Arteta fuels shock signing rumours after Scholes urges Arsenal to make perfect ‘squad addition’

Paul Scholes believes signing unwanted Chelsea star Raheem Sterling would ‘improve’ Premier League title contenders Arsenal and Mikel Arteta’s comments on Friday may just have backed that up.

Sterling’s career at Stamford Bridge appears all but over after he was left out of their Premier League opener against Manchester City and then banished from training with the rest of the first-team squad.

The 29-year-old England international was expected to feature heavily for new Chelsea boss Enzo Maresca this season but ended up publically seeking clarity over his future at the club last weekend after being omitted from the squad to face his old club Manchester City at Stamford Bridge.

Maresca initially played down Sterling’s absence but confirmed earlier this week that the experienced winger is no longer training with the first team and admitted he can now find a new club, along with left-back Ben Chilwell.

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That has left Sterling around a week to find a new club before the summer transfer window closes on Friday August 30, with several foreign and Premier League clubs now exploring a deal.

Indeed, while Aston Villa are believed to be in talks, TEAMtalk can reveal that Crystal Palace are looking to make a move of their own as part of a double deal.

Arsenal urged to move for Sterling

However, Scholes believes Arsenal could do worse than bringing Sterling to north London.

The Gunners were actually linked with a move for the attacker 12 months ago and Scholes insists he would ‘improve’ a squad that is attempting to finally win the Premier League after running City close for the last two campaigns.

“I think he’d improve your [Arsenal’s] squad,” the Manchester United legend said on The Overlap with Sky Bet. “I don’t think he’d improve the team, I don’t think he’d be a starter.

“But then again I do think you need those numbers, you need 16 or 17 players. It’s ok having 12, 13, 14 that are good, and if they stay fit then great you’ve got a good chance, but you still have to go deeper into your squad.

“And I think Sterling would be a good squad player for them.”

Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta has worked with Sterling before, when he was a coach under Pep Guardiola at City, and seemingly fuelled talk of a surprise move for the player at his press conference for Saturday’s trip to Aston Villa.

“My time with him was exceptional,” Arteta said. “I think we built a really strong relationship together.

“He was unbelievable at the time we worked together and he taught me a lot as well about individuals and how players think, how we give them support and help them.

“He’s someone that I really have strong feelings about.”

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If he did move to north London, the best Sterling could hope for would be a back-up role behind first-choice wingers Gabriel Martinelli and Bukayo Saka while he would also have to take a significant pay cut.