Raheem Sterling: Shaken, Not Sterred

[Riou]

You can just feel he's gonna push Willian hard for the title of worst Chelsea signing, fu3king great!

 

[Bloodbather]

It was a last minute correction because of the Nelson deal, at the time we couldn't do better and I was happy we got another man in.

That being said, Martinelli has been out of form for very long and Trossard isn't great as a starter on the wing. This has been the case for a long time now, we are lacking a proper LW. You can point at Edu and Arteta for lack of addressing that.

We failed to address both of our main needs in the summer, a wing forward and a creative LCM. We only addressed the third and the fourth - a left-back who could defend and attack (Calafiori), and depth signing for the midfield (Merino).

I do think it was a rough market for both positions. Players that looked ideal profile wise were either crazy expensive (FdJ, Bruno G, Kvara, etc), wanted to move elsewhere (D. Luiz, J. Neves, etc), wanted to stay put (Nico, etc), or had red flags surrounding them (Paquetá, Neto, etc). One that I think we could've gone for is Mitoma.

 

[Big Poppa]

Edu already told us this when he said publicly that Sterling wasn't on his radar as a signing until it happened so Edu failed to bring signings in that Arteta wanted and in a last ditch effort Arteta asked him to look into a Sterling loan.

Sterling was a Nelson replacement. The priority targets we have are a different level and much harder to get - the Raphina ship has sailed now, but Nico Williams might come back around.

 

[blaze_of_glory]

Maybe it's Raheem the Dream because we only dreamed that we signed him

 

[Deleted member x1214]

Raheem Sterling: How move from Chelsea to Arsenal happened and what the future holds

The winger moved late in the summer window and has hardly featured but is comfortable with his role under Mikel Arteta

www.nytimes.com

Spoiler: Raheem Sterling: How move from Chelsea to Arsenal happened and what the future holds

By James McNicholas and Liam Twomey
Nov 9, 2024

It was Friday morning, on the last day of the transfer window, when Edu finally called.

All week, Raheem Sterling had heard whispers of potential interest from north London. Arsenal’s sporting director had discussed Sterling with Mikel Arteta and the rest of the club’s football committee. There were concerns over costs, but no shortage of admiration for Sterling’s talent.


But with Arsenal looking to drive a hard bargain, club-to-club contact between Arsenal and Chelsea only commenced in earnest in the final few hours before the deadline.

Sterling’s circumstances at Chelsea had become untenable. Unlike at Manchester City, where the club had engaged him in open and ongoing dialogue about a potential departure, the situation at Stamford Bridge changed dramatically in the final weeks of the transfer window. Having featured prominently during Chelsea’s pre-season tour of the United States, he was informed by head coach Enzo Maresca shortly after the club’s final friendly against Inter Milan at Stamford Bridge that he was not in the Italian’s plans for the new campaign.

There had been scepticism, to put it mildly, within the Chelsea hierarchy that Sterling’s production justified the expense of his salary. The club have made a concerted effort to extricate themselves from many of the contracts they handed out during the first summer that followed the takeover, when Todd Boehly operated as interim sporting director. Those deals do not conform to the lower base, highly incentivised salary structure they began to implement in January 2023.

After the friendly against Real Madrid on August 7, the dynamic shifted. The struggles of their wingers in that game (including Sterling) crystallised the feeling at Chelsea that urgent upgrades were needed. They moved quickly for Pedro Neto and then for Jadon Sancho when it became clear they could get him on terms they were comfortable with.

When Chelsea kicked off their Premier League campaign against Manchester City, Sterling was not even selected for the matchday squad. He became part of Chelsea’s infamous ‘bomb squad’ — a group of 13 unwanted players asked to train away from the rest of the first team.

Publicly — and in a conversation between the two men at Cobham — Maresca took responsibility for Sterling’s omission. “I’m not saying Raheem is not a good player but I prefer a different kind of winger,” he said in a press conference before Chelsea’s Conference League play-off first leg against Servette.

Raheem Sterling played regularly in pre-season for Chelsea (Darren Walsh/Chelsea FC via Getty Images)

Sterling, however, was convinced this was a club decision — an attempt to force him out of Stamford Bridge for financial reasons.

He was willing to leave, but only for a club that matched his ambition. Juventus and Napoli expressed interest and there were offers from teams in the Saudi Pro League, but the player was insistent: Saudi Arabia was not an option. At 29, he felt he still had much to offer in European football.


There were exploratory talks with Manchester United over a possible swap with Sancho. Sterling would have been prepared to join — he was a United fan in his youth — but had concerns over the possibility of going from an unstable environment to join a new regime still finding its feet, with a manager whose position looked somewhat perilous. United also had financial fair play considerations, and were worried about making the numbers work.

Arsenal, however, appeared the perfect fit: a club with a unified leadership, and a defined way of playing. He knew several players well — Oleksandr Zinchenko and Gabriel Jesus from Manchester City, Kai Havertz and Jorginho from Chelsea, and Bukayo Saka and Declan Rice through England.

Crucially, Sterling has an excellent relationship with Arteta, who served as Pep Guardiola’s assistant at Manchester City. Arteta did a lot of one-to-one coaching with Sterling, who credits the Spaniard with helping propel him to the most prolific period of his career.

Chelsea, in a sub-optimal negotiating position with the transfer deadline looming, acquiesced to Sterling’s preferences. Arsenal swept in late and secured him on a season-long loan, with a wage contribution that equates to a fraction of his salary at Stamford Bridge.

Simultaneously, Arsenal agreed the loan of Reiss Nelson to Fulham. Arsenal had balanced the books and gained an experienced player hugely admired by Arteta.

It has been a relatively slow start to life at Arsenal for Sterling — which is understandable, given he did not feature for Chelsea at the season’s outset. He has played just 123 Premier League minutes, starting two of the seven league games since he joined the club. Frustratingly, his loan status means he is not eligible to face his parent club this weekend.

Arsenal’s red cards have impacted Sterling, too. He did not get off the bench at the Etihad, when Arsenal were down to 10 men and focused on defence rather than attack. When William Saliba was sent off during the first half against Bournemouth, Arteta sacrificed Sterling to bring on Jakub Kiwior and bolster the back line.


Nevertheless, his absence from recent fixtures has been notable. He played 90 minutes in the Carabao Cup tie at Preston North End but did not feature in the Liverpool match that preceded it, nor the games against Newcastle United and Inter Milan that have followed. The latter two are particularly striking, as they were situations where Arsenal were chasing the game.

“That’s a decision of mine, nothing to do with ‘Raz’,” Arteta said on Friday, adding that Sterling has a big role to play this season. “If somebody got it wrong, it was me. It’s the feeling that you have, the understanding of how you can damage the opponent and picking a different player, a different profile for that moment.”

Creating chances from open play has not come easily to Arsenal of late. On paper at least, Sterling would appear to offer their attack something different. Yet, for now at least, Arteta appears to have other players higher up the pecking order — including 17-year-old prodigy Ethan Nwaneri.


Part of the issue is that Sterling is in direct competition with Saka, the one Arsenal player who seems to play every minute of every game.

Sterling is philosophical about his omission. Faced with the prospect of no game time whatsoever at Chelsea, his situation has unquestionably improved.

He had a very honest, open conversation with Arteta prior to joining, in which the Arsenal manager made it plain that Sterling would have to earn his place. Sterling’s response was that he would give everything, and be ready when the manager needed him.

It was enough to convince Arteta. “After 10 seconds, I knew already before the next questions that we needed him here,” said the Arsenal manager in September.

Sterling is enjoying life at Arsenal. The move was a best-case scenario for him: he has joined an elite club with a positive environment. From the first training session, Sterling was struck by how high the standards were. He is working with a coach he trusts. What’s more, he has not had to uproot his family — in fact, his son was already part of Arsenal’s academy.


As one of the more experienced players in the squad, he is relishing the opportunity to work alongside Arsenal’s younger players. Sterling is a relaxed presence around the training ground, willing to engage with academy players and established internationals alike.

He still hopes to return to the England squad, but recognises the attacking positions are highly competitive. The impending arrival of Thomas Tuchel could be a positive for Sterling — the German was manager when Chelsea paid £47.5million ($61.4m) to sign him in July 2022. He needs to be playing regular football first.

That is the immediate focus. None of the relevant parties have yet given much consideration to what happens when Sterling’s one-year loan expires. His lucrative contract with Chelsea runs until 2027, and another compromise will likely be required to move him on permanently.

Before that, Sterling is waiting for more opportunities at Arsenal. If his role is to support the squad he is willing to embrace it — it’s a lot better than no game time and training with the under-21s.

The season is long, and full of twists and turns. A player of Sterling’s pedigree and experience knows that his moment may come. His job is simply to be ready.

 

[<<reed>>]

Raheem Sterling: How move from Chelsea to Arsenal happened and what the future holds

The winger moved late in the summer window and has hardly featured but is comfortable with his role under Mikel Arteta

www.nytimes.com

Spoiler: Raheem Sterling: How move from Chelsea to Arsenal happened and what the future holds

View attachment 29344


By James McNicholas and Liam Twomey
Nov 9, 2024

It was Friday morning, on the last day of the transfer window, when Edu finally called.

All week, Raheem Sterling had heard whispers of potential interest from north London. Arsenal’s sporting director had discussed Sterling with Mikel Arteta and the rest of the club’s football committee. There were concerns over costs, but no shortage of admiration for Sterling’s talent.


But with Arsenal looking to drive a hard bargain, club-to-club contact between Arsenal and Chelsea only commenced in earnest in the final few hours before the deadline.

Sterling’s circumstances at Chelsea had become untenable. Unlike at Manchester City, where the club had engaged him in open and ongoing dialogue about a potential departure, the situation at Stamford Bridge changed dramatically in the final weeks of the transfer window. Having featured prominently during Chelsea’s pre-season tour of the United States, he was informed by head coach Enzo Maresca shortly after the club’s final friendly against Inter Milan at Stamford Bridge that he was not in the Italian’s plans for the new campaign.

There had been scepticism, to put it mildly, within the Chelsea hierarchy that Sterling’s production justified the expense of his salary. The club have made a concerted effort to extricate themselves from many of the contracts they handed out during the first summer that followed the takeover, when Todd Boehly operated as interim sporting director. Those deals do not conform to the lower base, highly incentivised salary structure they began to implement in January 2023.

After the friendly against Real Madrid on August 7, the dynamic shifted. The struggles of their wingers in that game (including Sterling) crystallised the feeling at Chelsea that urgent upgrades were needed. They moved quickly for Pedro Neto and then for Jadon Sancho when it became clear they could get him on terms they were comfortable with.

When Chelsea kicked off their Premier League campaign against Manchester City, Sterling was not even selected for the matchday squad. He became part of Chelsea’s infamous ‘bomb squad’ — a group of 13 unwanted players asked to train away from the rest of the first team.

Publicly — and in a conversation between the two men at Cobham — Maresca took responsibility for Sterling’s omission. “I’m not saying Raheem is not a good player but I prefer a different kind of winger,” he said in a press conference before Chelsea’s Conference League play-off first leg against Servette.

Raheem Sterling played regularly in pre-season for Chelsea (Darren Walsh/Chelsea FC via Getty Images)

Sterling, however, was convinced this was a club decision — an attempt to force him out of Stamford Bridge for financial reasons.

He was willing to leave, but only for a club that matched his ambition. Juventus and Napoli expressed interest and there were offers from teams in the Saudi Pro League, but the player was insistent: Saudi Arabia was not an option. At 29, he felt he still had much to offer in European football.


There were exploratory talks with Manchester United over a possible swap with Sancho. Sterling would have been prepared to join — he was a United fan in his youth — but had concerns over the possibility of going from an unstable environment to join a new regime still finding its feet, with a manager whose position looked somewhat perilous. United also had financial fair play considerations, and were worried about making the numbers work.

Arsenal, however, appeared the perfect fit: a club with a unified leadership, and a defined way of playing. He knew several players well — Oleksandr Zinchenko and Gabriel Jesus from Manchester City, Kai Havertz and Jorginho from Chelsea, and Bukayo Saka and Declan Rice through England.

Crucially, Sterling has an excellent relationship with Arteta, who served as Pep Guardiola’s assistant at Manchester City. Arteta did a lot of one-to-one coaching with Sterling, who credits the Spaniard with helping propel him to the most prolific period of his career.

Chelsea, in a sub-optimal negotiating position with the transfer deadline looming, acquiesced to Sterling’s preferences. Arsenal swept in late and secured him on a season-long loan, with a wage contribution that equates to a fraction of his salary at Stamford Bridge.

Simultaneously, Arsenal agreed the loan of Reiss Nelson to Fulham. Arsenal had balanced the books and gained an experienced player hugely admired by Arteta.

It has been a relatively slow start to life at Arsenal for Sterling — which is understandable, given he did not feature for Chelsea at the season’s outset. He has played just 123 Premier League minutes, starting two of the seven league games since he joined the club. Frustratingly, his loan status means he is not eligible to face his parent club this weekend.

Arsenal’s red cards have impacted Sterling, too. He did not get off the bench at the Etihad, when Arsenal were down to 10 men and focused on defence rather than attack. When William Saliba was sent off during the first half against Bournemouth, Arteta sacrificed Sterling to bring on Jakub Kiwior and bolster the back line.


Nevertheless, his absence from recent fixtures has been notable. He played 90 minutes in the Carabao Cup tie at Preston North End but did not feature in the Liverpool match that preceded it, nor the games against Newcastle United and Inter Milan that have followed. The latter two are particularly striking, as they were situations where Arsenal were chasing the game.

“That’s a decision of mine, nothing to do with ‘Raz’,” Arteta said on Friday, adding that Sterling has a big role to play this season. “If somebody got it wrong, it was me. It’s the feeling that you have, the understanding of how you can damage the opponent and picking a different player, a different profile for that moment.”

Creating chances from open play has not come easily to Arsenal of late. On paper at least, Sterling would appear to offer their attack something different. Yet, for now at least, Arteta appears to have other players higher up the pecking order — including 17-year-old prodigy Ethan Nwaneri.


Part of the issue is that Sterling is in direct competition with Saka, the one Arsenal player who seems to play every minute of every game.

Sterling is philosophical about his omission. Faced with the prospect of no game time whatsoever at Chelsea, his situation has unquestionably improved.

He had a very honest, open conversation with Arteta prior to joining, in which the Arsenal manager made it plain that Sterling would have to earn his place. Sterling’s response was that he would give everything, and be ready when the manager needed him.

It was enough to convince Arteta. “After 10 seconds, I knew already before the next questions that we needed him here,” said the Arsenal manager in September.

Sterling is enjoying life at Arsenal. The move was a best-case scenario for him: he has joined an elite club with a positive environment. From the first training session, Sterling was struck by how high the standards were. He is working with a coach he trusts. What’s more, he has not had to uproot his family — in fact, his son was already part of Arsenal’s academy.


As one of the more experienced players in the squad, he is relishing the opportunity to work alongside Arsenal’s younger players. Sterling is a relaxed presence around the training ground, willing to engage with academy players and established internationals alike.

He still hopes to return to the England squad, but recognises the attacking positions are highly competitive. The impending arrival of Thomas Tuchel could be a positive for Sterling — the German was manager when Chelsea paid £47.5million ($61.4m) to sign him in July 2022. He needs to be playing regular football first.

That is the immediate focus. None of the relevant parties have yet given much consideration to what happens when Sterling’s one-year loan expires. His lucrative contract with Chelsea runs until 2027, and another compromise will likely be required to move him on permanently.

Before that, Sterling is waiting for more opportunities at Arsenal. If his role is to support the squad he is willing to embrace it — it’s a lot better than no game time and training with the under-21s.

The season is long, and full of twists and turns. A player of Sterling’s pedigree and experience knows that his moment may come. His job is simply to be ready.

The usual suspects told me Arteta didn't want Sterling

 

[Deleted member x1214]

The usual suspects told me Arteta didn't want Sterling

I know, it's very annoying.

 

[teamsoutheast]

Exclusive: Arsenal have raised Raheem Sterling training ground concerns

Arsenal have raised concerns about Raheem Sterling's performances in training amid a new twist at the Emirates.

www.footballinsider247.com

Seems like he's way off the pace according to this article. He didn't have much of a pre-season so I expect him not to be ready and I can't see him being properly fit until at least mid-December. Arteta needs legs in his wingers. Anthony Gordon/Harvey Barnes would be his ideal type IMO.

 

[shoot for the top]

Exclusive: Arsenal have raised Raheem Sterling training ground concerns

Arsenal have raised concerns about Raheem Sterling's performances in training amid a new twist at the Emirates.

www.footballinsider247.com

Seems like he's way off the pace according to this article. He didn't have much of a pre-season so I expect him not to be ready and I can't see him being properly fit until at least mid-December. Arteta needs legs in his wingers. Anthony Gordon/Harvey Barnes would be his ideal type IMO.

So we are paying the man for half a season to sit him on the bench? That makes no sense. Also, what player is going to want to play for you after sitting on the bench for half a season?

 

[teamsoutheast]

So we are paying the man for half a season to sit him on the bench? That makes no sense. Also, what player is going to want to play for you after sitting on the bench for half a season?

Sterling is still a top class player, I have no doubt about that and he was treated a little harshly by Chelsea so it was still worth the gamble IMO. There wasn't anyone else better on the market at the time so a dry loan with no obligation is OK.

 

[Big Poppa]

I swear Arteta’s the reverse of Wenger. We needed top tier defensive replacements for years but he only pulled out the wallet for luxury attacking players, while shopping in the bargain bin for defenders like Silvestre and Squillaci & over relying on youth.

We need Wengteta.

 

[db10_therza]

The usual suspects told me Arteta didn't want Sterling

I know, it's very annoying.

I don’t think anyone comes that Arteta didn’t “bless” but reading that it seems Edu lead initially no?

Who gives a fk anyway it’s all the same really

 

[freeglennhelder2]

Exclusive: Arsenal have raised Raheem Sterling training ground concerns

Arsenal have raised concerns about Raheem Sterling's performances in training amid a new twist at the Emirates.

www.footballinsider247.com

Seems like he's way off the pace according to this article. He didn't have much of a pre-season so I expect him not to be ready and I can't see him being properly fit until at least mid-December. Arteta needs legs in his wingers. Anthony Gordon/Harvey Barnes would be his ideal type IMO.

https://twitter.com/i/web/status/1854956812732092870

 

[Menard]

The article is pure speculation from a "former scout," hardly anything authoritative, but there certainly is something strange about how little game time he's gotten. All the chat when we signed him was that he'd shown up blowing people away in training with how hungry/motivared he looked etc etc so either he's truly got some personal fitness issues or he's already decided to just coast out the season.

Mikel loves to talk about bench players not being substitutes but "finishers" yet there's no way to convince me Sterling wouldn't have offered more in the last 20 minutes than a gassed Martinelli/Leo over the last few games - unless his physical level truly is very very low.

 

[Rasmi]

The usual suspects told me Arteta didn't want Sterling

Edu said he took the initiative after seeing the squad short. I would never expect Arteta to say it openly. But Edus own word says a lot

But we always say to everyone that you have to be prepared for every single scenario. So when that opportunity came to me, and I checked the squad, I checked how he plays, and spoke to Mikel [Arteta] of course

Last day of the window I think he overwrote Arteta same as he did with bringing in Neto over Garcia. This imo played part in Edu leaving. But more importantly Arteta has not treated Sterling as a player he wanted. He took him to Italy in a game we were losing and didn’t even give him few minutes. Instead he let a knackered Martinelli finish the game

 

[fute]

Could be the case that Arteta thought it was a great idea because he liked Sterling as an assistant with City and now he has changed his mind.

Maybe he is saving Sterling for later. Plays him sometimes and than other times he doesn't. Like he does with Jorginho.

With Edu gone, there will be no uncertainty as to what goes down with signings moving forward.

 

[Mrs Bergkamp]

I swear Arteta’s the reverse of Wenger. We needed top tier defensive replacements for years but he only pulled out the wallet for luxury attacking players, while shopping in the bargain bin for defenders like Silvestre and Squillaci & over relying on youth.

We need Wengteta.

I prefer Grahamweng. We'd have defence, an attack and that glorious thing called a midfield.

 

[Mrs Bergkamp]

Exclusive: Arsenal have raised Raheem Sterling training ground concerns

Arsenal have raised concerns about Raheem Sterling's performances in training amid a new twist at the Emirates.

www.footballinsider247.com

Seems like he's way off the pace according to this article. He didn't have much of a pre-season so I expect him not to be ready and I can't see him being properly fit until at least mid-December. Arteta needs legs in his wingers. Anthony Gordon/Harvey Barnes would be his ideal type IMO.

I know he hasn't played in a while but it's over two months since we signed him. That's a longer pre season than the players who went to the Euros. Ode has been our two months and got 90 minutes before him too. He looks like another unwanted, discarded toy only this one's barely out of the box.

 

[Rasmi]

This smells like hit job by the club. Sterling is struggling while Trossard and Martinelli are doing well…Sure

 

[db10_therza]

This smells like hit job by the club. Sterling is struggling while Trossard and Martinelli are doing well…Sure

Why would they issue a hit job on someone they’ve literally just signed? It’s not a conspiracy every day you know.