Arsenal have reportedly made enquiries for Manchester City duo Raheem Sterling and Riyad Mahrez as they look to freshen up their attacking options.
According to a report from Eurosport, Arsenal could be plotting a double raid on reigning Premier League champions Manchester City this summer and have already made enquiries for the possibility of signing star attackers Raheem Sterling and Riyad Mahrez.
After what was a season to forget for Arsenal in 2020/21, it seems like the Gunners are showing great ambition in the transfer market despite having no European football to offer for the upcoming campaign. Reinforcements across all areas of the pitch are being lined up by manager Mikel Arteta, as he looks to take the north Londoners back in the top four and challenge for trophies.
Arsenal, as things stand, boast a plethora of options in their attacking unit with the likes of Nicolas Pepe, Bukayo Saka, Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, Gabriel Martinelli, Emile Smith Rowe and Willian all capable of playing in the wide areas. However, apart from Saka and Smith Rowe, and to an extent, Pepe, none of them had a 2020/21 campaign worth remembering.
Captain Aubameyang struggled out on the left wing as well as his preferred centre-forward role, Martinelli was once again blighted by injuries while the less said about Willian’s disastrous debut season with Arsenal the better. So, it should not come as a surprise that Arteta is looking to beef up his attacking options this summer, with Mahrez and Sterling emerging on their radars.
Riyad Mahrez enjoyed a solid 2020/21 season and was one of the key contributors in Manchester City’s league and cup double, finishing with 14 goals and nine assists in 48 games. Sterling, meanwhile, started the campaign on a strong note but was overlooked for a few important games towards the back end of the season by Pep Guardiola. Even then, he posted impressive numbers of 14 goals and 12 assists in 49 appearances.
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Both players are contracted with the Premier League champions till the summer of 2022 and are intent on staying at the Etihad Stadium beyond this summer. To that end, they will hold discussions over their futures next month when the pre-season kicks off. The report further adds that neither Mahrez nor Sterling would be interested in making a move to Arsenal this summer.
Arsenal seem to be willing to go big in the transfer market if need be this summer and have been linked with a move for the in-demand England defender Ben White. However, with no European football on offer, signing Sterling and Mahrez is very much unlikely to see the light of the day, with the Gunners better off looking at more approachable targets like FC Porto’s Jesus Corona.
