Hart on Man City's rebuild, Chelsea's opportunity and Arsenal's title defence

Former Manchester City goalkeeper Joe Hart, now a BBC Sport pundit, shared his insights on the Premier League season ahead. The biggest questions, according to Hart, are how Manchester City will fare without Pep Guardiola, whether Xabi Alonso can improve Chelsea, and how Arsenal will defend their title.

Guardiola's departure after a decade of success at City has left a significant void, with new manager Enzo Maresca inheriting a club that has already broken the transfer record for an English player to sign midfielder Elliot Anderson from Nottingham Forest for £116m. However, Maresca is expected to lose Rodri, Spain's World Cup Golden Ball winner, to Barcelona. In addition, the club is interested in signing Chelsea's Argentine midfielder Enzo Fernandez.

Hart, who won two Premier League titles with City, believes the club isn't putting excessive pressure on the upcoming season. "I think they still believe they have the team and quality to challenge," Hart said. While there will still be external pressure if City struggles, internally, the club is likely to understand the difficulties they face.

Hart also recalled his own experiences with City, noting how quickly football can show you that you're not as good as you think. He referenced the 2020-21 and 2023-24 seasons, in which City fell short of defending their titles. "Football finds a way, really quickly, of showing you that you're not," Hart said. He added that Arsenal's players are about to find out how challenging it is to stay at the top, just as Guardiola's teams did earlier in the decade.

For Chelsea, Hart believes that Xabi Alonso, despite his playing style, will have a significant role to play in the team's success. "Their ceiling is, of course, to be in amongst it," Hart said. "And they've got a really great opportunity."