Raheem Sterling joined Arsenal on loan before last month’s transfer deadline, but the Chelsea outcast has been told that he will not play a key part at his new club.
Mark Lawrenson has told Raheem Sterling that he is unlikely to play a significant part for Arsenal this season.
The 82-cap England international surfaced as a surprise target for the Gunners on transfer deadline day after being locked out by new Chelsea manager Enzo Maresca, and has subsequently signed a contract to spend the season at The Emirates.
Sterling was brought in to fight for a wide offensive role with Bukayo Saka, Gabriel Martinelli, and Leandro Trossard, and he has since featured against Tottenham and Atalanta.
However, Lawrenson believes he will not receive more minutes in the future and will be utilized solely as a backup player by Mikel Arteta.
Speaking to Paddy Power, the former Match of the Day commentator stated: “At Arsenal, I believe Raheem Sterling will be utilized primarily for squad depth; I do not see him breaking into the starting lineup. I’d guess the manager has already warned him that he’ll be a 25-minute player every week, unless he performs well when given the opportunity.
“I’ve been quite impressed with Arsenal in recent years and they know that the game against Manchester City this weekend is a massive game for them and I have a feeling that they will go to the Etihad and take home all three points.”
With Arsenal pursuing their first domestic trophy in over 20 years, Sterling’s abundance of experience has been hailed as a bonus for a squad that came agonisingly close to defeating Manchester City for the Premier League title last year.
Sterling won four trophies during his time at The Etihad, and while some have questioned his acquisition, Arteta stated that he had no reservations about negotiating a deal for a player with whom he worked closely while on the City coaching staff.
“After 10 seconds, I knew we had to get him (to Arsenal) because he genuinely wanted it, and my only issue was, where is he in his career? But after ten seconds, I knew.
“He looks terrific. He has a wide smile on his face, lots of enthusiasm, and wants to make a point. You can tell when someone has it in their stomach. I don’t need to talk about his abilities and what he can add to the squad.”
