ARSENAL have signed Raheem Sterling from Chelsea on a season-long loan.
The Gunners have brought in Sterling after he was frozen out at Stamford Bridge by new boss Enzo Maresca.
The 82-time England international had been left out of the Chelsea squad for all their competitive games so far this season with Maresca explaining that he wouldn’t play a minute under his management.
He arrived at Arsenal’s London Colney HQ for a medical just before the 11pm deadline and a transfer deal sheet was used to officially confirm that a deal has been reached – giving the clubs until 1am to officially tie up the deal.
Sterling had spent the evening locked in talks with Chelsea over how much to pay of his £325,0000-a-week deal which still has three years to run.
Earlier in the day, there appeared to be only a small chance – about 10 per cent – that Sterling would end up at Arsenal, even though it was always a move he was keen on once he realised Chelsea wanted him to leave.
At his pre-match press conference for Saturday’s clash with Brighton, manager Mikel Arteta was asked if Sterling could be signing.
Arteta said: “You know that I cannot talk about another player.”
Now Sterling, 29, reunites with Arteta, having worked with the Arsenal manager during his time at Man City.
The winger’s lifeline comes in the dying embers of the transfer window with Arsenal scrambling to add attacking reinforcements to their thin squad.
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Sterling said on social media: “People like to talk, don’t they? Well so do I. And I’ll say this, you’re about to see the best of me.
The former Manchester City and Liverpool winger added: “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 we got it over the line.
“I spoke with [sporting director] Edu and I said you can see the real togetherness from Mikel’s time here and you see the journey the boys are on.
“You can see the hunger, and I keep saying again, the togetherness is something I’m looking to be a part of.”
Sterling has made 81 appearances for Chelsea and scored 19 goals since joining from Manchester City for £50million in 2022.
He managed eight goals and four assists for Chelsea in the Premier League last season under Mauricio Pochettino.
While across his career for the Blues, Man City and Liverpool he has racked up 123 goals and 62 assists in 379 Prem games.
Sterling is Arsenal’s second signing on transfer deadline day having already announced the arrival of Brazilian goalkeeper Neto from Bournemouth earlier in the day.
Neto also arrives at the Emirates on a season-long loan.
The pair join Riccardo Calafiori and the injured Mikel Merino as Arsenal’s four summer signings.
Chelsea appear to have replaced Sterling with Manchester United‘s Jadon Sancho.
Sancho, who was himself frozen out at Man Utd, has agreed to join the Blues on loan with an obligation to buy after falling out of favour at Old Trafford.
Arsenal were in need of more attacking reinforcements after letting a number of forward-thinking players go during the transfer window.
Emile Smith Rowe headed to Fulham in a £34m deal, while Fabio Vieira returned to Porto on loan for the season.
And Hale End graduate Eddie Nketiah was confirmed as a Crystal Palace player less than 30 minutes before tonight’s deadline passed.
Nketiah’s switch to the Eagles is worth £25m plus £5m in add-ons.
He isn’t the only academy graduate to make a deadline switch either with Reiss Nelson joining Fulham on a season-long loan after a move to Ipswich Town broke down for the winger.
Elsewhere in the squad, goalkeeper Aaron Ramsdale left for newly promoted Southampton earlier on deadline day in a transfer that could rise to £25m.
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