According to Gary Neville, Mikel Arteta regrets Arsenal's choice to take Raheem Sterling on loan last summer because it made it more challenging to go through with a January signing for a new attacker.

For the previous two weeks, Arteta has kept Sterling on the bench and used midfielder Mikel Merino as an unconventional focal point of his attack despite missing four important forwards due to injuries. Additionally, the England international, whose parent club is still Chelsea, has not scored any goals and only provided one league assist. Neville is left with the impression that the club never wanted to sign him. “I’m not sure Arsenal, as a club, wanted him. I think Arteta’s thought Sterling can play in all the positions up top and has basically told the club to get him in as cover.