TNT Sports unveil line-up for new season with two huge names joining after Rio Ferdinand exit

TNT Sports have confirmed thatGareth Bale and Michail Antonio are set to play a key role in their coverage for the new Premier League season. The broadcasters are set to show over 700 live games across domestic and European football over the coming campaign.

And their punditry team has already undergone a major alteration, with long-serving expert Rio Ferdinand departing at the end of last season. And now, TNT have confirmed who will be taking the reins from the Manchester United icon.

Former Tottenham and Real Madrid star Gareth Bale will play a prominent role, having eased into punditry since his retirement. He featured on TNT’s coverage of the Europa League final between Spurs and United.

And Bale is set to be joined by Antonio, who is now without a club following his exit from West Ham United. The Jamaican forward has not officially announced his retirement following his car crash earlier this year.

Antonio has already been a pundit this season, having provided his expertise for Crystal Palace’s Community Shield victory against Liverpool on Sunday. Bale and Antonio will join an already star-studded line up of pundits.

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Ally McCoist, Owen Hargreaves, Joe Cole and Peter Crouch are all regularly featured on the channel. But Ferdinand will not be included following his decision to leave.

A statement from the former defender back in May read: “After 10 incredible years, I have made the difficult decision to step away from TNT Sports after the Champions League Final. Since retiring from football, it has been a privilege talking about the game I love for a decade for sports fans watching on BT Sport and TNT Sports.

“I want to acknowledge the tremendous support from the team behind the scenes, whose hard work often goes unseen but has been essential to our success. To everyone at TNT Sports, we have a brilliant end to the season to look forward to on Saturday and for now all focus will be on what I think could go down as one of the great European finals.

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“The network continues to thrive with more rights than ever, and I look forward to following its progress and the exciting future that lies ahead.

“Lastly, I would like to thank my family and my management company New Era for their ongoing support. They have supported me to travel all over Europe, following the best players and watching the best matches - for a football fan like me, it's been a dream come true.

“As I turn the page to the next chapter, I carry with me countless memories. I am excited about what the future holds, spending more time with my family, focusing on Rio Ferdinand Presents & my other business interests. I hope to stay connected with all of you in different capacities. Thank you once again for everything!”

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