Mikel Arteta is a long-term admirer of Raheem Sterling.
The Arsenal manager has tried to bring the Chelsea attacker to the Emirates Stadium in the past.
Mikel Arteta worked closely with Raheem Sterling whilst the pair were at Manchester City together, where the Spanish coach served as Pep Guardiola’s assistant.
Meanwhile, Sterling has since moved on to Stamford Bridge. However, the 29-year-old has not had an entirely happy time in West London and may well be set to move on again.
Arsenal know Sterling is available this summer, as the England international has been told to find a new club. He was left out of Chelsea’s matchday squad altogether this weekend.
This state of affairs may well have opened the door for Arteta to finally land his man. The Gunners could swoop for Sterling before the transfer window closes. The Arsenal boss would certainly back himself to be able to get the former Manchester City forward back to his best.
The connection between Raheem Sterling and Mikel Arteta
It would appear that Sterling likes the idea of working with Arteta again. He has been very complementary of the former midfielder in the past.
Back in 2020, whilst Sterling was still at the Etihad Stadium, and Arteta was still relatively new to the Emirates Stadium dugout, the winger shared his thoughts on the impact that the Spaniard had had in North London.
As quoted by Goal, Sterling said: “He’s a person that had a lot of say here. The manager trusted him here and he had a lot of influence on the players here and the team as well.
“So I knew once he went into Arsenal that it would be a great opportunity for him but also he would definitely implement what he wanted to bring in.
“And he’s a person that will put his foot down and not let things slide as you can see with the boys at Arsenal. They know if they don’t run they are most likely not going to play.
“You can see the change that he’s brought in there, you can see the energy, you can see how much he’s put into them with their off-ball work.
“We all knew before Mikel got in how much good football they could play, how technically good they were but probably off the field they weren’t as aggressive as they are with Mikel. They run their socks off now, you can see why they benefited with some good results recently.”
What Sterling would bring to Arsenal
It is clear that Sterling holds Arteta in high regard and respects his methods as a coach. Arteta also has a clear understanding of Sterling as a player, and how to coax the best out of him.
If the Chelsea outcast were to make his way to North London this summer, he would bring some welcome experience to the Arsenal dressing room, as well as some much-needed strength in depth in the wide areas.
Sterling would be able to offer cover for both Bukayo Saka and Gabriel Martinelli.
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