Raheem Sterling will return to Chelsea at the end of the season, as Arsenal have no interest in signing him permanently.
That's according to transfer expert Fabrizio Romano, who in an update on Sterling’s future shared on his YouTube channel on Monday, said that the winger will not remain at The Emirates.
Sterling, who made a £47.5 million move to Chelsea from Manchester City in 2022, joined Arsenal on loan last summer but has struggled to make an impact.
The 30-year-old has managed just one goal in 23 appearances across all competitions this season.
"Raheem Sterling is going to return to Chelsea at the end of the season," Romano said. "Arsenal are not signing the player on a permanent transfer."
However, Sterling's return does not mean he has a future at Chelsea, with Romano adding: "Chelsea's intention is to sell Raheem Sterling and find [him] a new club."
In February, Arsenal head coach Mikel Arteta hinted that Sterling’s time in North London could be short-lived unless his performances improved.
"We try to give him as much as possible, but that’s a question for him," Arteta told reporters when asked about Sterling’s struggles. "But we are all behind him, we want the best for him, and it’s going to be really important—we need his best."
"We need players with that mindset to be here to impact the team," he added, in what seemed to be a clear message to the former Liverpool starlet.
Sterling’s imminent return to Chelsea will no doubt be music to the ears of many Blues fans, as his struggles at Arsenal mirrored his underwhelming spell at Stamford Bridge.
Over two seasons with Chelsea, he scored 19 goals in 81 appearances but was often criticised for inconsistent performances.
In August, he made headlines after publicly demanding clarity on his future following his omission from the season opener by manager Enzo Maresca. Days later, he was loaned to Arsenal.
His public remarks drew backlash from pundits and former players, including ex-Chelsea defender William Gallas.
"Sometimes players need to blame themselves when things don’t work out at their club. Raheem Sterling was in the situation that he was at Chelsea because he didn’t perform for two years," Gallas told Gambling Zone.
"He didn’t score or create enough goals, and the new manager would’ve watched him and made the decision that he doesn’t want him in his squad. That’s not the manager’s fault," he said.
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