Arsenal have released their training footage from Tuesday Raheem Sterling looks incredibly sharp at the Sobha Realty Training Centre.
Sterling joined the Gunners as a late addition on deadline day having been told he was not in the future plans of Chelsea boss Enzo Maresca at Stamford Bridge.
The English man was thrown straight into Arsenal training as Mikel Arteta’s coaching staff look to get their new signing ready to be involved against Tottenham after the international break.
His dribbling looks good, his finishing is impressive and he seems to already be understanding how Mikel Arteta’s team attack.
Arsenal secured a loan deal for Sterling for the remainder of the 2024-25 season with the England international now looking to get some crucial game time and rebuild his confidence after struggling to become a key figure with the Blues.
Sterling is in need of match fitness having not featured at all since pre-season – and Arsenal are now planning to fast-track his progress at their London Colney training facility while the rest of the squad jet off for international duties, according to the Evening Standard.
The report adds that Sterling is eager to get up to speed with how Arsenal play on the training ground, though it shouldn’t take him too long to become accustomed having worked with Arteta when the pair were at Man City together.
It adds that Sterling is still feeling “sharp” after working with performance coach Ben Rosenblatt but will now intensify his training now his future has been resolved and he has a new chapter to look forward to.
When asked about Sterling’s fitness and progress, Arteta said he was keen for the player to get ready for action “as soon as possible”, with the next match being a huge one against Tottenham Hotspur in the North London derby on September 15.
He said: “We’ll have to see and speak to him on what he’s been doing and how he’s feeling about it. We have to try to find quick wins to get him up to speed as quick as possible and him understanding what we are looking for from him and the dynamics of the team. We will use this time to do that and as soon as possible, get him involved.”
Sterling made 22 starts in the Premier League for Chelsea last season under Mauricio Pochettino, scoring eight and assisting four, but wasn’t involved in any of Maresca’s matchday squads this season.
The 29-year-old is set to compete with Bukayo Saka for starts on the right flank and the player called his switch to the Emirates “perfect” after always holding out hope that the move could be finalised before the end of the transfer window.
“It’s an unbelievable feeling. It’s really exciting,” Sterling said. “It is one where we kind of left it late, but it’s one I was hoping for.
“Looking at everything, I’m just, like, ‘this is a perfect fit for me’, and I’m super happy that we got it over the line.”
Sterling is one of the most versatile players in the Premier League. He can play anywhere across the frontline and can be equally effective from all three positions.
That will give Arteta a number of options, and after watching his first-ever training session at Arsenal, Gooners are convinced that he is going to be a star this season.
Photo Credit: Arsenal/ X