In the early hours of Saturday, Arsenal secured a season-long loan deal for Chelsea winger Raheem Sterling, following his exclusion from the Chelsea squad by new manager Enzo Maresca. Despite the transfer deadline passing on Friday at 11 p.m., a deal sheet provided a two-hour extension, allowing Arsenal to complete the signing.
Sterling, who joined Chelsea from Manchester City in 2022 in a deal worth up to 50 million pounds, has made 81 appearances for the club. However, Maresca informed the 29-year-old that he would not feature in his plans for the new campaign.
Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta expressed his admiration for Sterling, a player he previously worked with during his tenure as assistant coach at Manchester City.
“I admire Raheem Sterling, having worked with him during my time at Manchester City,” Arteta said.
Sterling’s addition will bring depth to Arsenal’s left-wing position, where he will compete with Gabriel Martinelli and Leandro Trossard for a starting spot.
Starting his senior career at Liverpool, Sterling was twice named the Young Player of the Season before moving to Manchester City, where he enjoyed a successful stint winning 10 trophies, including four Premier League titles.
Sterling has also accumulated 82 caps for England, although he has not represented his country since the 2022 World Cup.
This transfer marks Arsenal’s fourth summer acquisition, following the permanent move of goalkeeper David Raya, and the signings of defender Riccardo Calafiori and midfielder Mikel Merino.
