According to Daily Star, Arsenal are eyeing a swoop for Raheem Sterling. The Manchester City winger is topping the club’s transfer wishlist as the Gunners keep a close eye on his situation at Etihad. Man City are willing to extend Sterling’s deal but talks are moving slowly due to the player’s hefty wage and game-time demands. Failure to strike a deal, though, could see the English champions cash in on him next summer, putting Arsenal on red alert.
Raheem Sterling’s Struggles At Manchester City
Raheem Sterling has lost his importance in the Manchester City setup over the past year or so. Although he did earn 28 starts in the Premier League last season, the majority of them came during the first half of the campaign when the club was struggling with form.
Since the turn of the year, Sterling started to play second fiddle to the likes of Phil Foden and Riyad Mahrez. Man City’s outrageous success made it harder for him to play a significant role in the club’s title win as well as their route to the Champions League final.
Despite an impressive Euro 2020 campaign with England, Sterling has continued to struggle at Man City. The summer arrival of Jack Grealish combined with Ferran Torres’ more prominent role in the first team, has left the Englishman behind in the pecking order.
In fact, the former Liverpool star has only started two games in the league this season, scoring just one goal. With his contract expiring in 2023, a move away from Etihad, therefore, could be on the cards for the English international in the near future.
Does He Fit The Bill At Arsenal?
Raheem Sterling’s potential arrival at Arsenal could be a massive boon for the club that has lacked productivity going forward. Despite the presence of exciting young talent, there has been a dearth of end product, which has led to the club’s struggles in these early parts of the campaign.
The Manchester City winger, in that regard, could be an exciting addition due to his wealth of experience and pedigree of playing at the highest level of football. He can thus significantly improve the overall quality of the final third as well as offer the extra productivity Arsenal need in order to match their rivals and once again emerge as a top-four contender.
The 26-year-old also offers a lot of tactical versatility as he can operate on both flanks and even in the false nine role, if necessary. It should open up a lot of tactical possibilities for the club, perhaps even allowing them to finally cash in on Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang.
Not to mention, Arsenal head coach Mikel Arteta shares an excellent relationship with the Englishman, working together during their time at Manchester City. It could make the job easier for Sterling to settle in at his new club, thus making him a massive coup for the Gunners.
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