One player who many old school Premier League fans will have fond memories of is Emmanuel Petit.
The defensive midfielder represented both Arsenal and Chelsea in England and played 140 Premier League matches, in which he scored 11 goals, racked up 23 assists and won the league in 1998.
Petit also made his name outside of England with stints at Monaco and Barcelona, as well as on the international stage with Les Bleus.
Now whilst speaking to the media, the former World Cup champion has touched on some topics regarding his former clubs and the Premier League in general.
Caicedo and Lavia should have snubbed Chelsea for Liverpool
Chelsea and Liverpool seem to have been in a transfer war over the course of the summer, with multiple players rejecting one club for the other.
This is the case for both Romeo Lavia and Moises Caicedo, as both players favoured a move to Chelsea after bids from Liverpool.
The latter of the two became the most expensive transfer in Premier League history as the blues forked out a whopping £115 million to secure his signature.
Despite both midfielders joining Chelsea, Petit believes that this was an incorrect decision and that they should have joined the reds.
He has expressed that money was the deciding factor between the two clubs with the following statements.
“The numbers are crazy in football now. Sometimes it is justified, but most of the time it's not. It's a sign of how much you want that player and how much you're willing to pay for them.
“It's just a question of time. You have to play against the clock, against the pressure of missing injured players. I wasn't shocked about the price tag, but I'm shocked that they sold so many players in the transfer market. They now have around thirty-five players, which is crazy!
“Caicedo signed for Chelsea when he was linked with Liverpool, just like Romeo Lavia. I'm not going to say anything stupid but we all know why they went to Chelsea. Sportingly, the best decision right now would be to go to Liverpool.
“If I am Caicedo or Lavia, I'm going to Liverpool instead of Chelsea because I can't see a clear plan for what is going on at Chelsea. Thirty-five players? Come on. How many players do they need? It's going to be a nightmare just like what happened last season.
“When you look at Liverpool there is one area in particular that needs to be upgraded and that is the midfield area even though they signed new players in Szoboszlai and Mac Allister. If I was Caicedo I would have signed for Liverpool because I would reunite with Mac Allister and I would play with less pressure because so many of their midfield players have left the club.
“For me the answer is very easy. If you ask somebody why Caicedo and Lavia decided to go to Chelsea, the answer is just money. Money talks for the clubs and for the players.”
This is definitely a controversial topic in football nowadays but many former players have spoken about current players' lack of desire as they choose money of legacy.
Alexander Isak is the 30-goal-a-season striker that Arsenal need
Despite having both Gabriel Jesus and Eddie Nketiah, Arsenal seem to be missing something in the striker department.
Jesus has struggled with injuries over the course of his career and Nketiah may not have the qualities to fill his void, so it may be time for Mikel Arteta to look for another number nine.
Petit suggests that Newcastle forward Alexander Isak would be a remarkable piece of business if Arsenal were to secure a deal for the Swede.
“Alexander Isak is tall, aggressive and has great technique. He wants to score every time he gets the ball but he needs to be more precise in his game. Physically and technically, he has a huge presence on the pitch. If one day someone can tell me that he plays like Thierry Henry, maybe I will believe them, but for the moment it’s really too soon to say that.
“He's a good striker and he's someone that Arsenal would be very happy to have because he brings different qualities. Jesus and Nketiah play in a similar way, they are different in terms of movement, but physically, technically and in their finishing they are not far apart.
“I was upset by Nketiah's finishing against Crystal Palace, he had two good chances, and Arsenal need to have a striker that can score 30 goals in all competitions throughout the season, it's something missing at Arsenal if they want to improve. Isak is a very good striker and finished very well in the second half of the season last year after being injured. He started well this year again. If he can avoid being injured, because it's been a problem since he arrived, we will see his real qualities.”
Isak is also only 23-years-old which means that he will be a top player for many years to come.
Chelsea should have kept Mason Mount
Mount joined Manchester United following his decision to leave Chelsea after 18 years at the club.
The midfielder has had a tough time setting into life in Manchester and Petit says that he made a mistake by leaving London, and he wishes that he had stayed.
“I was very frustrated by the fact that Mason Mount asked to leave Chelsea. We could feel his frustration for months last season. He was injured for a while and he didn't play too many games towards the end. His contract issues had been really poorly managed by the club. I think he is suffering from last season right now and the fact that he signed for Manchester United means he is under huge pressure.
“He has been struggling in midfield and Casemiro, Bruno Fernandes and Mason Mount is not working at all at the moment. Maybe it will work in the future but at the moment it's not working at all.
“I was very upset because Mount came from the Chelsea academy. With all the money that Chelsea have spent in the last eighteen months, nearly a billion pounds, they are not able to give a proper respectful contract to one of their homegrown English players in the dressing room?
“It’s ridiculous. He was also loved by the fans but you cannot give him the same money as the players you have bought for a hundred million from the outside? I can't understand this.
”I said it at the end of last season I wish Chelsea did everything they could have done to keep Mason Mount because I think the story between him and the club was not finished and he was one of the leaders in the dressing room alongside Reece James and Ben Chilwell.
“Those three should have been just like how it was fifteen years ago with Frank Lampard and John Terry, English players representing the fans and the academy. So I was very upset about that.”
Only time will tell how Mount turns out at Man United but many fans have been left dissatisfied by his performances in a red devils shirt.
Jeremy Doku is a real gem
Following some outstanding performances for Rennes in Ligue 1, Manchester City have pulled the trigger and signed Doku to replace the outgoing Riyad Mahrez.
Mahrez enjoyed an extremely successful stint at Man City as he finished it on a high note by winning the treble last season.
Now after his departure to Saudi Arabia, Pep Guardiola has chosen the Belgian winger to be the heir to Mahrez's throne.
Petit is a huge fan of the moves and he believes that it will turn out to be an amazing piece of business by Man City.
“Jeremy Doku is a very young but very talented player. He is very fast and very explosive. He plays on the right wing and he is very good with the ball at his feet. His dribbling is great and he has got very, very high qualities.
“But he needs more experience and he needs to control his game even more with his movements. He is only 21, but he has already been playing for his national team for a couple of years already, so I'm not surprised that top clubs are interested in him because it is rare to see a player with his quality.”
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