Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta enquired about signing 28-year-old Chelsea star in the past, still admires player – Reports

Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta allegedly asked about Raheem Sterling's availability when the current Chelsea attacker was at Manchester City.

According to The Athletic, Arteta is thought to be a keen admirer of the Englishman from their days together at the Etihad Stadium. He wanted to sign the ex-Liverpool man ahead of the 2022-23 season and even explored the possibility of adding him to his ranks last year.

Arteta, who was Manchester City's assistant manager between July 2016 and late 2019, reportedly deemed the 28-year-old as a versatile offensive option. However, he failed to reunite with the right-footed winger as the player moved to Chelsea for £47.5 million in 2022.

After failing to sign Sterling, Arteta added Fabio Vieira to his squad after wrapping up a £34 million deal past summer. He also added Gabriel Jesus as a first-choice number nine past summer and snapped up Leandro Trossard from Brighton in the winter transfer window.

Sterling, whose current deal is set to run out in June 2027, has struggled to live up to his lofty standards at the Blues so far. He has scored 12 goals and provided five assists in 47 overall matches for them so far.

Marcel Desailly offers bold prediction ahead of Chelsea's league contest against Arsenal

Speaking to English betting website Gambling Zone, ex-Chelsea defender Marcel Desailly predicted a Blues win in their Premier League contest against Arsenal on Saturday (October 21). He said:

"It looks impossible, but I'll go for a 3-1 win for Chelsea. Why not?"

Claiming Arsenal might underestimate the Blues, Desailly continued:

"This is the beauty of the Premier League. As soon as a team has a mental drop and isn't ready for the intensity of a match, they can lose. When Arsenal players arrive at Stamford Bridge, they may believe that it won't be as difficult as it would at Tottenham Hotspur, Manchester City, or eventually, Manchester United."

Desailly, who made 222 overall appearances for the Blues, concluded:

"When teams will come to Chelsea this season, they'll think they can win, despite how talented their players are. The mental preparation will automatically drop, even if you try to control it."

Mauricio Pochettino's side, who are currently 11th in the 2023-24 Premier League table, are on the wrong side of their recent head-to-head record against their rivals. They have won three games, lost six times and drawn one contest in their last 10 league meetings against Arsenal.

The Gunners, meanwhile, are yet to lose in the ongoing Premier League campaign as they have registered six wins and two draws so far.