You both make some decent points.
I will downgrade my statement from a firm, definitive one to one that leaves room for doubt. I think it very unlikely anyone ever gives them a transfer fee for Sterling.
As long as Chelsea don’t want him at the club, aren’t willing to pay out his crazy contract and Sterling continues to refuse to budge on the subject of accepting less than the full value of his contract to fuck off, I really can’t see them getting a fee.
Like GC I should have added that in that event he’d probably has to take a pay cut because he’s on superstar wages and those days are most likely gone.
Yeah, him taking a paycut is 100% necessary for there to be a transfer fee.
Tbh, even if Sterling has an extraordinary season , I can’t see us signing him permanently. He’ll go back to Chelsea and we’ll look for a youngish winger next summer. Edu and co have already shown they’re too smart to sign a 32 year old who’s on astronomical wages. We’ll look to build a squad for the long term as we have been doing, and rightly so.
I agree with you, it is very unlikely that Chelsea will be able to secure a fee out of anyone. If he works out and is willing to take a pay cut, we could play hardball with them and say we want them to terminate his contract so we can sign him on a free. I personally think that is the most likely scenario, whether it is us or another club that signs him on a permanent deal next summer.
Guys, just way to early to talk about next season.
We have a whole season to observe first.
https://x.com/thejesuszone/status/1831744445831852451?s=46&t=eJpgg6uHWRsStnASv-OePg
EDIT: fuck, I’m excited
https://x.com/dacodac/status/1831742225388028008?s=46&t=eJpgg6uHWRsStnASv-OePg
the amount of stick some people gave on here re: signing Sterling 
now we’re jumping for joy lol. I was probably one of them lel
Only because someone is better than no-one.
Sterling’s ability to be at the far post at the right time is gonna be a big thing for us this season.
Said it many times but our left winger is pretty much another striker, if not the actual striker of the team.
Any sort of goalscorer should be feasting playing there.
Don’t see where our LW operates differently to most other top teams using the same formation. Both wingers find themselves open in dangerous positions by virtue of their inside forward role and the service into those areas. They’re still very much involved in their wide facilitation and take-on roles like other wingers. Only difference with Arsenal is we involve Saka more in the build up portion because the team is set up to overload much more on that side.
Sterling’s play on the ball 1 on 1 against his full back, his general dribbling at defenders and the decision-making around that will be the biggest factor in whether he can bring something different to the table. Brings healthy competition to the wings.
I agree, with Saka and Sterling on both wings, there will be plenty of goals.
There really is no downside to this transfer because we get a decent player for no fee, for a position that needs experience and quality.
It also means we’ll have money in the next window for a younger top quality attacking player.
I also maintain that if we were to sign Isak, that’s where he’d play.
Just want to reiterate how much I’m buzzing about this signing. An inform Sterling is a serious threat to opposition defences. He’s exactly what we need.
Nelson out and Sterling in for the season is ridiculous business.
Love the dynamic between Mikel and Pep. Usually coaches listen and agree to the manager, not Mikel. Pep’s deep thought when Mikel points out Sterling’s first touches are in the box had a hint of “Why didn’t I notice that?”.
Spanish is such a good language to listen to.
Is Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce one of us? Is Yannick Bolasie one of us? Or are they just friends with Sterling?
She’s an Arsenal fan.
