The Gunners secured the signing of the England forward on transfer deadline day, on loan without paying a loan fee which Chelsea were understood to having wanted in order for Raheem Sterling to make the move across London. Arsenal sporting director Edu Gasper brilliantly struck a deal with Chelsea for the loan signing of Sterling without a loan fee and Chelsea covering majority of his weekly wages in the tune of over 70% of the forward weekly salary, which in context mean Chelsea are paying Sterling just for him to play for the Gunners.
Sterling, having made a substitute appearance off the bench against Tottenham and Manchester City in the league was given a full debut by coach Mikel Arteta in the Gunners Carabao cup tie against Bolton at the Emirate on Wednesday night and the wide man having set up Ethan Nwaneri for the teenager first goal for Arsenal then added a fourth goal for Arsenal on the night after brilliant work from Bukayo Saka down the right hand side just after Bolton had earlier pulled a goal back after the Gunners made it 3-0 on the night. Sterling added a fourth before substitute Kai Harvetz scored the Gunners fifth, tapping home the rebound after Sterling shot was blocked in the box. Arsenal went on to win 5-1 and will play Preston away in the next round of the Carabao cup. Next up for the Gunners is a home tie against Leceister in the League and Arteta will hope to have David Raya back in goal with the Spainard nursing a small muscle injury which he picked up towards the end of the City match on Sunday. Mikel Arteta on Raya’s injury: “We don’t know yet. He’s got a muscular injury so we need to check”.
