Arsenal are in pole position to secure the services of Manchester City star Raheem Sterling, who is also being linked with a move to Tottenham.
According to The Sun, Tottenham Hotspur are in contention to sign Raheem Sterling, as Manchester City prepare to offer him and Gabriel Jesus, in addition to cash, in the hopes of signing Harry Kane this summer. Arsenal, though, could scupper that plan as they are leading the race to sign the winger instead.
It is believed that Sterling’s exorbitant £300k-a-week wages could pose a problem for Spurs, where the Gunners are more than willing to meeting the attacker’s demands. The fact that Mikel Arteta used to be an assistant coach at Manchester City also works in favour of Arsenal, as far as the pursuit of Sterling is concerned.
There are no doubts about the fact that the north London giants are desperate to improve their ranks this summer, especially in the offensive department. While Nicolas Pepe did step up to the plate during the final phase of the campaign, players like Willian and Reiss Nelson did not live up to the expectations at all while Mesut Ozil was sold in January.
The German’s departure, though, does mean that Arsenal can now afford Sterling’s expensive wages. The Englishman is already a good match from a sporting perspective, adding more options at the disposal of Arteta, who is set to lose out on the services of Martin Odegaard.
The deal might not favour Manchester City, even though they are keen on cashing in on Sterling this summer. The winger simply hasn’t enjoyed a good season, falling behind the likes of Riyad Mahrez, Bernardo Silva and Phil Foden in the pecking order. He could, thus, follow the footsteps of Sergio Aguero, who has now joined Barcelona after a decade of service at the Etihad.
Sterling’s potential departure now means Man City may have to find another player they can use as a makeweight in a deal to sign Kane. Mahrez, in particular, is the most likely candidate and though the winger has also been linked with a move to Arsenal, his relatively lower wages should appeal to Tottenham.
As for Arsenal, the addition of Sterling could indeed serve as a major boost for Arteta in his bid to add some quality into the side, as the Spaniard hopes to restore the club’s lost glory in the years to come.