Ruth Semilore
Arsenal are in talks with Chelsea to sign Raheem Sterling on loan before the transfer market shuts.
The 29-year-old winger is not part of the plans at Stamford Bridge and Arsenal have now opened negotiations over a temporary season-long deal.
If the clubs find a compromise, Sterling will still need to agree personal terms — but that is not expected to prove a stumbling block to the move.
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The proposition is said to be hugely attractive to the ex-Liverpool and Manchester City attacker.
Given that Sterling has been deemed surplus to requirements at Chelsea and is faced with the prospect of not enjoying first-team action in west London, the proposed switch would present him with an 11th-hour chance to revive his season.
Arsenal are expected to compete for domestic trophies and will be contesting Champions League football in the 2024-25 campaign.
Switching to the Emirates Stadium would also reunite Sterling with Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta; the pair worked together at City and continue to enjoy a very strong relationship.
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Arteta is a huge admirer of the England international and sees him as an option to be used across the forward line.
The three eras of Raheem Sterling: Dribbler, finisher, dribbler again
Sterling has trained away from his team-mates since being left out of Chelsea’s matchday squad for their defeat by City on the opening weekend.
He joined Chelsea from City in the summer of 2022 for £47.5million and has accumulated 19 goals and 12 assists in 81 appearances.
Sterling was a regular under Mauricio Pochettino last season, but it has become clear that will not continue following Enzo Maresca’s appointment and attacking recruits such as Joao Felix, Pedro Neto, Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall and Marc Guiu.
“I am not saying Raheem is not a good player, but I prefer different kinds of wingers,” Maresca said earlier this month.
“We have a big squad and it’s impossible to give all of them minutes. If they are looking for minutes it’s better for them to leave. I try to be honest.”
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Sterling won four Premier League titles and one FA Cup after switching to City from Liverpool in 2015. He has won 82 England caps but been omitted since the 2022 World Cup in Qatar.
Arsenal are seen by Sterling as a solid platform to potentially return to the international stage, while living in London is important for his young family.
Arsenal have made three signings this summer: goalkeeper David Raya making his loan move from Brentford permanent, defender Riccardo Calafiori joining from Bologna and midfielder Mikel Merino arriving from Real Sociedad.
What could Sterling bring to Arsenal?
Over the course of his career, Sterling has displayed an ability to mould his game according to his manager’s requirements. He was a direct, dribbling threat during his formative years at Liverpool before improving his positional awareness and off-ball movement at Manchester City. His stint at Chelsea has seen him return to being the on-the-ball threat he was at Anfield and though his positioning was still good, his finishing flaws have stood out a lot more.
The most productive seasons of Sterling’s career notably came during Arteta’s time as assistant coach at City, including 55 league goals across the 2017-18, 2018-19 and 2019-20 seasons. A substantial portion of those efforts came from attacking the back post and converting cutbacks, a key component of Arteta’s system, with Arsenal creating more chances from cutbacks than any other team in the Premier League last season (91). Arteta will almost certainly want that version of Sterling, but it will require the Englishman to alter his game once again.
Sterling’s arrival also means added competition for Gabriel Martinelli, and the acquisition of left-back Riccardo Calafiori should provide both wide forwards with more one-vs-one opportunities, where they excel. Additionally, this move could free Leandro Trossard to play as a false nine as he did on occasions last season, giving Arsenal additional depth down the middle without any expenditure. Sterling can operate more centrally too.
