Arsenal winger Raheem Sterling was raised in London, but made his name further north.
Raheem Sterling joined Liverpool from the QPR academy as a teenager in 2010.
The 29-year-old went on to make 129 appearances for the Reds before moving on in 2015, remaining in the North West to play for Manchester City.
The 82-cap England international was hugely successful at the Etihad Stadium, scoring 131 goals in 339 outings and winning four Premier League titles.
Sterling then joined Chelsea in 2022, but struggled to settle and impress consistently at Stamford Bridge following his return to the capital. He is now seeking to rediscover his spark having signed for Arsenal on loan on Transfer Deadline Day.
Sterling described joining Arsenal as a dream move, and already has a positive relationship with Mikel Arteta from the time they spent together at Manchester City.
His stint in North London is the latest chapter in what has been a decorated career, and one which really took off following his switch to Anfield.
Arsenal ace Raheem Sterling explains reason for joining Liverpool
Moving so far away from home at such a young age to join Liverpool was clearly a seismic decision.
As quoted by the official Arsenal website, Sterling has now explained the real reason he took on the change.
He said: “I think moving up from London to Liverpool was a big moment for me. I’m a person who very much likes to challenge myself or put myself in environments out of my comfort zone. I like to test myself to see how I will respond.
“So that was a big moment for me. I had a big ambition to play for England under-16s at the time, and I remember not being picked for the first Victory Shield.
“The England story at the time was that they felt the boys playing for the category A teams were just a bit ahead of me. So in my head I thought I needed to be in that environment, in with the category A teams.
“So that’s why I was keen to move from QPR to Liverpool, to join that environment and try to prove myself at that level, and get in the under-16s for England.”
What Sterling can bring to Arsenal
Sterling adds welcome experience to the Arteta’s squad. The attacker knows exactly what it takes to win a Premier League title, and his influence in the dressing room could be vital as Arsenal seek to steal Manchester City’s crown this season.
On the pitch, he offers a reliable alternative to the likes of Bukayo Saka and Gabriel Martinelli, allowing Arteta to rest and rotate his wingers. Keeping such key players fresh will be vital to the Gunners’ aims this season.
On top of that, after his difficult spell with Chelsea, Sterling has something of a point to prove. Sterling will be desperate to deliver his best this season, and if he can do that then he could quickly become a vital figure in the team.
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