New summer signing Raheem Sterling has revealed that he almost joined Arsenal’s academy, but his mom advised him not to move to London Colney during his early days.
The English ace joined the Gunners in a season-long loan move on the deadline day this summer. The winger was completely left out of the senior squad by manager Enzo Maresca.
Raheem Sterling – close to being an Hale End graduate
Sterling has now revealed that he could have dawned the Arsenal shirt much earlier in his career had it not been his mom advising him not to move. It’s not like his mother was a Spurs fan, but she had different plans for her son.
The 29-year-old also fired shots at Chelsea when he named Arsenal as the biggest club in London during an interview with the Player’s Tribune in 2018. He said:
“When I was 10 or 11, I was getting scouted by some big clubs in London. Fulham wanted me. Arsenal wanted me. And when Arsenal want you, of course you’re thinking you gotta go there. Biggest club in London, you know? So I’m running around telling my mates, ‘I’m off to the Arsenal!’
“But my Mum is a proper warrior. She knows how to make it in this world. She sat me down one day, and she said, ‘Look, I love you. But I don’t feel you should go to Arsenal’.”
“I said, ‘Ehhhh?’
“She said, ‘If you go there, there’s going to be 50 players who are just as good as you. You’ll just be a number. You need to go somewhere where you can work your way up. She convinced me to go to QPR, and it was probably the best decision I ever made.”
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Raheem Sterling to the @PlayersTribune in 2018 –
“When I was 10 or 11, I was getting scouted by some big clubs in London. Fulham wanted me. Arsenal wanted me. And when Arsenal want you, of course you’re thinking you gotta go there. Biggest club in London, you know? So I’m… pic.twitter.com/QJnLozvEgH
— Doc (@karthikadhaigal) September 8, 2024
Sterling’s mother and sister worked tirelessly to make his football dream come true. Joining the QPR academy was the smartest decision made by them since it helped the player in the long run.
Sterling started flying after signing for Liverpool
English giants Liverpool signed him at the age of 15 in 2010, and he became the second youngest debutant in the Reds’ history. He went on to become a pivotal figure at Anfield and turned a lot of heads with his spectacular goals (23 goals in 129 appearances).
How can one forget the 2013-14 season where he, along with Luis Suarez, destroyed opponents’ defences left and right, helping Liverpool secure a second-place finish in the Premier League?
Sterling moved to Manchester City for £49 million in 2015. The 29-year-old lifted four Premier League titles, five league cups, one FA Cup, and one community shield. An insane career spanning six years with 203 goal contributions in 339 games.
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The English speedster joined Chelsea for £47.5m in 2022. He was decent at Stamford Bridge, as he struggled to be consistent. Now, Sterling’s career has come in full circle.
We are glad that he finally signed for Arsenal, 20 years from the North London outfit’s initial interest. The Jamaican-born star has a lot to prove under Mikel Arteta, a coach that he holds in high regard.
