Arsenal Transfer News: Deadline Day Raheem Sterling signing boosts Gunners title hopes

 

Arsenal ended the transfer window with the addition of a new attacker they so desperately needed. In a testing summer market, to have brought in Raheem Sterling on a season-long loan is a fine capture. Sterling had been cast out by Chelsea boss Enzo Maresca, deemed surplus to requirements by the Blues boss and stripped of the his number seven shirt, that subsequently handed to new signing Pedro Neto. 

 

At the start of deadline day, Sterling must have been fearing for his immediate career, and yet continues his tour of the Big Six with his move to the Emirates. Just Manchester United and Tottenham to go. 

 

 

The Gunners have enjoyed a solid window. While the exits of Emile Smith Rowe and Eddie Nketiah will tug on the heartstrings, Arsenal needed to be ruthless in key areas to add strength in depth in every area in order to really challenge Manchester City. Riccardo Calafiori is a fine defensive capture, Mikel Merino was the midfielder Mikel Arteta wanted since the start of the summer and Neto adds experience between the sticks as backup for David Raya. 

 

In Sterling, though, Arteta has the versatility in the final third he'll crave. The 29-year-old endured a so-so 2023/24 at Stamford Bridge, making 22 league starts in Mauricio Pochettino's one and only season in west London. Even so, Sterling managed eight goals and four assists. Five of those eight came in the first half of the season as Pochettino struggled to find his best system for the Blues. 

 

In a more settled environment with a club with a stronger identity in their playing style, Arsenal fans may yet see Sterling at his best as they seek to knock Manchester City off their Premier League perch. What's key for Arteta is Sterling affords the Gunners boss that positional flexibility he so often craves. 

 

In every area, Arteta has players who can operate in multiple roles, namely Ben White, Jurrien Timber and Calafiori in defence, Declan Rice and Merino in midfield, and Leandro Trossard and now Sterling in attack. While best off the left, the latter's ability to play through the middle, and crucially down the right, is key with Arsenal expected to really compete on multiple fronts in the coming campaign. Finally Arteta has quality cover for Bukayo Saka on the right flank. 

 

Sterling's move across to Arsenal also sees the player link up with Arteta once more. The duo worked closely during their respective time together at Manchester City, with Arteta credited with improving the player. While Sterling broke onto the scene as a pacey winger at Liverpool, the now-Arsenal boss developed the player's positioning and movement, and this saw the summer arrival regularly attack the box. "We built a really strong relationship together at Manchester City. He was unbelievable at that time. He is someone I have really strong feelings about," Arteta has said of Sterling. 

 

 

In Arteta's final year in Manchester before his appointment as Arsenal boss in 2019, Sterling saw out the calendar year with 53 goals and assists combined in all competitions, that was more than any other player in Europe. Arsenal fans are hoping he can rediscover that fine form in north London in a campaign they'll feel confident of finally ending City's dominance. 

 

With the additional big-game experience Sterling brings with him to the Emirates - he has four Premier League winners' medals to his name among other domestic trophies - this mental fortitude will be key for an Arsenal side that has come so close to securing glory in the last two Premier League seasons. If the Gunners go on to secure the Premier League title, Sterling will be worth his weight in gold. 

 

Having been linked with Benjamin Sesko, and then Nico Williams and Kingsley Coman, Sterling is arguably the one who, presently, is best-suited to Arsenal. Links last week with Williams didn't come as a surprise, though there was an admittance that a deal for the Spain international was complicated. On a short-term deal, a move for Sterling makes perfect sense.

Arsenal Transfer News: Deadline Day Raheem Sterling signing boosts Gunners title hopes