Farke will be on the lookout for Premier League signings this summerplaceholder image
Farke will be on the lookout for Premier League signings this summer | Getty Images
A Chelsea star has been told to try his luck with a new Premier League club.
Chelsea star Raheem Sterling faces an uncertain future after a loan spell to forget with Arsenal last term. Sterling looked as though he would be part of Chelsea’s plans last summer, but he was cast aside by Enzo Maresca and marked for departure.
He found his departure in the form of a loan spell with Arsenal, but he was never able to consistently displace Gabriel Martinelli or Bukayo Saka, and even Leandro Trossard was preferred for the most part. Sterling made 17 league appearances in all and returned to Chelsea at the end of his loan.
The England international will once again be marked for departure, and after such a disappointing season, there are big questions over where he will end up, likely needing to fall outside the usual top six.
Speaking to Prime Casino, former Chelsea winger Shaun Wright-Phillips had his say on the situation, believing Leeds United could be a good option. He said: “I still think he can play in the Premier League. I just think he needs a run of games. He needs to get that enjoyment back, that enjoyment factor back in playing football. I think it's been hard for him during the last couple of years because he isn't getting a run of games. His confidence will obviously be crushed. And when you're a winger, repetition is good, like continuously going past people.
“He has one game here or there, and when he’ll play he’ll get 60 minutes before he’s taken off. He’s been a fall guy for whatever reason. On the other hand, I understand managers need players to always be ready, and they can’t carry anyone, but he still needs games to get his momentum back. I just think he needs to go somewhere where he knows he's going to play like 10 games on the bounce, then it’s all on him to show his qualities.
“Leeds could be an option. They’ve just come up but they’re a massive club. Another side would be Fulham, where players are able to get that enjoyment. It’s hard when you fall out of love with the game.”
What Arteta said about Sterling
When Sterling arrived, Arteta was excited about the signing, saying: “He looks great. He's got a lot of energy, a smile on his face and he's at it. He wants to prove a point and when someone's got that in his belly you sense it straight away. Obviously I don't need to know anything else about his quality and what he can bring to the team.
"In his personal life a lot of things have changed but with the player I was really surprised. The first call I had with him I knew in the first ten seconds we have to bring him because he really wanted it. That was my only question mark: 'what stage is he at in his career?' [But] after 10 seconds, I knew already before the next questions that we needed him here.
"What I see is hunger. He's a player that wants to play every minute of every game. When that's not the case, he's not happy. He wants to play every single day and I see that. His commitment and the level of energy that he's bringing to the team is a big boost. You can feel it walking through the door. We are better with him. He's going to make us better."
Sterling did not make the sort of impact Arteta was hoping for, though, and he ended up fielding questions aplenty about the winger and his lack of confidence through the season.
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