will be to get back into that competition.
Whether that’s through the league position or winning the Europa League. But you’ve got to keep your best players, and on top of that, you have to add to the squad.
Villa have had a battle this summer in terms of keeping their players, but they’ve not had a chance to add to the squad yet.
If they don’t sign players to improve the squad, then you might see a drop-off from Villa just because of the sheer quality of the Premier League.
Every year the league is getting stronger, so you’ve got to keep your best players and keep improving or you will see a dip.
Hopefully, they can add some quality first-team players, rather than players who are going to come in and be part of the squad.
Samu Aghehowa could make a switch to Villa, he seemed a handful in the Europa League for Porto last season – is he the type of striker who could thrive in the Premier League with his physicality?
From what I saw of him in the Europa League, he looked a decent player.
He had an unusual summer last year because he was all set to go to Chelsea for a big transfer fee, but then he went to Porto for a smaller fee.
I don’t really understand how that worked out with Chelsea, but he looks to me like he’s born to be a Premier League striker.
He’s got the physicality to deal with centre-backs, he’s got a bit of speed, and he looks like an awkward player to defend against.
If Villa could get a player like him in the squad, he’d probably be similar to Duran, where he makes an impact off the bench.
He looks a perfect player to bring off the bench and start the odd game where you need a bit more of a physical presence.
That’s the type of quality of player that Villa need to bring in.
Evan Ferguson has hit the ground running in pre-season for Roma, are you shocked Brighton allowed to go and that no Premier League clubs pushed for him?
I’m not surprised with Brighton in all honesty.
They’ve got centre-forwards at the club who they obviously prefer, and it seems they’ve felt for a while they can do without Evan Ferguson.
Brighton will want him playing regularly and Evan will want that for himself, so it was a deal fit for both parties.
The disappointment for Evan would have been the West Ham move last season, where he had the opportunity to go out and prove himself, but didn’t deliver.
Going abroad is perfect for him. He’s got a new culture to adapt to and a new style of football.
He’s got six goals in his first three pre-season games, so it’s an ideal start for him, and now it’s about kicking on when the season starts.
We can’t forget this was a player linked with Manchester United not long ago, and there are a lot of clubs in the Premier League looking for the next striker.
You never know, in a couple of years, he could be the next one everyone is looking at for a big transfer.
He’s proved that when he’s fit and playing regularly in the Premier League that he can score goals.
He’s been hamstrung by injuries over the past two seasons, picking up little niggles and not looking sharp because of the lack of game time.
If he can get that run in the Roma team, then people will see the best version of Evan Ferguson again.
If he can go away and prove himself and prove his fitness, then I think there’s a chance the big clubs start looking at him again.
Keith Andrews was the surprise choice as the new Brentford manager, were you surprised by that move?
Yeah, it was a surprise.
I mean, any job in the Premier League is one of the biggest jobs in world football, so you tend to get experienced coaches coming into teams.
Managers who have done it somewhere else and who have a proven track record, and Keith obviously doesn’t have that right now.
He’s been around the coaching game for a long time now, both at the National team and at different clubs in England.
He’s got a good way about him in terms of the way he speaks and carries himself. From what I hear, his coaching is really impressive, and people can’t speak highly enough about him.
I think it’ll be a case of getting the backing of the players, and whether he can get the players on side early, especially after coming in for someone who was at the club for a number of years.
But to do that, you’ve got to win games. The first five or six games for Brentford will be vital in the way Keith is viewed as a manager.
It’ll be a big challenge, but if results go well and he wins a few games, then people will be saying that Brentford have pulled off a masterstroke.
There won’t be any talk of his inexperience if the points are on the board, and he’ll be aware of that.
It’ll be a big start to the season for him, and hopefully, he can be a success.
Did he have those manager qualities from his playing days?
He’s always been very articulate when he speaks and how he goes about things.
He’s someone who’s always had that interest in football, and the running of the game outside of just being a player.
I think he was definitely someone you looked at and thought he would stay in the game in some capacity.
He’s gone through all the steps to get here, he’s done the coaching, he’s been an assistant manager, and a set-piece coach.
It’ll help because he’s gone around and learnt all the different aspects of what a manager needs to put together.
He knows the game inside out, and as I said it’ll be about making a connection with the players before the season starts.
It’s already been a difficult start when you lose your club captain, your best player in Bryan Mbeumo, and Yoane Wissa wants to leave.
It’s not been an easy introduction to management, but I’ve not heard him complain once.
He’s happy enough with what he’s got and I’m sure he’ll just be concentrating on getting the players ready for the first game of the season.
Ireland open their World Cup qualifying campaign in September against Hungary – after watching the summer friendlies – do you think Ireland have what it takes to qualify for the competition?
I don’t read too much into the summer friendlies; I don’t think that will have any knock-on effect.
I’ve just seen more elements of improvement within the team. We look more difficult to break down and more organised in the team.
It’s a style of football that suits this group of players a little bit more. The manager has been more pragmatic and wants to set the players up in a way that plays to their strengths.
If we can find the balance of getting on the front foot and being more difficult to get through, then I think we’ve got a good chance.
This is the first campaign in a long time that I’m positive about going into the qualifiers, and I think we have a really good opportunity of qualifying from our group.
Hungary are a good side, but I believe we’re on the same level as Hungary.
When we face them, I think our style of football versus their style of football, I believe we can compete against them.
I don’t think we should fear them in any way.
If we get ahead of them, we’re always decent in the big games against the likes of Portugal.
Hopefully, those games might come to a set-piece or a moment in the game where you’ve always got a chance.
It’s been a bit of a disappointing period, but hopefully we can see us competing again and at least make it into the playoffs.
It would be a brilliant achievement.
Tijjani Reijnders made a great start to life as a Manchester City player. Is he the type of midfielder that was missing from last season?
I think so. They had the injury to Rodri, and some players dropped off in terms of the levels that they’ve been reaching over the previous seasons.
They were lacking that little bit of enthusiasm, that little bit of energy, and he seems to have brought it in.
I mean, it’s alright to keep passing the ball and keeping possession, but eventually you need forward runs, and Reijnders showed on the weekend how good he is at them with the timing of his runs into the box, the speed that he sets off at is fantastic, and he took his goal really well.
He’s a player similar to Ilkay Gundogan a few years ago, a player who would arrive late into the box and get important goals, and he looks like that type of player and probably a little bit quicker than what Gundogan was.
But so far, he’s been a fantastic signing, and even in the Club World Cup, he looked like he was really sharp and really on top of his form, and he started the season great.
If he continues to play like that, he’ll be a fantastic signing for Manchester City.
Erling Haaland bagged a brace. How important is a fit and firing Haaland for City this season?
He was one of the people who suffered last season with the whole team not really being at the top of their form and not being as sharp as they wanted to be.
He started brilliantly at the weekend, he looked a real handful against the Wolves defenders, and then he took his two goals well.
His first goal was simple, but the second goal was a great finish. Erling looks hungry again. He looks like he wants to score goals, and I think the whole team seems a little hurt, almost as if they were disappointed with their performances last year and want to improve on that.
I think the fact that people have written them off and thought, well, they won’t be involved, it’s a two-horse race [between Liverpool and Arsenal] and all this sort of stuff.
They put out a marker at the weekend to show that they’re still there and they’re still capable, and I still think they are the team to beat this season.
Could you see Vincent Kompany be Pep Guardiola’s successor at Man City when his contract expires?
Yes, I could.
I mean, the way the people and fans respect them and love him at the club, he would certainly be welcomed to come in.
It does come down to a bit of experience, which Vincent is getting at Bayern Munich, and hopefully will be successful there over the next couple of years.
Then it becomes a bit of a no-brainer and is the man to replace Pep Guardiola. But like footballers, management seems to change quickly, and all of a sudden, after a couple of bad results for a manager and a couple of good results for another manager, things can change quickly.
I’m sure the club have already got in mind who they want next, and they’ll be keeping a close eye on them.
I’m sure though, once it comes around again, they’ll try and convince Pep just to stay for another contract and get him to stay because he’s been so good for the club, and he’s such an important part of the future of Man City as well.
Gianluigi Donnarumma has been linked with a move to City, but should it be Manchester United looking at the Italian with the struggles of both Andre Onana and Altay Bayindir over the past two seasons?
Manchester United would be mad not to go after Gianluigi Donnarumma.
He’s available and wants to come play in the Premier League. He wants to go to a project, so it seems to be Man United all the way.
It’s something that would really kickstart their season to try and get up to the top end of the table.
You need a good goalkeeper, you need the big, strong personality in goal, and Gianluigi Donnarumma is a great age as well at 26.
He’s got plenty of years left, and he’s come off the back of a really good season at PSG. I can’t understand how they haven’t got the deal done already.
To be honest, he’s the ideal signing for them.
Rodrygo is another name being linked with a Premier League move with both City and Arsenal in the mix. How would he fare in the league, and which club needs him more?
Rodrygo would be a good player in the Premier League.
He’s a player who, whenever I’ve watched him at Madrid, is obviously not the standout name, but he’s often the standout player.
He is someone that you can trust and rely on and he always seems to give 100%, which is important when you come to the Premier League.
Whoever gets him or whoever wants him would be doing some good business because he is a player who will score really important goals, and you think about what team really needs them, I don’t think Arsenal get enough goals from their wingers and Rodrygo would probably bring in 15 goals.
He’d be a fantastic signing for them. Any of those top sides in the Premier League would be lucky to have him because he’s a very good player.
Alexander Isak is trying to force through a move to Liverpool, how would you have reacted as a teammate to this, and do you think the move to Arne Slot’s side will happen?
It’s a strange one because the players just get on with whoever’s there, so every player wants to better themselves and wants to go to the best places.
Newcastle are criticising Isak, but yet Yoane Wissa is doing exactly the same at Brentford.
Players have to try and get the best deals for themselves if they feel they can go and play at a higher level, and they want the opportunity to, then I think it’s part of the game.
The players in the dressing room will just react, and if he’s there after the summer transfer window, then they’ll be friends with him, and if he’s not there, they’ll move on and they’ll be friends with the guy who replaces him.
Players don’t take it as much to the heart as the fans will do because they understand the game because it is part and parcel, but on the other hand, clubs could just sell you the next day, even if you don’t want to go.
The loyalty works both ways. Players come out and do it very rarely, but when they do, they’re strong and they stick to it, so all the players will realise that any of them could be in the same situation.
It’s not something to turn your back on a friend for, just because he wants to move on.
How good would Isak be at Liverpool if he joins them?
He certainly doesn’t need any time to settle in the Premier League. He can handle the Premier League, no problem.
He is a goal scorer, but also a very intelligent player who can link up and who can create opportunities for others.
Liverpool have obviously spent big with Hugo Ekitike coming in, and he started brilliantly well, and if you add Isak to add to that, I think the options that Liverpool would then have would give them a great chance to not just win the Premier League, but also the Champions League.
I think that’s what their aim is. Isak is a top, top player, so if he goes to Liverpool, you’d expect more of the same and probably even a little bit extra from him playing with the quality of players around.
Aston Villa players have reacted negatively to the sale of Jacob Ramsey, what do you make of it?
It’s disappointing, and it’s the same as what has happened to a few clubs.
Newcastle sold Elliot Anderson to Nottingham Forest, and it’s like academies are creating these really good players and then not getting the opportunities to see them fulfil their potential at their own clubs, and are being forced to sell them, so it is a disappointment.
I think Jacob Ramsay did really well for Villa, and I’d imagine he wouldn’t have been first choice for Unai Emery to sell, but the way it is with the Financial Fair Play stuff, it’s very difficult for clubs to keep all of the best young players now.
Are you concerned for Aston Villa this season?
I don’t think they’ve moved forward this year over this summer. I think they’ve at best stood still, really.
I think Marco Asensio and Marcus Rashford were a really good combination for them last year and something they could use to great effect.
I still think they need to strengthen. I think when I watched them at the weekend, they looked a little bit slower than the rest of the Premier League, and I read their distance covered wasn’t too high and was second bottom in the Premier League.
They seem to try and play a bit of a more controlled game, where their intensity in the first weekend seemed to be really high.
Aston Villa need to add to their squad; they need to add a little bit of energy and speed, probably to their squad.
I’m sure the manager will want more bodies in just to give them the better opportunity in the European competition and obviously the cups as well.
How important would it be for Marco Asensio to re-join Villa?
He was excellent when he came in, he took to the Premier League really well.
He looked like a player who could find passes on a tight pitch, and the quality he has in the ball has never been a doubt, so I think if they could get him back in, that type of creative player is something that they really need.
I think they’ve got a lot of hard-working, top-quality players, but just having that continental style creative number 10 is something that I think most teams would look for, and Villa are a team that certainly would use Asensio in the right way to get the best out of him.
He seemed to enjoy himself when he was there so hopefully he wants to come back as well, and I think he’d be a really good signing.
Where do you think Aston Villa will finish this season?
I think they’ll have a fight to try and qualify for Europe in terms of the Europa League or the Conference League.
I think the squad isn’t as strong as it has been in recent years and I think the push for the top four or five is going to be difficult for them this year because the other sides have strengthened.
The next two weeks are going to be really important for the club and will decide what their ambitions are for this season.
I know the manager will want to get back into the Champions League, but as it currently stands, I don’t know if the squad is strong enough to do that.
Sunderland made the perfect start to the season, we know the gap between the Premier League and Championship is huge, but is this the season
It’s a great start for them; it’s always very difficult for a newly promoted side.
They’ve made a lot of signings, and I think they’re trying to add a couple more now this week as well. They’re giving it a real good go financially, and they’re backing the manager.
They seem to have a good mix of experience and younger players, and based on that performance at the weekend, the team that comes up is happy to not have possession, so they understand that they need to be defensive at times, and the goals they scored were fantastic.
They’ve given themselves a really good base in terms of their signings, and obviously that first result will be a massive boost.
The same with Leeds United last night, I thought they played fantastically well.
They looked physically strong and capable, and that’s what’s important.
Out of the three teams that came up and got promoted, Sunderland and Leeds look like they’ve got squads that are physically capable of handling the Premier League, and then it just comes to the quality.
What did you make of Everton’s performance, do they need to make more signings, or could a match-fit Jack Grealish be the difference?
I certainly think Jack Grealish will make a difference to Everton.
I think he’ll be the one who can change draws into victories and things like that.
I think he can create opportunities, he can score goals, but we need to see him back to his best and being positive and creative, and then Everton will have got themselves a really good signing.
I think the manager spoke during pre-season that he didn’t think they would be ready for the start of the season, that they needed more signings, they needed more players in, and last night’s performance emphasised that they looked like they were lacking players and haven’t got a left back.
They were lacking a couple of players around the pitch, and again, they’re another team over the next two weeks who will be looking to bring bodies in.
It’s going to be really important because David Moyes, I’m sure he didn’t go there just to fight relegation again.
He wants Everton to move into this new stadium to be progressive, to be a team that can challenge at mid-table to European positions, and they do look like they need signings.
He needs to bring in some players and bring the quality up and get back to where he was with them when he was last there.
