London

Chelsea winger Raheem Sterling has joined Arsenal on a season-long loan after a deal sheet was submitted to finalize the transfer beyond the August 30 deadline. The Premier League transfer window closed on that day, but clubs had two extra hours if they had a deal sheet in place before the 11 pm BST cutoff.

Arsenal confirmed Sterling’s arrival, stating that Raheem Sterling has joined us on a season-long loan from Chelsea. Everyone at Arsenal welcomes Raheem to the club. The transfer is subject to the completion of regulatory processes.

Sterling, 29, had featured in every pre-season match for Chelsea but was unexpectedly left out of their squad for the Premier League opener against Manchester City. Chelsea head coach Enzo Maresca, who had previously praised Sterling as a key player, admitted he preferred a different kind of winger for the season.

Sterling, who joined Chelsea in 2022 from Manchester City, has a distinguished career, including four Premier League titles and five League Cups. He has made 379 Premier League appearances, scoring 123 goals and providing 63 assists. Sterling was also named FWA Footballer of the Year in 2018/19 and included in the PFA Team of the Year.

At Arsenal, Sterling will reunite with Mikel Arteta, his former manager at Manchester City. Arteta has spoken highly of Sterling, praising their strong relationship and his impact on their previous collaboration. Sterling also has 82 caps for England and played a vital role in their Euro 2020 runner-up finish.