Florent Malouda interview: Chelsea must go back in for Victor Osimhen

In an exclusive interview with Coin Poker, Florent Malouda gives his assesment of Chelsea’s start to the season.

The former Chelsea winger believes Maresca has Chelsea back on track and tips the West London giants to return to the Champions League this season.

Full Transcript

Question: Are you expecting a three-way title race this season? 

Florent Malouda: “I think we can talk about a three-way title race between Arsenal, Man City and Liverpool. Chelsea should be aiming for that, but for now we don’t have enough experience of being in a title race with these young players. 

I think Liverpool are capable of pushing, as are Arsenal. I think its good for the Premier League that there are going to be three teams competing for the title this season. I expect the title race to go right up until the last game this season. 

The favourites are Man City. I think they have the experience and they’re trying to make history again by winning a fifth title in a row. I hope there will be a different champion, but for now they are the favourite.”

Q: Who is the missing piece in the top four puzzle and who do you think will be fighting for that this season? 

Florent Malouda: “From what I saw at the beginning of the season, Chelsea will definitely be up there. I actually think that they could sneak into that top three and challenge the best teams in the Premier League. Chelsea need to be challenging the likes of Manchester City, Liverpool and Arsenal. 

I think Chelsea are a little bit short in terms of competing for the Premier League title. I think Chelsea’s biggest challenge for the top four will come from Aston Villa. I have my doubts about Tottenham’s ability to last the distance in terms of challenging for the last place in the Champions League.” 

Q: Who is the player in the Premier League that you’ve expected more from? 

Florent Malouda: “I was expecting more from Marcus Rashford at Manchester United. Rashford has shown glimpses of his talent – I can remember watching him playing in the Champions League and for England and he looked unplayable at times, but we haven’t seen enough of that from him at Manchester United. We know that he is capable of more and I want to see him get back to that level. 

I don’t know what is holding Rashford back. I’m not sure if there’s a mental block, but you always feel like he’s a top player who is struggling to find his top form. I don’t think his happiness has anything to do with his inconsistent form. 

I want to see Rashford find a level of consistency in an entire game and becoming a player that Manchester United can rely on.

Why hasn’t Rashford consistently performed at the level we know he’s capable of? It’s a difficult question to answer because it seems like Erik ten Hag has done everything that he possibly can to give him the environment to shine. 

I think Marcus needs to start enjoying his football. When he plays with enjoyment, his consistency will improve. He needs to enjoy the pressure that comes with being an important player for a big club like Manchester United. Managing the pressure and enjoying the game is the key to finding consistency at a high level, because you will always be challenged.”

Q: Who is going to be the breakout star this season in the mould of Cole Palmer?

Florent Malouda: “I really like the two youngsters at Manchester United Kobie Mainoo and Amad Diallo. 

From what I saw of both of those players last season, I think both players have the potential to become established stars in the Premier League this season. 

Mainoo finished the season brilliantly and put himself in the England national team. If he can continue to develop, he looks like he could become an integral part of the Manchester United midfield for years to come. 

Amad also has the potential to become a key player for Manchester United. He needs to take the chances that he’s given, and he’s looked good when he has played this season. There’s an opportunity for a young player to come into the Manchester United team and take the spot of a more established player because United are struggling at the moment. That could be the silver-lining with Manchester United’s inconsistent results this season, it could open up more opportunities for the talented youngsters the club has in the squad.” 

Q: Who would you consider as the three best wingers in the Premier League?

Florent Malouda: “If I had to pick the best three wide players in the Premier League, then I don’t have to look beyond my old club Chelsea. I’m going to put Palmer in there, even though he isn’t a winger in the traditional sense, but we’ve seen him start some games in the wide areas for Maresca and he is given the freedom to drift around the pitch. He’s one of the best players in the Premier League. 

It’s only early days, but I’ve been really impressed by what Jadon Sancho has done so far. We saw what he can do with Dortmund, and I think we’ve all been waiting for him to demonstrate his ability in the Premier League. He’s starting to show that ability and I think he’s a player that can be decisive for Chelsea this season. He’s creating goals and the next thing for him will be to add goals to his game, but I think he has all the ingredients to become a world-class player. He was brilliant in the Champions League for Dortmund last season. 

I also want to include Pedro Neto. I really like what he did playing for Wolves, and I think he can be a big player for Chelsea. He’s another winger that scores and creates goals. He’s a very modern winger and I think he will be an excellent signing for Chelsea this season.”

Q: It’s the race that no one wants to win. Who do you think will win the sack race this season?

Florent Malouda: “From what I’ve seen since the beginning of the season, I have to look at Manchester United’s coach, Erik ten Hag when discussing the manager who is going to win the sack race this season. 

He’s under pressure because of recent results. I don’t know how patient the directors and owners will be with him, but it seems nobody is really happy with the results at Manchester United at the moment.” 

Q: Malouda impressed by Slot’s start at Liverpool

Florent Malouda: “I was expecting Arne Slot to have a tough time, because taking over from Jurgen Klopp at a top club like Liverpool is not easy. 

I’m impressed by what he’s doing, the way he adapted to the Premier League and the way he’s performing. He just arrived in a new league, with a new club, and he’s not asking for time. 

Most of the time, managers ask for time. Chelsea have had this issue with some of their recent managers, but Slot has just come in and got on with things. He’s came in and kept Liverpool competitive without making too many changes – I think he deserves a lot of credit for that because he’s filling absolutely massive shoes at Liverpool. 

I’ve been impressed by everything about him. To have got off to the start that he has done, at a top club like Liverpool, doing things his way, it’s been a perfect start for him.” 

International football

Q: Do you think there is a danger that Deschamps, despite winning so many trophies, is going to outstay his welcome? 

Florent Malouda: “The French national team is a hot seat. Deschamps has been there for a while now, and at the Euros in the summer, France’s performances were a disappointment. A lot of people have started to suddenly ask questions about Deschamps’ tactics and approach and his management of key players. 

Some people have said that he’s trying to keep his stars happy and questioned who was really running the dressing room. I think it’s been a difficult period for him. There are a lot of young players in the France squad, but most of them are very experienced. The people of France have high expectations because they know how talented this group of players is. 

People want to see more attacking football because of the talent we have. Didier has always had the same approach, and when you’re successful, nobody cares, but when you’re not winning tournaments, people start asking questions about the tactics and approach. We can’t win every competition, but if we’re not going to, then I think people want to see France making the most of the attacking talent it has.
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Didier’s conservative approach won France the World Cup as well. It took us to the final of the last World Cup, so nobody can be surprised by the style, but I think people want to see him do something a bit different in terms of his style and also the players he picks. 

The bottom line is that France appointed Didier to win, and he did that.” 

Chelsea

Q: From what you’ve seen so far this season, what do you think will be Chelsea’s minimum objective? 

Florent Malouda: “For me, the minimum objective for Chelsea this season has to be to get the club back in the Champions League. Being in the Champions League will help the club attract world-class players. 

Chelsea also needs to remain competitive in the Premier League. I don’t expect us to win the title this season, I don’t think this team is ready to challenge for that yet, but we need to stay within touching distance with the top three for as long as possible. 

Long term, Chelsea needs to get back to a place where it is challenging for the Premier League title. We must show the other teams in the Premier League that we’re good enough to compete over 38 games.” 

Q: What has impressed you about Enzo Maresca so far? 

Florent Malouda: “Enzo Maresca has come in and done a brilliant job. A lot of people expected him to find things quite difficult, stepping up from managing in The Championship, and with all the things that are happening behind-the-scenes at Chelsea. 

For a young, relatively inexperienced manager, to wrap your arms around a big club like Chelsea is really difficult. 

He’s come in, seven games unbeaten, he’s just got Manager of the Month, everything seems really calm at Chelsea. I think that’s a credit to him. 

My first impression was that he prepared himself really well for the job. He’s took time to analyse previous seasons, what had been done right, what had gone wrong. Then he prepared his own, ambitious strategy. 

He assessed the squad and made some big decisions. There were too many players at the club, and he was able to manage this. That showed you that this was a manager that knew exactly what he wanted and that he wasn’t afraid to make difficult choices. 

He’s got a clear approach. He asked for specific players to fit into that approach, and he got them. 

Everything feels calm at Chelsea. He’s got his own style; he’s brought great leadership qualities, and you can see that the Chelsea players are buying into his philosophy and approach. 

He’s ambitious. He’s competitive. He is transmitting that energy across the club. 

He’s young, but he wants to win, and he’s preparing himself to win. That’s the message he’s sending. I was recently at the Bridge and that’s the feeling I have, and the fans feel it too. Chelsea has a leader on the bench and he knows how to push the team to get the best out of them.”

Q: A lot of people blasted the approach by Chelsea’s owners in terms of player recruitment. Long-term, do you think it is a strategy that will start paying dividends? 

Florent Malouda: “I think the critics were right to blast Chelsea’s approach in the transfer market because when you look at the money that has been spent on players and the results, the results have not been anywhere near good enough. 

It doesn’t matter if the recruitment strategy is going to work in the future, because Chelsea is a club that should always be competing for trophies. So far, we haven’t experienced any success after spending significant amounts of money. 

It’s too early to say if this approach to recruitment will start paying dividends in the future – Chelsea needs success right now. 

The new owners brought a club with lots of good players already there. It’s not like they had to build a squad from nothing, there was already plenty of quality at Chelsea. 

When the new owners came into the club, they spent a lot of money, and all of the Chelsea fans were hopeful that the success that they were used to would continue. That hasn’t been the case so far, but the DNA of a club like Chelsea is all about winning. 

Are we closer to winning trophies? I think everything feels positive at the moment, but we need to show more, and we need to become more consistent.” 

Q: Who is the one Chelsea player that you’re most excited by? 

Florent Malouda: “I really like Levi Colwll. He’s a player that I think has the potential to become a world-class defender. 

I like what he brings to the team. He’s brought serenity to the Chelsea defence. I won’t say he’s the cornerstone, but I think he’s the player you can build the team around, because he has the personality and the quality to form a key part of the spine of Chelsea’s team.” 

Q: Apparently, Victor Osimhen is available in January if a club pays £68m. He was heavily linked to Chelsea all summer – would you like to see your club move for him in the New Year? 

Florent Malouda: “We almost signed Victor Osimhen in the summer, and he is the type of player that would add extra quality to this Chelsea team. 

If there is an opportunity to bring him in in January, then I think the club has to look at it. From what I’ve read, he will cost less than the numbers that were quoted in the summer – the fee is reportedly in the region of £70m. 

Galatasaray would hate to lose him, but he’s a Napoli player and the noises coming out of Naples recently indicate that her will be available in January. 

Chelsea should be competing for the world’s best players. Osimhen is in that category. You want to see the club add more quality to its team because that is what every ambitious club does, and his addition would bring Chelsea a step closer to the likes of Manchester City and Arsenal. 

It seems like the player wants to come to Chelsea. We’ll see if we can get him, but I would love the club to move for him because a lot of things can happen between now and January. There could be competition to bring him in – I would love to see the club working on a deal for him. Osimhen would be a great addition to the squad.”

Q: African players have a special connection to Chelsea. What words would you use to convince Victor Osimhen to join the club?

Florent Malouda: “Osimhen would be welcome. I think Didier Drogba had a lot of nice things to say about him. He would have to write his own history, but of course there would be a lot of expectation and excitement (if he joined Chelsea). 

I think the addition of Osimhen would send out a big message to the other top teams in the Premier League. If Chelsea signed him, then I think we could say for certain that his quality would put Chelsea right into the title race. If Chelsea can stay within touching distance of the top of the table, then adding Osimhen to the squad in January would give the fans and the club a really exciting second half to the season.” 

Q: Of course, you had a special friendship with Didier Drogba throughout your playing career, in France and at Chelsea. It was a beautiful connection – can you see a connection or an on the field relationship blossoming at Chelsea this season? 

Florent Malouda: “I don’t think that there is a special connection between two players in the Chelsea team that reminds me of the connection that I had with Didier Drogba. 

Cole Palmer has the ability to connect with every offensive player. He’s the one who can spot and execute an eye of the needle pass. 

I’m looking forward to seeing the relationship and connection develop between Joao Felix and Cole Palmer. I think that could be a really special relationship because both players are technically superb. 

Palmer is also building his relationship with Nicolas Jackson and Christopher Nkunku. It’s really important for your creative players to feed the strikers – that’s what I did with Didier – but it takes time for those on-field relationships to blossom. 

I think we’re starting to see promising signs. We’re playing with a structure and a clear identity – these relationships are only going to get better.” 

Q: All the talk has been about Cole Palmer but Nicholas Jackson and Madueke have also contributed. Only City have scored more. How lethal can those three be and how important is it that the goals are being shares around?

Florent Malouda: “I’m really pleased that Chelsea’s attacking players are sharing the goal-scoring and creative burden. It’s better for a team to have a collective threat instead of relying on one player and it means that goals can come from everywhere. 

You want your offensive players to score as many goals as possible. Seeing those young players gaining confidence, getting more efficient, it’s only a good thing. All the signs look promising and that’s why we’re now in this position so early in the season.

I want to see Chelsea’s offensive players demonstrate a level of consistency throughout the season. Cole Palmer, Nicholas Jackson and Noni Madueke definitely have the potential (to do that).

They are young players, and they will need support. They have the support of the club’s legends, and now it’s time for these young players to write their own history. I like what I’ve seen from them so far. I like the hunger. I also like the fact that there is a lot of competition at Chelsea and that seems to be bringing out the best in these players, which wasn’t always the case last season.” 

Q: Talk to me about Nicolas Jackson. Is he a player that doesn’t get the respect he deserves? 

Florent Malouda: “Nicolas Jackson is a player that is often criticised, and I don’t think that’s fair. If you compare his numbers from his first season to Didier Drogba, they’re incredibly similar. The difference was that Chelsea won the title in Didier’s first season, whereas we didn’t win anything last season. 

If Chelsea were winning trophies, then I think the noise around Jackson doesn’t even register. The fact is that it was a poor season by Chelsea’s standards, which are to win and be competitive in every competition.

I don’t think you can question the quality of the player, but I do think former players like me can question whether or not Chelsea are doing enough to win trophies. John Obi Mikel criticised him, and then Jackson responded on the pitch, which is good. He showed his character and responded in the right way. 

Former players like me, and Obi Mikel want Chelsea to be successful. Does Nicolas Jackson think he’s being disrespected by former players? I don’t know, but in my opinion, a player gets his respect at the end of the season when he lifts a trophy. 

If Nicolas Jackson keeps on doing what he’s doing on the pitch and Chelsea win a trophy, then that is the most important thing. I think he has the right attitude and determination to be a success at Chelsea. You can’t compare him to previous legends of the club until he wins titles, but I like the way that he has responded to his critics on the pitch.”

Q: What does Nicolas Jackson need to do to reach the heights of Drogba in a blue shirt and do you think he can get there? 

Florent Malouda: “The difference is the trophies. If Jackson can win some major trophies with the club, then we can start talking about Jackson and Drogba in the same sentence.  

Everything is possible for Nicolas. Remember, when Didier joined Chelsea, everyone was questioning him, that was the story of his career.

Jackson needs to develop his game to a level where he is consistently making the difference. He needs to become a consistent goal scorer for the club. 

I would love Nicolas Jackson to play an integral role in a Chelsea team that wins a trophy. The challenge is for him to write his own history. He needs to be himself, we shouldn’t compare him to Didier Drogba or anyone else.” 

Q: I think it would be fair to say that we haven’t seen the best of Enzo Fernandez in a Chelsea shirt. Do you expect him to come good this season? 

Florent Malouda: “I think there were reasons why Enzo Fernandez hasn’t shown his true potential at Chelsea. Before he joined, he had the World Cup where he played a big role in a team that became the world champions. It was a really long season for him, and he also had an injury to contend with (towards the end of the season). I think it would be difficult for any player to show their consistency in those circumstances.  

I’m expecting more from him this season. Even though he is a young player, he is a World Cup winner, and I expect him to be the leader of Chelsea’s midfield. 

He’s had a good start to the season. He looks focussed. He’s a player with serious pedigree – I’m expecting him to come good and I think he will.” 

Q: Mikhailo Mudryk hasn’t been at the races since he joined the club. You played in his position – what advice would you give to Mudryk to start fulfilling the obvious potential that he has. 

Florent Malouda: “There’s no doubt that Mykhailo Mudryk has the potential to be a top, top player. I think everyone agrees with that and agrees that he has the quality to become a big star in the Premier League. For me, I think for him to start realising that potential, he needs to control his emotions. If he can do that, then he will improve his composure, and he can be decisive in the right areas of the pitch. 

He needs to improve his decision-making in the final third. I’d like to see him having a bit more confidence in himself and I would also like to see him being a bit more aggressive in terms of his personality and having that faith in his ability to beat a player. 

I hope he can make those improvements because he has the potential.” 

Q: Are you concerned that if Mudryk doesn’t improve then this could be his last season with the club? 

Florent Malouda: “There is a lot of competition at Chelsea, especially in the wide areas. The club has built a squad where there is competition in every single department. I don’t think it’s right or fair to suggest that this could be his last season if he doesn’t improve, but he will know that if he doesn’t put in good performances when he’s given a chance that there will be another very good player waiting to take his place. 

There’s no excuses for him now. He’s been at the club for long enough and everyone wants to see the best version of him this season. 

Chelsea are going to be competitive in four competitions this season, so there will be plenty of opportunities for him to shine.” 

Q; How would you assess Jadon Sancho’s start to his Chelsea career, and do you think that Manchester United will regret selling him to Chelsea? 

Florent Malouda: “I don’t really care if Manchester United will regret selling Jadon Sancho to Chelsea. That chapter of his career has closed and now he’s a Chelsea player. It’s not about what Manchester United feel, it’s about what he can do for a big club like Chelsea. 

If you look at the start he’s made since joining the club, then you have to be impressed with him. I like the way that he has come into the team and made an impact and an impression immediately. 

I’ve noticed that he’s connecting well with the Chelsea’s other attacking players and that only bodes well for the future. If you can see the connections and the patterns emerging after a handful of games, then you can’t help being excited for what the future could bring. His early Chelsea performances have shown me that he is an intelligent footballer. He looks like he has the personality to match his talent, and I hope he can have a great career at Chelsea. 

Wide players like Sancho are judged on assists and goals. I think he has the ability to create and score a lot in this Chelsea team. If he can do that consistently, then he has the potential to fulfil his potential and develop into a world-class player at Chelsea.” 

Q: Talk to me about Cole Palmer. Have you ever seen a player have the kind of impact that he’s had in 12 months at a football club before? 

Florent Malouda: “I think there were a couple of players who have exploded onto the English football scene in a similar way to Cole Palmer before, but we haven’t seen an English player do it so spectacularly in a long, long time. 

He deserves his nickname Cold because of the way he handles the pressure; the big moments, it’s really impressive. He arrived at Chelsea as a young man with a big reputation and a big price tag – in twelve months he became a leader because of what he can do on the pitch. 

If I think about other players that had the same impact in English football in their first full seasons, then I think you can say Michael Owen at Liverpool and Wayne Rooney at Everton. Both of those players got into their first teams as teenagers and never left them.” 

Q: Chelsea’s squad is really, really young. You played in a vastly experienced team with real leaders in it – are you worried about Chelsea’s leadership, or do you think that these young players can flourish without some experienced heads around? 

Florent Malouda: “I’m not worried about leadership at Chelsea. It’s true that there aren’t as many experienced players in the squad, and there certainly aren’t as many experienced players in this team as the Chelsea team that I played in. 

A young player can be a leader, you don’t have to be older to be a leader. Enzo Fernandez is a leader because of what he’s achieved in the game at a young age. Cole Palmer is a leader because of how consistent his performances are. Levi Colwill can develop into a big leader because he’s got the talent to become a mainstay of this Chelsea team for the next decade and is an academy graduate. 

They are all young players, but they all have the right characteristics to lead. Would I like to see more players with great leadership qualities join the club? Of course, but I don’t think that we’re missing anything at the moment. We can find the leaders within the squad, and we can add to that with some experienced players, but I’m not losing any sleep over the age or the characters in the Chelsea dressing room.”

Florent at Chelsea

Q: Which Chelsea manager was your favourite and what were the differences between Jose Mourinho, Luiz Felipe Scolari (Guus Hiddink replaced him I think) then there was Carlo Ancelotti…

Florent Malouda: “All of the Chelsea managers that I played under had different styles of management. Sometimes it was a bit of a rollercoaster because some managers weren’t given lots of time to be successful and implement their ideas. 

If I had to pick the managers that I enjoyed playing under at Chelsea, then I would have to pick Carlo Ancelotti and Guus Hiddink. They had a similar approach to management. Our time with Guus was short, but we won a trophy together with the FA Cup. It was only half a season, but I loved it. 

My one regret is that I didn’t have that much time working with Jose. I would have loved to have worked with him for longer than I did, and I’m hopeful that one day we can work together again in the future. I would love to be part of his coaching staff in the future. 

Of course, I learned something about myself and my game from every single one of the managers that I played under at Chelsea.” 

Q: Before you joined Chelsea, you were on your way to Liverpool. What happened and why did you decide to join the Blues instead? 

Florent Malouda: “It’s true. Liverpool were really interested in signing me and I almost joined them. At the time, Rafa Benitez was the manager, and my manager at Lyon was Gerard Houllier. There were talks between the two clubs and Gerard really wanted me to join Liverpool because of his experience managing the club. 

I didn’t ever agree a contract with Liverpool. Lyon and Liverpool agreed a transfer fee, but I didn’t ever agree contract terms and, I felt that there were too many people trying to get involved in the deal and push me towards Liverpool, which I really didn’t like. 

Chelsea came in for me and it was clear from day one that Mourinho really wanted to sign me. It was an exciting offer to have because I knew so much about the club because of Didier and there were also a lot of players in the squad that I knew. As soon as they came in for me, I knew that they were the club that I wanted to join. I spoke with Lyon and informed them of my decision, explaining why I would prefer to join Chelsea. 

It was really, really close. Obviously, it was flattering to have two giants like Liverpool and Chelsea interested in you. Real Madrid also made me an offer that summer as well, but Gerard Houllier kept telling me that I needed to experience playing in the Premier League. 

Liverpool were really competitive at the time. They had just lost in the Champions League final. It was a good option, but Chelsea were always my preference. It was easy for me to adapt there because I knew so many of the players at the club and had a lot of friends there.” 

Liverpool vs Chelsea

Q: What sort of test will this game be for Chelsea? 

Florent Malouda: “Liverpool against Chelsea is going to be a massive test for the club in terms of where we are at the moment and what we can do this season. We’re travelling to Anfield against the league leaders in a game with a lot of pressure on it. 

It’s an opportunity for Chelsea to send a message to the rest of the teams in the Premier League that says we’re back.

It’s a big test and a big opportunity for our young players to show that they are ready to compete with the best in the Premier League. 

Liverpool will want to win. They won’t take Chelsea lightly and I’m expecting both teams to really go for it. Chelsea have looked deadly on the road this season. 

I think it’s a hard game to call. The winner will be the team that handles the occasion and the pressure.”  

Q: Florent’s prediction

Florent Malouda: “When you play against Liverpool, they put a lot of pressure on you from the first minute. I expect Liverpool will try to kill the game as soon as possible, especially against a young Chelsea team.

After the international break, you don’t know how fresh the players are going to be, but both squads are huge. 

Liverpool used to be a counter-attacking team, now they play a more patient style.  It’s at Anfield and it’s a match they will be looking to win. 

I’m not sure if this will be a tactical game of chess or a war. If it’s the latter, then I’m expecting a lot of goals because both teams will be taking risks and will leave space for each other to exploit. 

It’s too close to call. Both teams have got brilliant firepower. Perhaps this is a game where the team with the most consistent defensive performance will win.” 

Liverpool

Q: Of course, there is a cloud over the futures of Trent Alexander-Arnold, Mo Salah and Virgil van Dijk. Are you surprised that Liverpool have allowed three players to run their contracts down in the same season? 

Florent Malouda: “I don’t think it’s fair to be critical of Liverpool for the contract situations of Trent Alexander-Arnold, Mo Salah and Virgil van Dijk. Sometimes it happens, and we don’t know what conversations are going on behind-the-scenes at the club. 

If you think about Mo Salah, last season he had a massive offer from Saudi Arabia. Liverpool wanted to keep him. He’s started the season brilliantly, and if this was to be his last at the club, and I think it will be, then you can’t say that he hasn’t been a fantastic servant to the club and given them impeccable service. 

If I had to prioritise one player signing a deal, then I would have to pick Virgil van Dijk, simply because I don’t think Liverpool have a player in the squad that is capable of stepping up to his level yet. 

All of the best teams are built from the back. There isn’t a player that can fulfil Virgil’s role at Liverpool at the moment and, judging by his performances, he still has so much to offer. 

Trent Alexander-Arnold is a plyer that would have a lot of different options if he decided to move on. There are a lot of rumours about Real Madrid, and that is a great option for any player. I don’t know what Alexander-Arnold is thinking about his future, but if he can play as well as we know he can and show his consistency, then I’m sure he’ll have even more opportunities at the end of the season.” 

Manchester United

Q: Given what went on in the summer, are you surprised that Manchester United stuck with Erik ten Hag going into the new season?

Florent Malouda: “No, I’m not surprised that Manchester United decided to stick with Erik ten Hag. I think it’s normal for a club like Man Utd to assess their options and to have different possibilities – that is how you expect big clubs to plan. 

I don’t think the Manchester United decision-makers think that Erik ten Hag is the main problem at the club. It’s almost the same situation as when the club decided to sack Ole Gunnar Solskjaer. At one point, everyone was laying the blame at his door, but everyone realised that the problems at Manchester United run a lot deeper than the manager. 

I like what Manchester United did in the summer by bringing in Ruud van Nistelrooy. I think it was a clever move to freshen up Erik ten Hag’s technical staff with an individual that has his history at the club. People like Ruud van Nistelrooy understand the DNA and identity of the club. 

At the end of the day, Erik ten Hag needs to start winning football matches. He needs positive results. At a club like Manchester United, you can’t wait. I think the fact that I didn’t even put them in my top four prediction highlights the problems at the club and also the challenges that Erik ten Hag is facing.”

Arsenal

Q: Arsenal have been there and thereabouts over the last couple of seasons. They’re building something, but after the support that Mikel Arteta has been given and the money that’s been spent at the football club, do they need to win a trophy this season to put to bed any doubts about them as an elite team? 

Florent Malouda: “Mikel Arteta has transformed Arsenal. It’s taken him a while, but he has improved the club in every season he’s been in charge. 

It took a long time for Arsenal to rebuild after Arsene Wenger left. They appointed Unai Emery and that didn’t work, but the club supported Arteta in some really difficult moments in the early part of his spell at the club. 

Arteta understand the club and its DNA. I think it’s great to see someone who knows the club so well leading it into a bright future. 

Arsenal are competing with Manchester City, which is really, really difficult. If it wasn’t for City, I think they would have trophies already. I think Arsenal will challenge for the title again this season and I expect them to push City all the way to the end. 

There are still question marks about them in the Champions League. I don’t think they’re ready to win the Champions League yet, it takes time to get to grips with that competition. 

I think Arteta is the right man to bring success to Arsenal. When you look at the DNA of the club, the influence of Wenger, I think Arsenal would love Mikel Arteta to follow in Arsene’s footsteps and build a dynasty at the club.” 

Q: Did you think Kai Havert would rediscover his form at Arsenal?

Florent Malouda: “When Kai Havertz moved to Arsenal, it was a positive move for him. Mikel Arteta really wanted to bring him into the club and had a clear plan for him to rediscover his best form. 

We’re starting to see a player rediscover his confidence again. He’s still quite a young player, but he’s had some really important moments in his career and obviously scored the goal that won Chelsea the Champions League for the second time. 

For ages people have spoken about his best position. He was playing in a number of different roles for Chelsea, but I think at Arsenal, they’ve given him the confidence and they’ve given him the opportunity to play as a striker.

Players need to have consistency. The first step to Havertz rediscovering his form has been that regularity of his playing position. 

If Arsenal are going to win the title this season, then Havertz will be crucial. They will need Havertz to find his top form. The only thing that is missing for Havertz at Arsenal is a trophy because he’s been doing well since he joined them. His form since January has been excellent.”