Raheem Sterling is the latest experienced player Arsenal has signed from Chelsea, following in the footsteps of Willian, David Luiz, and Jorginho—all acquired under Mikel Arteta’s tenure. As the Spanish manager continues to rebuild his squad, Arsenal has primarily focused on signing younger players under the age of 25. However, when an opportunity arises to bring in a more experienced player, Arteta is willing to take it.

Many found it surprising that Arsenal pursued Sterling in the summer, especially considering Chelsea had deemed him surplus to requirements. If he was no longer needed at Stamford Bridge, how could he be considered a suitable addition for the Gunners? Nevertheless, Arteta has made several bold decisions regarding player recruitment since taking charge, and the club has consistently backed his judgement.

Sterling arrived at the Emirates on loan from West London, but his performances have been underwhelming. His decline has been particularly concerning, as he now struggles even with fundamental aspects of his game, such as completing dribbles. Given his past success, this drop in form has been unexpected and frustrating for both the club and its supporters.

Despite his struggles on the pitch, a report in the Daily Mail suggests that Sterling still commands significant respect within the Arsenal setup. Those who work closely with him continue to hold him in high regard and believe he has the potential to regain his best form. His experience and professionalism remain valued, and there is still some hope within the club that he can turn things around.

Joshua Kimmich is currently causing significant upheaval in the transfer market as he hesitates to sign a new deal with Bayern Munich. The German midfielder is widely regarded as one of the best players in the world, having spent the past decade at Bayern Munich. Over the years, he has remained an integral part of the squad, and his reliability has earned him the captaincy of the national team. However, with the player now 30 years old, questions have arisen about whether he is looking for a new challenge elsewhere.

At this stage in his career, Kimmich may see this as his final opportunity to move to another club, which could explain his reluctance to commit to a new contract at Bayern Munich. Some reports suggest that Bayern have even withdrawn its offer to Kimmich, leaving him with the prospect of finding a new club. This uncertainty has opened the door for Arsenal, who are eager to add the German international to their squad. The Gunners are determined not to miss the opportunity to bring one of the world’s best midfielders to the Emirates.

According to Football Insider, a source close to the situation has revealed that Arsenal have set aside a substantial sum of money to secure Kimmich’s signature. Although Kimmich would technically be a free agent, Arsenal would still face significant costs in securing his services. These costs would include agent fees, sign-on bonuses, and various other charges, all of which come with signing one of the most highly regarded players in the world in his position.

While Arsenal may avoid paying a transfer fee, they would still need to allocate a considerable amount of money to cover the associated expenses of bringing Kimmich to the club. However, the Gunners believe that Kimmich would be worth every penny spent, given his quality and experience. Signing a player of Kimmich’s calibre would undoubtedly strengthen Arsenal’s midfield and improve their overall squad depth, making him a valuable addition to their team as they continue to challenge for top honours both domestically and in Europe.

Leandro Trossard has found himself taking on more responsibility at Arsenal as the club deals with an attacking injury crisis. Several of Arsenal’s key attackers have been sidelined, and Trossard is now one of the few fit options left in the squad. The Belgian forward, who joined the Gunners at the start of 2023, has become an important player for the team, scoring several crucial goals throughout the season. With the likes of Bukayo Saka and Gabriel Martinelli currently unavailable, Arsenal will be hoping Trossard can continue to deliver in their absence.

Despite Trossard’s key role in the squad this season, there is growing speculation that it could be his final year at the club. Several clubs have expressed interest in the Belgian, and this could lead to a potential exit at the end of the season. In January, it seemed unlikely that Arsenal would allow Trossard to leave, even with interest from Saudi Arabian clubs. However, as time has passed, the possibility of a sale has increased.

According to Football Insider, Arsenal is now open to considering offers for Trossard when the season concludes, particularly with ongoing reports linking him to Saudi Arabian clubs. This could signal a change in Arsenal’s approach, as the club may need to offload some players before bringing in new talent.

While Trossard has been a valuable player for Arsenal, the club may decide that, should a suitable offer come in for him, it could be in their best interest to sell and use the funds to sign a replacement. This decision would likely depend on the offers Arsenal receives and their ability to find an adequate alternative to strengthen their attacking options.

ADMIN COMMENT

Now managing at Feyenoord, Robin van Persie is back in the spotlight.

With Manchester United hosting Arsenal on Sunday, the media used his Champions League press conference to ask the former striker to choose between his two former clubs: the one where he did his best work or the place where he earned the Premier League medal his talent deserved. Understandably, the 41-year-old was diplomatic, not wanting to disrespect either fanbase, so he refrained from picking between Thierry Henry and Wayne Rooney or Arsène Wenger and Sir Alex Ferguson.

It’s fair to say that he would be welcomed back at Old Trafford more than at the Emirates. That, of course, could have happened had our draw for the last 16 in Europe gone differently. Our ex-captain made it clear that he enjoyed watching the Gunners’ 7-1 win over PSV, as he continues to mend a few broken fences with Arsenal fans. When recounting his transfer to Manchester United, Wenger added that if his former skipper had his way, he would have returned to North London in 2015. This influenced my next list: players who either verbally expressed regret about leaving Arsenal or asked to return.

Keown – Aston Villa

While technically the defender was motivated by money, he maintains that his principles led to the end of his first stint at Highbury. Considering the dispute was over £50, I believe him. Although it seems the club could have handled the situation better. Having graduated from the academy, the centre-back had a verbal agreement with Don Howe over terms for a contract extension. When Arsenal changed managers to George Graham, the Invincible felt disrespected by the change in deal. Despite it being only a £50 difference from what he had requested, he felt it was a sign that he wasn’t trusted by his new boss and that his employers were taking advantage of him, as he came from the youth setup.