Former Chelsea and Arsenal midfielder, Emmanuel Petit, has said that the Gunners’ summer signing, Raheem Sterling was a panic buy for Mikel Arteta’s side.
Petit added that Gunners boss, Mikel Arteta had his eyes set on another winger but had to settle for Sterĺing.
Raheem Sterling was deemed surplus to requirements by new Chelsea boss, Enzo Maresca and was asked to leave the club.
And when Arsenal called he saw it as an opportunity he would never miss and reunited with Arteta, who worked with him at Manchester City.
However, the England winger has failed to impress since joining the north London side.
He could only boast of one goal and one assist in eight appearances across competitions.
Petit told Instant Casino that Sterling was not Arteta’s first-choice signing but a “panic buy”.
“Raheem Sterling was a panic buy. For me, Mikel Arteta knows that he’s missing players, numbers in his squad, quality players in terms of rotation,” claimed Petit (via Metro).
“He knows that, so at the end of the transfer market during the summer, he knew that he had no choice just to get Sterling because he didn’t want to put the big money on the table for other players.”
Petit believes Arteta wanted Athletic Bilbao forward, Nico Williams.
“I know that he [Arteta] was dreaming about Nico Williams, but he will never come to the Premier League,” the Frenchman said.
He predicted that the 22-year-old, who is a top target for clubs across Europe, will go to Barcelona.
“He will stay in Spain; he will go to Barcelona, definitely,” Petit said.