Raheem Sterling says he’s excited to join forces with Mikel Arteta again and is relishing the challenge of competing for game time as part of a hungry Arsenal squad.
After seeing his loan move from Chelsea confirmed in the early hours of Saturday morning, Sterling was present at Emirates Stadium to watch his new teammates draw 1-1 with Brighton. It’s understood he visited the dressing room at full-time to say his hellos and was at London Colney yesterday to start the process of bedding into his new surroundings.
Given so many players are away on Interlull duty it’s likely to be a quiet start, however, with a north London derby on the horizon, the intensity is sure to ramp up very quickly next week.
In his first interview as a Gunner, Sterling said: “It’s an unbelievable feeling, really exciting. I’m buzzing.
“It [the move] was left late, but it was one I was hoping for. Looking at everything, I’m just like, this is a perfect fit for me. I’m super happy that we got it over the line.”
He added: “I spoke with Edu and you can see the real togetherness from Mikel’s time here, you can see the journey that the boys are on, and you can see the hunger. The togetherness is something I’m looking to be a part of.”
Sterling and Arteta worked together for three and a half years at the Etihad and the Spaniard is credited with helping the England international to the next level as City cleaned up on the domestic front. The pair will be hoping their relationship is similarly fruitful this time around.
“He’s a top guy, a top character,” said Sterling. “I’ve been watching his journey because I spent some time with him at Manchester City, and to see him come in here and stamp his mark on this amazing football club, with this amazing history, it says a lot about him and the great job he is doing here.
“I’m really excited. There are always challenges and this is another challenge. It’s one that I’m relishing and I’ll really go out there and do my thing.”
“To be at a football club like this, where you can see that hunger and desire year on year, that they’re pushing and pushing and pushing. That’s exactly how I am as a person. Each day you want to get better, each year you want to do better than the previous year.
“Hopefully, I can gel really well with the boys and get going.”
Potentially a fantastic bargain, given his wages and record of winning trophies. Let’s hope he brings that to us this season.
Well that makes one of us. Feels like this was a lazy option in an area we didn’t spend enough time on.
I told you we’d sign him…
Also, did you ever stop to think that:
– we didn’t have funds.
– the player we want isn’t available
I find it odd how you’re so critical of a club who has proven that they know what they’re doing.
Willian.
Magnets.
Sorry, I thought we were just saying irrelevant things.
Donkey
Hilarious. Your comment.
HOW DO THEY WORK
Havertz
And here’s me thinking it’s borderline genius. Maybe our primary target (Williams?!) didn’t want to move our we thought the transfer fee / wages are unsustainable. Maybe we F’d up. Either way, we opted for a very experienced player who’s definitely floor-raiser (compared to Reiss as Saka’s backup) and I wouldn’t be that surprised if he raised the ceiling at LW as well. And here’s the fun part: Chelsea is basically paying us to play him. We have zero long term commitment: if it goes well, great. If not, he’s gone next summer and we can move on to a… Read more »
100% 👍
You hear so much about floors and ceilings. Where is the mythical walls extending player? Our floor is just fine thanks very much, it’s all about a longer or wider room for me.
Yep – some numpty mentioned Willian… this (and King Kai) are truly payback for that fiasco.
It’s crazy to me that William is still used as a stick to beat the club’s transfer policy. Have you considered: 1. Willian was a free transfer, Sterling is a loan. Chelsea is paying him 10 million in the next year to play for us. 2. Willian was bought to be first choice, Sterling will have to earn his place among an already established forward line. We won’t rely on him at all, so whatever he gives us will be a bonus on top of last season’s output. 3. Willian was played inside, a brand new position at the age… Read more »
See, I get all that. But this is a signing that does not give us an edge on city. It’s not a signing to win the league with. Sorry, but it just isn’t. Instead it’s a bargain etc etc
He must be so relieved to escape that clusterfuck, and come to a proper club.
Always liked him – he’s a proper, driven pro. Watch this space, Chelsk!
“I am super happy… I am REALLY excited this got over the line… I hope to be a part of that togetherness.” I like to pay attention to what people say and you can tell he is really delighted to be a part of our group (to be fair, that’s easy, considering the “club” he is coming from.) People often talk great about Mikel’s exploit on the pitch, but one thing I am ALWAYS grateful for is the work he has done with this club off the pitch too. He said a lot of things from day 1 when he… Read more »
Yes!
I looked in that man’s eyes when he said “non negotiable”, and I knew he was the man for the job
From what I saw he was Chelsea’s only good player for a good portion of last season. Not sure what happened for him to fall out of favour like he did. Maybe he had enough of carrying that shit team with its shit owners and shit fans week in week out? Who wouldn’t?
Welcome, Raheem, and fuck Chelsea!
Uhm, Palmer?
he still managed to score 14 goals and 8 assists for Chelsea in one of their worst eras ever, which is a pretty decent return if you ask me. Let’s hope he does even better for us.
I think he will bring a lot to our team going forward, but I fear if we have to play him in games against the top 6, he will be a weak link defensively. Hopefully he starts all the cup games and a provides some backup to Saka, Martinelli, and Trossard.
Will we see him start in the derby? With Rice out, an option would be to move Odegaard to midfield alongside Partey. Sterling could do a job behind front three but it could be deemed too much too soon. Let’s hope Merino makes a quick recovery in time for the game. A Partey – Jorginho midfield might not be enough. More than the two points dropped last weekend, that red card has put us in a serious disarray for the derby. Fuck Cavanaugh!
No chance of Merino making a quick recovery if the latest news is anything to go by. It’s six to eight weeks for him! Hard luck
it’ll probably be Partey, Ødegaard an Havertz in midfield, and Saka, Trossard, Martinelli upfront
He looks really happy and motivated, with a point to prove. I think Edu has done a really good job, this deal is certainly good for Arsenal. Sterling is a player I never even thought about until the news started breaking at the last possible minute, but there aren’t really any downsides to this deal and I’m looking forward to see how he does.
I am sure this is the least relevant thing, but it is bothering me, and I have to say it: We shouldn’t give him the number 10 shirt. First of all, he is not a Ten, and second, he has not earned it. I hope that next season Nwaneri gets the number, and Sterling (who I hope excels this season and we manage to save him from living under that bridge) gets permanently something else, 31 (his Liverpool number) or whatever.
I remember noticing when he went from Liverpool that after a couple of years at City his understanding of the game and especially his finishing and last-ball decision-making improved dramatically. (Googling it, he scored 6 and 7 league goals, then 18, 17, and 20.) There must have been other factors, but it fits pretty neatly with Mikel Areta’s influence.
If is perfect hybrid of trossard and martinelli.
*He
I hope he’s gonna rather bring Benayun, not Willian vibe and display on season long loan
Willian wasn’t even a loan…
Sterling is here now so we have to give him a chance to show us what he can do. But… This is such a disappointing signing considering what was needed this summer. Everyone and his mother knows that we need a quality striker to take us to that next level. Everyone Except Arteta. If this Sterling signing works out then it will give us cover for both Saka and Martinelli, but it won’t help to make us more lethal up front. We only drew on Saturday because we fluffed golden chances. A quality striker gets us two more points. Bizarrely,… Read more »
Don’t think there’s a striker available, they made a bid for Sesko who looked raw in the euros. No European team wanted any part of Toney, don’t think Osimhen is it, gyorekes was playing for Coventry 18 months ago and no premier league team took a shot at him. The no.9 is sort of disappearing from football, there’s not many good ones around.
Personally, I like young Ferguson at Brighton. I also wouldn’t have said no to trying to get Osimhen from Napoli who has just agreed to a one season loan at Galatasaray. Wingers-wise, i find it incredible Liverpool were able to get chiesa for 10m. Potential deal of the season. Yilmaz at gala is another I’d have taken a run at if Nico Williams was truly not available. In the end, I don’t rate the sterling deal and think we were much more financially constrained than we think. I’m just fed up singing city rejects that Arteta loves. We won’t beat… Read more »
Chiesa was a strange one, Juventus seemed too keen to get rid of him. Ferguson’s a good shout though not sure how much of a difference he would have made this season. Arteta doesn’t seem to be a fan of traditional style centre forwards.
Osimhen on a season-long loan was a no-brainier
including his 500‘000 bucks a week?
Exactly. Overpaid diva who had 1 good season.
Ah, so you guys keep calling for a striker as our own answer to Haaland, but all you then come up are Osimhen (who seems so problematic that despite his obvious talent wasn’t able to land another top5 leagues job) and Ferguson, who is yet to score more than 6 goals in a Premier League season.
As you were.
Exactly.
So you don’t think we need a striker like Haaland to really go toe-to-toe with City?
As you were.
I mean, you can’t really say no to a striker like Haaland.
So let’s say yes.
Now let’s name that striker!
which one? toney? osimhen?
Off topic, Surely Declan Rice should cry off international duty and allow himself recover from the weekend assault he endured. might teach the governing bodies a lesson. Won’t hold my breath..
And you know he won’t do it. Sometimes he’s just too goody two shoes and we love him for that but still …
He has enough hatred directed towards him for not signing with some approved big club like Liverpool, Man U (lol), Manc115er Citeh or Spuddenham (double lol) already.
He’s clearly still got a point to prove. Not yet 30, told he’s not wanted by Chelsea and not selected for England. He’ll want to be back in the England sqaud and a hungry and fired up Sterling is just what we need.
100% a smart move. Edu and co responded really well to a strange market. Means we can move freely for a big signing next summer if needed / available. #trusttheprocess
I was hoping none of players got selected for England spot. Good it’s one less at least.
At his best he is an excellent player, maybe not Saka level now but more than capable of 15+ goals this season. And he is very tricky in the box and might win us a few penalties
It must feel great for him. I would imagine that for him it’s like one day you’re driving in a big American luxury truck that has lots of (useless) gadgets and whistles. Yet it’s clunky, slow, and not overly practical. Everything you touch, including the door pull, squeaks. And suddenly, you’re now driving this smooth, fast, flavorful Italian sports car. It’s compact, it’s hand made with high quality. It’s top of the line and unique. It hits top speeds, takes the turns nicely, and has just enough gadgets to keep you motivated to hit that extra mile. No long one… Read more »