LATEST NEWS: Kai Havertz shares insights into how the Arsenal dressing room reacted to his unexpected summer transfer move.
Kai Havertz has summed up Arsenal’s choice to sign Raheem Sterling from Chelsea with one word.
On transfer deadline day, Arsenal secured a loan deal for Sterling, bringing him over from Chelsea for the remainder of the season. Sterling’s move came after Chelsea brought in Jadon Sancho on loan from Manchester United, allowing the England forward to leave.
Sterling made his first appearance for Arsenal in their North London Derby win over Tottenham Hotspur, coming off the bench in the 80th minute to replace Gabriel Martinelli.
Havertz, who previously played alongside Sterling at Chelsea, has fond memories of their time together. The two shared the pitch 33 times during their stint at Stamford Bridge, and Havertz is eager to reunite with Sterling in an Arsenal kit this season.
“It’s incredible,” Havertz shared with Stadium Astro. “I had the pleasure of playing with him [Sterling] at Chelsea. He’s an amazing player. If you look at his Premier League stats, they’re remarkable.
“He brings so much quality to the team, and I think we’re all thrilled to have him.”
Arsenal’s next challenge comes on Thursday night when they travel to face Atalanta in their first Champions League league phase match. Following that, they head to the Etihad Stadium to take on Premier League leaders Manchester City, a game where Sterling could potentially face his former team.
When Sterling will get his first start for Arsenal remains unclear, but with a busy fixture list ahead, it’s not far-fetched to think his full debut could come soon. After their matches against Atalanta and Manchester City, Arsenal have encounters with Paris Saint-Germain in the Champions League, Bolton Wanderers in the Carabao Cup, and Leicester City and Southampton in the Premier League before the next international break in early October.