Raheem Sterling decision blamed for Arsenal transfer issue as Gary Neville offers theory

Raheem Sterling has failed to impress during his loan spell at Arsenal with the winger yet to get off the mark in the Premier League this season

Gary Neville questioned Arsenal’s desire to sign Raheem Sterling before claiming the winger’s loan spell contributed to the club’s lack of business in the January transfer window.

The 30-year-old signed on deadline day last summer from Chelsea to provide added depth to Mikel Arteta’s attacking line. Despite Sterling’s experience in the Premier League – where he’s spent his entire footballing career – he’s disappointed in north London with just one goal in 21 appearances across all competitions.

The signing of the four-time Premier League winner came after Arsenal failed to sign a striker despite consistent links to Newcastle’s Alexander Isak and RB Leipzig’s Benjamin Sesko. Bringing in Sterling just a day before the end of the window led Neville to believe that his arrival was more about adding to squad depth rather than targeting a player to drastically improve Arsenal’s attacking collection.

Speaking on the Stick to Football podcast, brought to you by Sky Bet, the Manchester United icon claimed: “I’m not sure the club wanted to sign Sterling. I think Arteta’s thought, ‘I can get him centre forward, left wing, right wing’ and he’s gone in there and said ‘he’s my cover for those three positions.'”

Neville has suggested that given how pear-shaped the decision to sign Sterling has turned out, it’s caused the Gunners chiefs to stray away from any other potential deals, despite the growing injury list among forwards.

“I think what’s happened is they’ve backed him and I think it’s put them off doing another deal in January of the same ilk because they’re thinking, ‘Well we’ve already brought in Raheem in so if you’re not going to use him, what’s the point of adding someone else,'” he said. “Then all of a sudden, Havertz gets injured, and you’re done.”

With Havertz and Gabriel Jesus out with season-ending injuries, and Bukayo Saka and Gabriel Martinelli currently missing with hamstring problems, Sterling began seeing more time on the pitch and started in Arsenal’s 2-0 win over Leicester City last month.

The England international was replaced by Mikel Merino, who scored both goals in the tight win, as Arteta remained defiant after full-time that Sterling still has a major role to play despite an underwhelming first half of the season in north London.

“Yes, and he has to have it because we really need him,” the Spaniard said. “But we are all behind him, we are the best for him and it’s going to be really important and we need his best. And we need the players only with that mindset to be here to impact the team.”

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