Arsenal have been linked with Manchester City winger Raheem Sterling but according to Rio Ferdinand, this move is a distant dream for the Gunners.
Over the past few days, it’s being claimed by various English media houses that the Gunners will try and make a move for Sterling next summer and they even hope to get their hands on him.
The arrival of Jack Grealish could have a negative impact on Sterling’s career at Man City which is why the England international could be ready to move out at the end of the season.
But according to Ferdinand, Raheem Sterling is not likely to choose a move to Arsenal.
He told his YouTube channel: “I will say it now. If Raheem, if he continues like this, Raheem will not be there next season. He can’t sit on the bench, he is not that type of guy. He is a winner, he wants to win.
“Tottenham can’t get in the mix, Arsenal can’t get in the mix with a Sterling right now.”
Raheem Sterling is still seeing a lot of game time this season, featuring in seven Premier League games. But there’s no denying his place in the first XI is under massive threat now that Pep has signed Jack Grealish.
View this post on Instagram
Sterling will have to be at the top of his game throughout the campaign as any lapse will immediately push him down the pecking order. And a player of his calibre will never be satisfied in warming the benches.
But having said that, we really do not think a club like Arsenal will be able to sign Raheem Sterling next summer. Surely they can try but the first and obvious stumbling block will be the transfer fee(the 26-year-old’s contract expires in 2023 and he’s valued at £81 million).
The Gunners are yet to sort out their mess and with no Champions League football to offer, it will be very hard for Mikel Arteta to convince the winger on a move.
Also, if the 26-year-old does decide to make a move out of Manchester City then there’s a lot of top European clubs who will be more than happy to bring him on board.
There’s still a long way to go to ring any alarm bells but there’s no doubt that Arsenal will be keeping a close eye on the whole Raheem Sterling situation for the next few months.
