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Former Liverpool star Jamie Carragher believes only one team can stop Arsenal from being crowned Premier League champions for a second straight season.
Never shy of a controversial opinion, Carragher based his analysis on the flurry of activity that shook the final hours of the summer transfer window, which slammed shut on Tuesday evening.
According to Carragher, the deal for Argentine Enzo Fernandez pushes Manchester City ahead of Chelsea in the title reckoning. The Sky Blues, he reckons, are now Arsenal's closest rivals.
City completed the signing of Fernandez from Chelsea for £125 million, a record deal.
Carragher told Sky Sports: "I think the deal already pushes Manchester City ahead of Chelsea. Myself and many others thought Chelsea would have a very good season, and I still believe a big part of that is down to their not being involved in European competitions, having a new manager, in addition to the attacking line they possess."
He added: "But they are losing Enzo Fernandez, who, for me, was one of the big players at Chelsea."
Carragher continued: "Manchester City look much stronger now. I think they will be Arsenal's biggest rivals at the moment. It's a very good squad, there's no doubt about that. A lot of changes have happened in the team."
Losing Rodri and strengthening the midfield
On the impact of Rodri's absence, Carragher said: "I think losing Rodri was a big thing, and I felt it would be very difficult to make up for that. But if you had said at the end of last season that they would bring in Elliott Anderson and Enzo Fernandez, you would say that is a top-class midfield. They paid a big amount for that, and so it has to be."
He concluded: "I think that gives them the best chance, compared to any other team in the Premier League, to be the main rival, and perhaps the only team truly capable of taking this title away from Arsenal."