Raheem Sterling has signed a season-long loan with Arsenal after being sidelined at Chelsea under new head coach Enzo Maresca.
The 29-year-old England winger made the transition after a deal sheet was submitted to finalize his move beyond the transfer deadline. Sterling’s departure follows Maresca’s public comments that he “prefers a different kind of winger,” and the player was informed he would not feature for Chelsea after being left out of their opening day defeat to Manchester City on August 18. He has not been included in any of Chelsea’s match-day squads this season.
Since transferring from Manchester City for £47.5 million in 2022, Sterling has made 81 appearances for Chelsea, scoring 19 goals across two seasons. His loan to Arsenal does not include an option or obligation to make the move permanent at the end of the spell at the Emirates Stadium.
The move reunites Sterling with Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta, who was an assistant to Pep Guardiola during much of Sterling’s seven-year tenure at the Etihad. Arteta praised Sterling, saying, “My time with Raheem was exceptional. We built a really strong relationship together. He was unbelievable at that time.”
Arteta added, “He taught me a lot about individuals, how players think, and how we can help and support them. He is someone I have very strong feelings about.”
Credit: Sky Sports
