Chelsea winger Raheem Sterling has been linked with a surprise move to Arsenal that would see him reunite with Mikel Arteta. The England international has struggled so far for the Blues, suffering with a mixture of injuries as well as a host of position changes in a side low on confidence.
Sterling joined the west London outfit from Manchester City last summer, but just four goals and two assists in the Premier League in 18 appearances has underlined the task facing Graham Potter and a misfiring Chelsea. "I think it has been a challenge for him," The manager said on the season so far for the 28-year-old back in January.
“It has been a challenging period for everybody. There is a lot of change and a lot of things have happened. In that regard it is never easy to completely settle and hit the ground running. There is more to come from Raheem I am sure. But he gives his best everyday and we need to help him get to the level we know he can get to.”
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The links to Arsenal then come as something as a shock, with the experienced winger still settling into his role at Stamford Bridge. That's also not to mention where he would fit in the side at the Emirates Stadium, with plenty of quality in depth across their current frontline.
However, should a move be on the table, it may be one that both Sterling and Arsenal are willing to pursue, reuniting with Arteta once again. The forward has already made his feelings clear on the manager, having praised him after working with him at Manchester City.
"The manager [Pep Guardiola] trusted him [Arteta] here and he had a lot of influence on the players here and the team as well," Sterling said back in 2020. "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."
That change has certainly continued to take shape in the three years since then, transforming the Gunners from mid-table finishers to title contenders once again. Whether a familiar face in Sterling joins the journey on their way to glory once again remains to be seen though.
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