And it seems the prospect of that happening would go down well with Gunners fans and with pundits. Since the deadline day switch to the Emirates, Sterling’s move has been hailed as a good piece of business, mainly for Arsenal and for the player himself.
Title contenders get a player who knows what it is like to win a title, a player who has been bombed out at a club that finished sixth last season gets a chance at one that finished second. Player leaves a club that is in the Europa Conference League for a club that is in the Champions League. Player leaves a manager who clearly does not fancy him for a manager who has loved him in the past.
As many have said, it looks like a win-win-win situation for Sterling and Arsenal. But here is what does not win, here is what does not come out of Sterling’s imminent Arsenal debut well. The Premier League’s integrity.
Whether starting or not, Sterling might play a crucial part in an Arsenal win at Tottenham on Sunday. But he will not be able to play a crucial part in Arsenal’s game at Stamford Bridge in a couple of months’ time. In any team sporting competition, that is fundamentally wrong.
Sterling could make his Gunners debut on Sunday
Sterling could make his Gunners debut on Sunday
Sterling might score a match-winning worldie on Sunday but he will not be allowed to score one against one of Tottenham’s main adversaries, Chelsea. How can that be right? It is a blot on the Premier League’s copybook.
When they borrowed him - and that is all they have done, borrowed him - Arsenal gave Sterling the full welcome-video treatment. But he is a Chelsea player. End of story. They are still paying a huge chunk of his £325,000-a-week wages.
No two Premier League clubs can be owned by the same person but one Premier League player can be ‘owned’ by two clubs? How does that work?
Arsenal - grand, old Arsenal - is a place of convenience for a player the new Chelsea manager did not fancy. But Sterling, apart from personal pride, has no burning need to impress Arsenal executives. Chelsea pay his wages and will do so for another three years.
And the chances of Sterling, who turns 30 in December, ever becoming an Arsenal player - as in a bona fide Arsenal player - are slim and none. At least, at the end of the season, Chelsea are obliged to buy the Manchester United player they have borrowed but Jadon Sancho, even if he is fit and not suspended, is still not available for two Premier League fixtures this season.
Sterling and Sancho might play very well, although recent form suggests not. But they are still Chelsea and Manchester United players in Arsenal and Chelsea shirts.
Chelsea are still paying a large chunk of Sterling's wages
If it gives Sterling a better chance to play football, you cannot begrudge him that. And Arsenal fans seem to think it is some sort of triumph that their club is only paying a minority portion of that eye-watering salary.
But it is not. Sterling might look good in the welcome video, might say nice things, might kiss the badge if he scores on Sunday, but he does not belong to you. He is no Gunner.
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