Arsenal scolded for ‘panic buy’ Raheem Sterling amid Chelsea vengeance claim and another Arteta transfer ‘failure’

Arsenal have been told their deadline day signing of Raheem Sterling was made in haste, though the winger’s desire to avenge his Chelsea betrayal could motivate him, while Mikel Arteta has been blasted for failing to address the biggest need within the Gunners ranks.

The 82-times capped England winger moved to Emirates Stadium on a season-long loan deal in a remarkable move that will see his parent club Chelsea receive no money and cover the bulk of the player’s £325,000 a week wages. Having fallen out the first-team picture under Enzo Maresca at Stamford Bridge, the move across London to Arsenal offers Sterling a clean slate and a chance to reunite with his former Man City coach Arteta.

The Gunners do not have a clause to make the 29-year-old’s stay permanent, but it’s believed a positive season could yet persuade the title-chasers to sign up the player on a long-term arrangement next summer and with the player knowing he has burned his bridges at Stamford Bridge, where he remains contracted until 2027.

Sterling will provide significant depth to the Arsenal wing positions, with Bukayo Saka, Gabriel Martinelli and Leandro Trossard all facing additional competition for places in the side as the Gunners look to go one better in the Premier League title race and, at the same time, make serious inroads in the Champions League.

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And while the arrival of the 173-goal winger has been welcomed by most, especially given his know-how and experience when it comes to winning the game’s biggest prizes, former Gunners midfielder Emmanuel Petit is a little less than enthralled.

He claims the signing of Sterling on deadline day was of the result of Arsenal’s failure to land their other top targets, though he does suggest they could be landing on a fired-up player determined to exact vengeance on Chelsea for his treatment of him.

Petit claims Sterling was a panic buy for Arsenal

Discussing the deadline day deal, Petit said: “I think Raheem Sterling was a panic buy from Arsenal. They just wanted to get someone in before the transfer window closed. They were looking at so many different players for months and didn’t get any of them, including a number nine.

“Everyone knows the quality that Sterling can produce and everyone knows what to expect from him, in both a good and bad way on the pitch. He doesn’t behave badly off the pitch and he always tries to give 100%, but sometimes he has so many bad qualities including his consistency.

“Arsenal needed to sign a winger to bring competition for Leandro Trossard and Gabriel Martinelli, but I honestly think this was just a panic buy. He could be a good addition to the team because he has played under and learned from Pep Guardiola. Mikel Arteta plays exactly the same style, so Sterling knows exactly what Arteta will be expecting from him on the pitch.

“Arteta also knows that Sterling will be wanting revenge after what happened at Chelsea. If I were him, I’d be very upset and I’d be trying my hardest on the pitch to prove them wrong, exactly like Kai Havertz did. It was a pity to see what Chelsea did to both of those players.”

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Petit also feels Arsenal could be made to pay for their failure to land a new No 9 over the summer window.

And while Havertz has proved his doubters wrong and is more than capable of leading the line, the fact they do not have an elite goalscoring centre forward in their ranks could prove costly.

“I have been very happy with Kai Havertz’s performances, but he’s not a natural striker,” said Petit. “When Arsenal aren’t playing well they become predictable and we saw that against Brighton.

“They need a plan B, a typical striker up front who can create more options for the midfielders and attackers around him. They needed something different and they didn’t get it.”

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In terms of what they do next, Petit is not sure and admits there will be an element of doubt among the Arsenal board too in terms of which players they target in 2025.

“At the moment, Arteta and his staff are at a crossroads. There are many directions in which they could go, but they have to make sure they take the right one.

“I have full confidence in Arteta and Edu because they work so well together. But they will know that not signing a striker in this window was a failure.”