Raheem Sterling and Edu after finalising his Arsenal loan. (Image: Getty.)
Raheem Sterling is on loan at Arsenal for the remainder of the season, but he will be hoping to secure a permanent deal after being informed by Enzo Maresca that he has no future at Chelsea.
He is expected to bring experience and versatility across the forward line under Mikel Arteta, though there is no guarantee over where his future lies in a year’s time.
After losing Emile Smith Rowe, Eddie Nketiah and Reiss Nelson over the summer, Arsenal sporting director Edu sought out Sterling to help with their Premier League title charge, and the Brazilian has already explained what must be achieved to sign permanently.
Edu previously spoke at length about the problems that arise when players reach a certain age and 29-year-old Sterling can still prove his worth to the transfer chief, so long as he performs at the top level.
“For me there are some elements here in football which will always be with a lot of attention,” Edu explained his policy of buying and selling players on the Men in Blazers podcast. “I started to see the squads when I joined, and for me there are three elements to look for.
Arsenal sporting director Edu has laid out demands for players over the age of 27. (Image: Men in Blazers)
“First of all, we have to see the age of the player, and then you have to see the salary of the player, and the third you have to see the performance of the player.
“So if you have a player over 26 or 27 years old, you need attention. If his salary is high, you need attention and if he’s not performing, you’re dead. If you have a player, 27 years or 28 years old, on big salary, but he’s performing, you can accept.
“What you cannot accept if you have those three elements, and one of them when over 28 you started to be uncomfortable, it’s better for you to move on, because maybe this player is blocking someone younger as an asset to help you.”
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By the end of the season, Sterling will be 30 with two years left on his hefty Chelsea wage, raising red flags for Edu by his mantra. However, he claimed that he “can accept” such issues if the player is performing.
Sterling may well see the next nine months as a lengthened trial period and with his age and salary already against him in Edu’s eyes, he knows that returning to his previous level will be imperative to stay in north London beyond the current season.
