Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta believes Raheem Sterling is eager to prove himself following his surprise loan move from Chelsea.
The 29-year-old forward made the switch to the Gunners on deadline day after being deemed surplus to requirements by Chelsea boss Enzo Maresca.
Sterling, who could make his Arsenal debut in the highly anticipated north London derby against Tottenham on Sunday, previously worked with Arteta during their time at Manchester City.
The Arsenal manager expressed his excitement about Sterling’s arrival, saying: “He looks great. First of all, because he has a big smile on his face, a lot of energy. He’s at it and he wants to prove a point.”
During his time at Chelsea, Sterling scored 14 goals in 59 league appearances over two seasons but was left out of the squad for their first two Premier League matches this season. New Chelsea signings Mykhailo Mudryk, Christopher Nkunku, Pedro Neto, Joao Felix, and Jadon Sancho were preferred over the 82-cap England international.
After missing Chelsea’s opening match against his former club Manchester City, Sterling’s representatives sought clarity regarding his future.
Although he was linked with a move to Manchester United, Arsenal secured his services, and Arteta is confident that Sterling is determined to rediscover his top form.
“When someone has that hunger inside, you sense it straight away,” Arteta said.
“I don’t need to discover anything about his quality and what he can bring to the team. What I see is hunger. He wants to play every minute of every game, and when that doesn’t happen, he’s not happy.”
Sterling has scored 123 career Premier League goals and will be looking to make a strong impact at Arsenal as they compete for top honors this season.
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