Coleraine 'should probably' be title favourites - Healy
- Published
Linfield manager David Healy believes "huge investments" from other Premiership sides this summer will put the pressure on the champions' title rivals.
The Blues were an impressive 22 points clear at the top of the Premiership last season and lifted the Gibson Cup for the first time since 2022.
They will be looking to defend that title but, after other clubs have strengthened this summer, Healy believes Coleraine "should probably" be considered title favourites.
"There has been huge investments in the league," Healy told BBC Sport Northern Ireland.
"Obviously Coleraine's budgets have probably gone through the roof, but that was to be expected because the owner at the time made the changes with different people leaving their roles at the football club last year, so it was always on the cards.
"Coleraine should probably be going to the season as favourites. Whether they are, knowing how people operate here, they are probably saying 'it's Linfield's to lose' even though Coleraine heavily spent."
Linfield have already had a busy start to the season and remain in the Uefa Conference League after overcoming Zalgiris, but they have only announced one signing with Sean Brown making the move from Larne.
In contrast, Coleraine's first summer transfer window under new Executive Chairman and owner Henry Ross has been a busy one.
Amongst their seven signings are Linfield duo Stephen Fallon and Joel Cooper, who was voted the Football Writers' Player of the Year and netted 19 goals last campaign.
"The investments have got to be repaid back at some stage, as it was at Larne. Tiernan Lynch done an incredible job at Larne and Kenny Bruce has now moved on as there is a new investor in," Healy continued.
"Glentoran have spent heavily again on wages and certainly, with the amount of money that they have spent over recent years, Ali Pour is going to eventually recoup that in some way.
"So there's pressure on other teams. People ask me about the pressure that we have at Linfield, but there's going to be pressure on Coleraine and there is going to be pressure on Glentoran to go and win it and, with the amount of money they have put into it, they will be disappointed if they don't win the league this year."