Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta personally pulled the plug on his side doing a deal for one £330,000-per-week striker in the summer window, with a report sharing exactly why he didn't fancy the big-name talisman.
Arsenal chase Premier League title after £91m summer window
The Gunners spent £91 million in total on five major signings for Arteta before the window closed last Friday at 11pm, including their permanent transfer of goalkeeper David Raya from Brentford.
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After Raya, Italy international defender Riccardo Calafiori, Euro 2024 winner Mikel Merino, shot-stopper Neto and, of course, Raheem Sterling joined Arsenal – with all of these new recruits now aiming to boost Arteta's Premier League title charge.
Sterling arrived at the Emirates Stadium at the eleventh hour on deadline day, and was unable to take part during Arsenal's disappointing 1-1 draw at home to Brighton just before the international break.
The 29-year-old comes as Edu Gaspar and co's most high-profile summer signing, and one which the Brazilian wasn't expecting to make.
"To be fair, we never planned really to sign him when we started the transfer window, just to be very transparent. For different reasons," said Edu on the late signing of Sterling.
Goals
19
Assists
12
Yellow cards
13
Red cards
0
Minutes played
5,335
"But we always say to everyone that you have to be prepared for every single scenario. So when that opportunity came to me, and I checked the squad, I checked how he plays, and spoke to Mikel of course.
"I spoke to Tim [Lewis], our vice-chairman, to check if everyone is comfortable for the step we are going to take, and it makes a lot of sense. Yes, it makes a lot of sense to have someone like him because I’m pretty sure he is going to add a lot [to] the squad."
Sterling could make his debut in Arsenal's next game, their crunch north London derby visit to Tottenham, and may well play a role in their following clash against title rivals Man City at the Etihad Stadium.
Arsenal were heavily linked with a new striker for much of the transfer window, and made a widely reported attempt to sign Benjamin Sesko from RB Leipzig, but they were also chasing a new winger and finally landed on one in Sterling at the last minute.
Why Arteta pulled plug on Arsenal signing Ivan Toney
Another number nine they were heavily linked with, and for a long time before his move to Al-Ahli, was Ivan Toney. Some reports claimed Arsenal were planning a late summer bid to sign Toney, but the transfer didn't come to fruition. Journalist Miguel Delaney of The Independent, writing an inside story this week, has explained exactly why.
According to the reporter, Arteta personally pulled the plug on an Arsenal move for Toney in the summer, with the Spaniard believing that he wouldn't have fit in with the group and there was little potential for chemistry with his current squad.
The England striker ultimately made a deadline day switch to Saudi Arabia, despite late rumoured interest from Chelsea, and is now on a lucrative mega-money contract of around £330,000-per-week. It was a bizarre end to the Toney transfer saga at Brentford, which had been going on for nearly a year, but Thomas Frank insists that he remains a Bees "legend".
“On the pitch, he has been a fantastic goalscorer, link-up player and leader. He has pushed the team, the squad and himself," said Frank on Toney's move to Al-Ahli.
“It’s a wonderful journey that we have been on together. Ivan helped the club and the team, and the club and the team have helped Ivan.
“I’m happy he has an opportunity to try something new in his life and career. We thank him for so many magic moments and wish him all the best for his next chapter. Ivan leaves as a Brentford legend.”