Raheem Sterling has promised Arsenal fans “you are about to see the best of me” after the Gunners sealed a deadline day coup from Chelsea. The winger has been rescued from exile at Stamford Bridge and completed a loan switch across London on deadline day.
Sterling was banished from Enzo Maresca’s first team at the start of the Premier League season and seemed destined to spend at least the first half of the campaign training with the U23s. However, Arsenal realised early on deadline day that completing a loan deal might be possible.
The England international shone while working with Mikel Arteta at Manchester City when the Spaniard was assistant to Pep Guardiola. A reunion at Arsenal raises hope that Sterling can rekindle his best form.
He told Arsenal’s official channels: “It’s an unbelievable feeling. It’s really exciting. I’m buzzing. It’s one where we kind of left it late but it’s one I was hoping for.
“Looking at everything, I’m just, like, ‘This is a perfect fit for me’, and I’m super happy that we got it over the line.
“I spoke with Edu and I said that it’s something you can see from the outside, you can see the real togetherness from Mikel’s time here and you see the journey that the boys are on, and you can see the hunger, and I keep saying again, the togetherness is something I’m looking to be a part of.”
Sterling will wear the No 10 shirt at Arsenal, which was vacated by Emile Smith Rowe who completed a £34m switch to Fulham earlier in the window. It was a busy summer for the Gunners but they were not among the Premier League’s biggest spenders and managed to recoup plenty of fees through departures.
Goalkeeper Neto joined Sterling in arriving on deadline day in a loan move from Bournemouth. The Brazilian is Arteta’s new No 2 following the departure of Aaron Ramsdale to Southampton.
Riccardo Calafiori was signed from Bologna earlier in the window while a drawn-out chase for Mikel Merino was concluded last week. The Spaniard, though, will miss the first couple of weeks of his Arsenal career with a shoulder injury.
Arteta will believe he now has a squad capable of beating Man City to the top-flight title. Arsenal face Brighton in Saturday’s early kick-off, although Sterling was signed too late to be registered in time to make his debut.
