In an exclusive interview with Greatoffshoresportsbooks.com, Premier League icon Bacary Sagna has been discussing the fortunes of former clubs Arsenal and Manchester City after the Gunners demolished Pep Guardiola’s champions on Sunday night.

Sagna believes that Mikel Arteta’s team have got the firepower to fight for the Premier League and Champions League this season despite not signing a striker. He also discussed Man City’s slump this season, believing it to be a blip and nothing more.

Bacary also discusses the trials and tribulations at Manchester United under Ruben Amorim and Marcus Rashford’s sad exit to Aston Villa.

Arsenal

Q: Did Arsenal send a message to Liverpool that the title race isn’t over after they dismantled Manchester City? Did they show balls? 

Bacary Sagna: Arsenal responded really well to the pressure, make no mistake, the pressure was on them, not on City, because of their position in the league.

The performance showed everyone they are not giving up on the title race. I was convinced they would never give up because they have quality, and being six points off Liverpool, even though they have a game in hand, its nothing.

Arsenal have four big months ahead of them. Liverpool have a lot of difficult games, and they have to play each other as well before the end of the season.

Liverpool have a game in hand, but this result and performance is great for Arsenal’s title ambitions and confidence. They scored five goals with five different players.

City fell apart after the second and third goals, but before that, it was competitive.

Everyone was questioning Arsenal about not bringing in a 9, but I think that performance eased some of those concerns. Arsenal have got enough firepower in the squad; they just need to unlock it. They deserve a lot of credit for a big performance.

Q: Thoughts on rubbing Haaland’s nose in it? 

Bacary Sagna: Rubbing Haaland’s nose in it is part of the game. Players love that stuff – you have to think about the pressure of these games, it’s a human reaction to want to hurt your rival especially after what happened earlier in the season.

Back in the day it was Patrick Vieira, Paul Scholes, Roy Keane, Steven Gerrard. Battles and wars on the pitch. It was happening every weekend. It’s part of the game, it’s good for the league. It brings more excitement to the game. It’s funny to watch and I enjoy watching it.

The players have a lot of mutual respect for each other, but during the game that respect goes out of the window because of the pressure and because of your desire to win.

Arsenal won this time, and they can celebrate however they want. There’s wasn’t anything disrespectful in how they celebrated, for me it was just banter.

The players know how difficult it is to at the top of the game, so they enjoy the victories.

I’m sure next time, Erling Haaland, if he’s up against Arsenal and he manages to score a few goals, he will give it back to them just as hard.

Q: What are your thoughts on Myles Lewis-Skelly and his potential? Gary Neville has compared him to Ashley Cole after his performance against City.

Bacary Sagna: No, I think it’s too early to compare Myles Lewis-Skelly to any player, including Ashley Cole.

Myles has a lot of talent; I think he has a lot of confidence. Doing what he’s doing at 18 is beyond amazing, but I think we need to let him grow and keep playing, keep improving, because he has only been playing first team football for a few months.

Of course, you can have similarities with other players, but he has his own personality, a big personality and I’m pleased with him, because he’s an academy product from Arsenal and it looks like he is a really bright prospect to have come out of the academy – he’s on the same path as Ashley Cole in that sense.

I get a lot of excitement watching him play, especially as I don’t know him really well.

When someone plays for the first time you wonder if he will play in a way that suits the team, but he’s proven that he does suit this Arsenal team. I think he’s going to be part of Thomas Tuchel’s national team when he picks his first squad. I think he is going to have a really long and successful career.

Let’s give him the time to develop into his own player. Let’s let him find his own path and be the player he wants to be rather than comparing him to players from the past.

Q: Should Myles Lewis-Skelly be in Thomas Tuchel’s first England squad? 

Bacary Sagna: I think from what he’s shown since getting into the Arsenal first team, then Myles deserves to be called into the England team. At the highest level, he’s proven he can handle those demands. He’s played in big games. He’s shown he’s more than capable.

There’s not much difference in playing top level international football and the level he has played at for Arsenal, so he’s definitely ready for it, and I also think that he could provide an interesting solution to what has been a problem position for England over the last year.

When you were the shirt of your country, it is a different environment and that brings different challenges and pressure. I’ve seen enough from what he has shown this season to feel confident he would be ready to make that next step and play for England.

Age is never a barrier in football. If you’re good enough, you’re old enough to play.

Q: Last season, Arsenal won 16/18 games in the run-in but it wasn’t enough to win the title. Do they need to go on a similar run this time around? 

Bacary Sagna: As long as Arsenal keep in touch with Liverpool, then they have a great chance of winning the Premier League title this season. We know that they have to play each other before the season is over.

Liverpool will drop points. They have difficult games left to play, and I don’t think they will win them all.

The most important thing for Arsenal it not to lose touch with Liverpool now. Liverpool have a game in hand, they could be nine points in front of Arsenal by next Thursday, but that doesn’t matter and shouldn’t matter to the Arsenal players and Mikel Arteta.

If Liverpool lose one game and Arsenal stay behind them, then all of a sudden, the pressure really starts to ramp up on them, which hasn’t happened at all yet this season – we haven’t really seen them under that much pressure, and that is a credit to them.

Arsenal have to focus on themselves, focus on winning games, focus on being able to stay solid defensively. Arsenal were praised for scoring five goals against City, but we should also praise the job they did defensively.

A lot of Arsenal fans are frustrated that they aren’t top of the league, especially with City dropping this season, but look at the bigger picture. Arsenal have been the second-best team in the Premier League behind Liverpool, but they may yet finish on top. Liverpool are top at the moment and they deserve to be there, but there’s a long way to go.

Q: After such a convincing victory, can Arsenal follow that up with a win at St. James Park to put themselves into the Carabao Cup final? 

Bacary Sagna: As long as the players believe they can go to St. James Park and win, then they can achieve anything.

No one expected Arsenal to win 5-1 on the weekend. They showed they are ready to fight for the title and fight in every match – that was a performance that would have worried Newcastle. Arsenal can beat any team at any ground when they’re focussed. Arsenal have the players to outplay Newcastle.

Newcastle is a good team, they’re playing at home, and there’s always a big atmosphere at St. James Park. As long as Arsenal can control their emotions and not concede, they will have a chance because they will create so many chances with the confidence that they are playing at the moment.

I think Newcastle will change the way they play because they will be a bit scared to concede the second goal. Arsenal need to take advantage of any nervousness.

Arsenal need to go there, remain solid and manage to score the first goal and the rest will follow.

Arsenal’s transfer window

Q: It was a disappointing window for Arsenal that now places a lot of pressure on Kai Havertz. The team were crying out for some reinforcements and didn’t get any – how do you think Mikel Arteta and the players, who also called for reinforcements, will feel? 

Bacary Sagna: It’s not that easy to find a top, top striker in January. We know the club was looking to bring one striker in, but in the end, they weren’t able to do it. Signing a world-class player, particularly a striker, in January is practically impossible. Not many player move in the middle of the season, especially the best ones.

The circumstances to sign a player in January are difficult. Top players don’t to move, clubs always ask for a lot more money for a player than they would in the summer, and because everyone knew Arsenal were looking, clubs hike up the price.

It’s better to keep your powder dry, trust your squad, rather than overspend or bring in the wrong player or personality. I’m sure Arsenal will be focussing on acquiring that striker in the summer.

Now, Arsenal must deal with the squad that they have. They have good players, they can score goals, they can give anyone problems. We know Arsenal can be clinical – we saw that against City – that is the level that they need to remain at for the rest of the season.

They just need to be clinical in every game and take their chances. This squad has got enough goals in it (to challenge for the Premier League and the Champions League), they just need to take their chances.

Q: Is there pressure on Havertz now?

Bacary Sagna: I don’t think there’s more pressure on Havertz, that’s the reality of the situation that Arsenal are in. There’s no other way around it. From now until the end of the season, Kai is going to be the main man.

He’s used to getting stick and used to criticism. But the effect he is having speaks for itself. When you look at the numbers, he’s responding well to the critics. He’s having a great season – he’s got nine goals in 21 Premier League games and three assists – he’s Arsenal’s most dangerous player at the moment.

Of course, he could do better, and you can always do better and be more clinical, but if you look at his overall numbers, he’s in the top 10 players in Europe this season.

People want him to score every chance, but football isn’t that simple. He’s competing against top player every single week. Most teams are compact against Arsenal and defend in numbers, so it’s not easy for him.

People will praise other attackers, but teams in the Premier League defend differently when they play smaller clubs  compared to a big prestige club like Arsenal. Teams are more open, so you have naturally more space.

Space is always at a premium if you’re an attacking player for City, Arsenal or Liverpool, that’s something that his critics need to understand. I would urge anyone that is critical of Kai Havertz to look at his numbers. He’s been brilliant for Arsenal this season.

Q: Do you feel it’s the right decision to keep Tierney until end of the season at Arsenal? 

Bacary Sagna: He’s a good player. He was playing for Celtic from a young age. He’s an experienced player, and of course you want to be able to have a competitive team, so keeping him in the squad makes sense.

The fact that Arsenal didn’t let him go means they believe in him. Arsenal have players performing well at the minute in Tierney’s position, so it’s hard to take them out. Timber is one of them, Calafiori is one of them. They’re performing well, so the competition is there and it’s difficult for him to get some game time, but you never know, he could be relied upon at a crucial moment in the season. Anything can happen.

I hope Arsenal are going to have no injuries, but given the amount they have suffered this season, it makes sense to keep a player like Tierney in the squad. They need to anticipate a scenario where he may be required to play for one game or two games.

Personally, I like the player, I like his ability to defend, I like the way he attacks. He’s a good player and I think Mikel is trying to keep a group of players that are able to compete until the end of the season.

Manchester City

Q: Was that 5-1 thrashing at the hands of Arsenal the lowest point of City’s season so far? 

Bacary Sagna: It was sad for me to watch that performance from Manchester City against Arsenal. I had a strange feeling that they were going to be on the wrong side of a beating, because they looked nervous, and they keep making so many mistakes.

We’re not used to seeing City play like this. I know it’s been a bad season for them, but it’s still hard to watch and understand how a team that was dominant can all of a sudden lose their confidence. Everything unravels so quickly for them.

It’s hard to explain what’s happening. The confidence of the players is down, and it looks like they don’t know how to stop the slide into defeat – heads go down very quickly.

It was one of those games where anything can happen, and if City doesn’t make the mistake on the second goal, it’s a different result. They conceded as soon as they managed to get back level, and they started making even more mistakes, being open at the back.

Arsenal were clinical. They punished all of City’s mistakes. I want to praise the way Arsenal played. City won’t be happy about conceding five goals, but I want to remain positive.

They need to lift their heads up. They need to start believing in themselves. But it’s strange. It’s very strange to see them struggling like they did against Arsenal and have done this season.

Q: Are you worried about City’s ability to finish in the top four/five this season? 

Bacary Sagna: No. City can finish in the top four, no problem. They need to lift their heads up, win one game, and build confidence again.

Everyone knows how City plays; teams are ready to make their life very difficult. They are in a tricky period, but they will come out the other side of it.

It’s difficult for the players, for Pep, for the club, because the club is not used to struggling. They need to find the solution, and I’m sure they will find the solution with a bit more time. It’s never going to be easy to turn things around because the vibe and the mood must be a difficult environment for everyone at the club right now.

Q: Kyle Walker recently left the club to join AC Milan. Will Walker be considered the best RB to have played in the Premier League? 

Bacary Sagna: Kyle Walker, he’s on the top. Honestly, he’s been the best right back that the Premier League has ever seen. Not only playing well for City but previously Tottenham.

I think he deserves great credit. Walker has great ability, he had some problems at the beginning with his positioning, but he readjusted, and he played a key role in City’s success and dominance.

Whenever he had to deal with big players, I’m talking about the best attackers in the world, he normally always came out on top.

I would put Walker at number one, then I would put myself in there and in third it would be Branislav Ivanovic.

Q: What is your verdict on City’s January arrivals? Nico Gonzalez, Omar Marmoush, Abdukodir Khusanov and Vitor Reis are not exactly household names. Can they become title contenders again in the short term or is this the start of a long rebuild?

Bacary Sagna: I believe that these are signings for the future. City have to prepare for the future, because, whether you like it or not, they have several players that are aging.

City have injected some fresh blood into the squad, and it will also take time for them to adapt. I think it makes sense bringing these players in now so they can it the ground running, particularly the younger players. Marmoush and Gonzalez will be expected to play more of an immediate role.

They’ve joined the club at an interesting time. The challenge will be for these players to get City back on top again.

I rate them all highly, they’re good players that will learn a lot with Pep.

They’ve joined a sick team. The team is in trouble at the moment, we all know it, but I’m not worried about the future for City. These players will have an impact because they were all top players for their previous clubs.

It’s not easy for the players because, in many ways, with City’s form, they’ve been thrown into the deep end.

Ultimately, it’s smart business by the club and they are preparing for the future with these signings.

Q: Do you think Man City regret the decision not to sign Declan Rice when they had the chance, given their struggles without Rodri and how well he’s doing at Arsenal?

Bacary Sagna: They won’t have any regrets that they didn’t sign Declan Rice. They rate the player like we all do, but there is no harm in not signing a player.

Rice, when I see how his career is going, he did well to join Arsenal because he seems to be happy. He didn’t leave London because he was at West Ham.

He seems to be loved at the club, loved by his teammates. He has a great spirit; great mentality and he’s a great player. He’s also having a great impact on the team. He’s a fighter and I like the way he deals with situations. He’s been a great signing for Arsenal.

He would have been a great signing for City. He would have been a great signing for any of the biggest European teams because he has the talent to play for any of them.

So, no, I don’t think City will have any regrets in not signing him. He would have been a key piece of their team, no doubt, but missing out on players is part of the game.

Q: Do you think that Liverpool and Arsenal will continue to dominate, or will Man City make a comeback next season?

Bacary Sagna: With the way the Premier League is developing, and you’re starting to see that this season with what teams like Bournemouth and Nottingham Forest are producing, it’s becoming more and more competitive across the board.

Every club is getting better, and every club can attract top players now. You don’t have a big four or a big five anymore. Every club can beat every other club; there are good players in every single team now.

Next season, I don’t think the Premier League will be dominated by Arsenal and Liverpool. Some of the teams are going to get better. City will buy in the summer and will get stronger.

I also think it’s interesting that players like Matheus Cunha and Ollie Watkins – players that were linked to bigger clubs in January – stayed where they are.

Manchester United

Q: It’s been a terrible season for United, there’s been no bounce from Amorim’s appointment. Do you think he has any regrets about taking the United job and is there a danger that these players will lose faith in his methods this season? 

Bacary Sagna: No, I don’t think Amorim has any regrets about joining Manchester United, he was happy to be in the Premier League and he expected the club to struggle.

At this moment in time, I think he’s trying out systems and players for next season. It’s really difficult for him. Given the issues at the club, I don’t think he should be judged until next season. That is when we should see what value he brings and how his preferred playing style works.

Amorim has had to deal with the squad that he inherited. He inherited a group of players who were low on confidence, he’s trying to fix the mistakes of the past in terms of recruitment and work with some players that are probably not good enough to play the way he wants to play. He’s had to clean up the club because the vibes at Old Trafford were not good on and off the pitch, on top of that, his players weren’t fit enough when he walked through the door.

Amorim’s a top coach, he’s proven that with Sporting. He’s blessed to be able to coach Manchester United. United is struggling at the moment, but it’s one of the biggest clubs in the world. He’s had to come along and pick up the team at their lowest ebb, so it’s an unbelievable challenge for him and one that any ambitious coach will relish.

I don’t think he has any regrets. He has a lot of work to achieve, not only on the pitch, but across the entire club. There’s a culture change needed at United, while at the same time, they need to look to the future in terms of the stadium and the training facilities. It’s a complete reset at the club and he has been tasked to lead it.

Q: What is their greatest weakness or area they need to fix? Is it goals or the midfield?

Bacary Sagna: The biggest problem that Manchester United have isn’t a lack of goals or finding the right balance in midfield, it’s chemistry all over the grass. There is no connection between the different parts of his team: the defence, the midfield and the attack. They’re not linking up together.

The difficulty that Amorim has is that he has to trial certain tactical ideas in a game, and as long as he’s doing that, it’s going to be hard for players to build an understanding and find the patterns because every team he is putting out is different.

When I watch United, it’s like the team is broken into three separate parts. They are speaking in different languages at the moment and don’t understand each other. There’s no consistency in the performances.

The confidence of the players will be really low at the moment, but they need to find the solution. It’s not going to be easy for them and I’m expecting some more difficult moments for Manchester United this season.

It would be fair to say that, so far, it hasn’t gone the way that most people would have expected Amorim’s appointment to go. There hasn’t been the bounce.

Q: United have signed Patrick Dorgu from Lecce. Can you tell us anything about the player? 

Bacary Sagna: Patrick Dorgu is a bit like Jeremy Doku at Manchester City. He’s very direct. He’s good and he’s fast, he’s powerful. I watch Italian football and I know who he is – he has stood out in a team that is struggling.

He used to play in Denmark, and ever since he joined Lecce, he’s been amazing in Serie A.

Even though his team was struggling, he was one of the best players at Lecce.

He’s very direct whenever he has the ball. He can take players on one-on-one and he’s going to be an interesting player to watch because he’s very powerful. I’m looking forward to seeing how he handles the Premier League, but he has the attributes to be a success in England.

Q: They also pinched Heaven from Arsenal. You know the Arsenal camp well, how are they feeling about losing a promising youngster? 

Bacary Sagna: You have a limited time as a professional footballer. What do you do? If the player is not happy and his contract is expiring, then that’s a bad commination for a football club to keep hold of any player let alone an academy kid.

Heaven could have been sold the dream by Manchester United. There was probably nothing that Arsenal could have done to stop him moving, but that’s football.

Of course, you try your best to keep the player and make an offer, but if he wants to leave, you can’t retain him. That’s the key. Arsenal would have tried it’s best to keep him, but if you already have 25 professional players, what do you do? Do you destroy the player’s career, or do you understand that he wants to leave and find the best solution?

It’s not always easy and every situation is different. He probably wanted to get more minutes or to be a regular part of the first team squad and Arteta couldn’t give him those assurances.

I don’t know if it was the case with Arsenal, but if Mikel already had 25 players in training, he has to manage that and keep the group settled. At the end of the day, the player has left, but Arsenal have got two excellent academy players in the first team at the moment, and that is a rarity in itself for the top, top clubs. That is something that will soften the blow of losing a talent to United.

Q: When you see how poor United have been and the club’s total lack of fire power, can you believe that they were happy to let Rashford go?

Bacary Sagna: I’m actually scared to see how Marcus Rashford’s career has gone so quickly downhill because he was one of the biggest prospects, not just at Manchester United but in Europe.

Where has he been for the last three or four months? Where was he last season? It’s strange for me to see him not playing for Manchester United when he has shone so brightly in that shirt in the past. I’m shocked that he isn’t operating at the highest level given his talent.

We don’t know what’s happening in his private life and that can have an impact on players.

Sometimes seeking a move is not always the best solution, especially with the way he was loved at United. I’m not sure this move to Villa will be a big, big plus in his career.

There’s no question about his individual quality, but he hasn’t played good football for over a year. No matter what you think about it, when you don’t play consistently, you lose your ability a bit. I’m not sure that we will ever see Marcus at his best again.

Q: Does the fact that Bayern’s Tel turned down United for other strugglers Tottenham tells us everything about where the club are at the moment?

Bacary Sagna: No, Manchester United won’t have any regrets about missing out on Tel, they probably had a list of a few players they wanted to sign. I don’t think it’s a big regret. Getting a player in the middle of the season is never easy.

But Tel is a good player. He’s been playing for the French national youth team. He’s been doing well when he played at Bayern. Bayern is full of good players, so for him to have some game time and get back playing regular first team football is really important at his age.

It’s going to be interesting to see him performing in the Premier League because the style of play is totally different to the Bundesliga.

Yes, he’s an exciting player to watch but is he coming to the best team at the minute?
I don’t think so. That’s not a dig as an ex-Arsenal player, I’m talking about football, and Spurs have been having a really difficult season.

If he can have a big impact for Spurs, that would be great for everyone, but it isn’t an easy situation, so we can’t really judge him on the few months he has in the Premier League. He will have to adapt quickly.

Chelsea

Q: What’s it’s like for a defender when you don’t have confidence in your goalkeeper and does that confidence ever come back? It feels like the goalkeeper position is one where players can quickly make up their minds as to whether someone is good enough or not. 

Bacary Sagna: Personally, if Robert Sanchez was my teammate, I would give him support. Players are human and they make mistakes. Yes, Sanchez made mistakes, but you have to move on, and to do that quickly, you need to feel the confidence of your team mates.

The vibe has to be positive; you have to make him feel comfortable. Whenever the keeper concedes, defenders can be at fault too. A defender can give a striker the opportunity to score because we didn’t anticipate a movement or made a mistake.

It’s not just the keeper; it’s the whole team that should take responsibility. Of course, he made some mistakes, but it’s part of the game. He will only get better by playing.

When you make mistakes as a player, you can get away with it. People forget. It’s different for a keeper, it’s critical. People point to him directly, but around him, you have defenders that are supposed to stop the opponent.

As a player, I always support my team. I know how difficult it is.

Q: Chelsea spent £54m to bring Pedro Neto from Wolves in the summer – he has scored just 1 goal and provided 2 assists in 21 league appearances. Did you expect more from him?

Bacary Sagna: I definitely expected a bit more from Neto because he was such an exciting player at Wolves. He’s gone from being the main man at Wolves to just another good player at Chelsea, and sometimes it can be hard for a player to make that adjustment.

Don’t forget that Neto is also a young player that is still improving, and he’s being asked to perform for a club where the expectations are a lot higher.

I think his performances have been quite good, but if you’re comparing his output to what he has produced season after season for Wolves then I think you can have a right to be disappointed with his numbers.

He is a player that I really like. I like his personality, his ability with the ball and his work rate. I’ve expected more from him because I know he can deliver more, but there is still plenty of time for him to register more goals and assists before the season ends. Attacking players are always judged on their final output, he knows that.

Q: Was Felix’s biggest problem at Chelsea that he was competing for a staring place with Cole Palmer? 

Bacary Sagna: With Joao Felix, his body language was not the best. He has amazing quality, but maybe people will be frustrated with how he looks on the pitch.

He joined a club where Cole Palmer is more than clinical and also undroppable. He is the best player in the Chelsea team.

It was always going to be difficult for Felix to be given opportunities consistently at Chelsea.

Q: It looks like Nkunku will be staying at the club. He made noises that he wanted to leave, how does Maresca keep him motivated for the second half of the season? 

Bacary Sagna: Nkunku won’t have any problem being motivated at Chelsea for the rest of the season, his biggest problem throughout his career has always been injuries. You need to be a consistent presence in any football team if you want to improve, and, unfortunately, that’s been Christopher’s biggest issue.

It’s difficult for Maresca because every time you start playing him, you better start playing well, you lose him again for one month. He needs to build a core team around players that can offer him more consistency with their fitness and their performances, and sadly for Christopher, those two things go hand in hand.

When you drop out of the team and someone comes in and plays well, it’s hard to get your place back at a big club.

I feel sorry for him because there is no doubt that he is a brilliant player, but he has been really unlucky with injuries since he joined the club.

Champions League

Q: The fixture that everyone’s looking forward to is Man City against Real Madrid in the Champions League. Who do you think will go through in that game?

Bacary Sagna: Real Madrid will be the favourite to win. Of course, it’s going to be a very, very tricky game for City to deal with because of the mood; the atmosphere around the club, but it’s a different competition from the Premier League.

I think it’s a 50-50. City is capable of producing a fantastic performance against Reakl Madrid, we’ve seen them do it before.

I actually think the players will enjoy it. It’s a different competition, it’s going to be a different vibe, a different atmosphere. It’s not the league.

Anything can happen in two games. The odds will be in Real Madrid’s favour because of the historical success they’ve had in the Champions League and because of the players they have.

Q: If you’re Man City, would not getting into the knockout stage be the biggest failure of Pep Guardiola’s time at the club?

Bacary Sagna: I won’t call City not qualifying for the Champions League KO rounds as a failure. This is how some people will see and define it.

For me, Pep deserves and will always deserve a great level of respect for his achievements in football.

Of course, people talk about what he’s been living and going through this season but name me one manager that has been constantly successful in his football career. There isn’t one.

He’s just having a deep moment. I want to call it deep because we are not used to seeing City losing and losing heavily, like the way they did against Arsenal.

But it’s not as terrible as it looks. It’s a succession of negative results that brings the team into the spotlight.

Now is a good time for them to bounce back from everything that happened and maybe the Champions League can be a way for them to move into a new era again. There are new players in the squad. Pep is still the right man for the job. When Pep goes, there’s going to be an earthquake because he has been the most influential coach in football for the last 15 years, probably longer.

Him and Arsène Wenger changed football. People expect him to always win and be successful because of what he has achieved in the past.

Q: Arsenal are the only London club in the tournament this season, do you think they can go on and win the Champions League?

Bacary Sagna: Arsenal can be a surprise in the Champions League because no one expects them to win it.

Arsenal are a difficult team to play against. They love playing football. They play football. They have the love to move around with the ball, to play in little spaces. Arsenal, for me, represents the definition of what football should be like and how it should be played.

Q: Are you surprised that no one has picked up Paul Pogba yet? Do you think he could still be a valuable asset for a club in the Premier League?

Bacary Sagna: Pogba’s absence is a strange thing. When you don’t play football and you’re out of the system, not playing regularly, to get back into the system its difficult because a lot of teams have already got full squads, and a lot of teams have submitted their player registration lists.

For Pogba to join a Premier League club now, they will have t move fast because he couldn’t play in the domestic league and would only be able to play in European competition, but he would need to be registered on Thursday 6th Feb.

Paul’s a player that hasn’t played for such a long time so it’s a risk, and it’s clear that no club in the Premier League wanted to take that risk.

When you’re out of the system, it’s always difficult to come back into the system.

I’m not worried about him because he had so much talent and he’s such a great player that surely someone will sign him soon.

Perhaps he may be thinking about the MLS. He can sign for a club in America for a few more weeks.

Q: Ronaldo has come out and said in the last couple of days that he is the most complete footballer ever. Do you agree with that?

Bacary Sagna: Cristiano Ronaldo is 100% the most complete player to have played the game of football. I agree with him.

Some people will debate between him and Messi. First of all, we witnessed two unique players. It’s a fact. We’re not going to find this again or see a rivalry like it again.

Even if some players are doing well at the minute, I’m thinking about Lamine Yamal and other youngsters, what they delivered for 20 years in a row was unique and special. I’m glad I was able to witness this as a player.

Ronaldo statistically destroyed everything. You require your striker to be decisive, and he has basically been the difference maker throughout his career. In every single game or almost every single game he’s been delivering. It’s crazy.

I can remember one Champions League final, Real were losing to Atletico Madrid and he basically won them the trophy on his own.

Q: He just turned 40. Would you like to see Ronaldo go into coaching when he does choose to retire and could you see him doing it at Man United?

Bacary Sagna: Ronaldo is a man of football; he can do anything. He has reached a stage where everything that he touches turns to gold. He has reached a stage where, it doesn’t really matter what he does because he’s such a superstar.

I think he would have a massive impact if he joined Manchester United in some capacity when he decides to retire. Regardless of how it ended for him a second time, and especially after what we have seen happen at the club since, Ronaldo will always be a legend at the club.

I wouldn’t rule him out doing something in the business side of the game. He could literally perform any role at a football club whether it’s in the boardroom or on the grass because of who he is and what he brings in terms of experience. He understands the business of football. He understands life. Whatever targets he sets, he achieves them. He’s so dedicated that he will be a success in whatever he chooses to do, and it would be great for football and especially Manchester United if he wants to stay in the game.