Transfer deadline day: We didn’t want to sign Sterling – Arsenal director, Edu
Arsenal director of football, Edu Gasper, has admitted the club did not plan to sign Raheem Sterling from Chelsea.
The Gunners completed a deadline-day loan deal for Sterling on Friday night.
Edu, speaking after the deal was confirmed, said the 29-year-old was a market opportunity they took.
He said: “Well to be fair, we never planned really to sign him when we started the transfer window, just to be very transparent, for different reasons, but we always say to everyone that you have to be prepared for every single scenario.
“When that opportunity came to me and I checked the squad, I checked how he plays and spoke to Mikel [Arteta] of course. I spoke to Tim [Lewis], our vice-chairman, to check if everyone is comfortable for the step we are going to take.
“It makes a lot of sense to have someone like him because I’m pretty sure he is going to add a lot in the squad.”
Arsenal are expected to present Sterling to the Emirates crowd before they take on Brighton in Saturday’s early kick-off.
Transfer deadline day: We didn’t want to sign Sterling – Arsenal director, Edu
