Arsenal legend Emmanuel Petit has expressed a hope that Mikel Arteta can rejuvenate Raheem Sterling this season in the same way as he did with Kai Havertz.
Sterling completed a shock loan move to Arsenal from Chelsea in the dying embers of the summer transfer window on deadline day.
The 29-year-old winger found himself out of Chelsea manager Enzo Maresca’s plans and the Blues pushed him out of the club in the final hours of the transfer window.
There are question marks on whether Arsenal did the right thing by signing an ageing winger on big wages but the Gunners believe that they can get a tune out of the player.
Arteta coached him when he was Pep Guardiola’s assistant at Manchester City and is ready to get the best out of the player this season.
Petit believes Havertz could be the blueprint for Raheem Sterling
Sterling is likely to be hungry to prove his detractors wrong this season and Petit believes there is already an example for him in the Arsenal squad.
The Frenchman pointed out that Havertz was similarly low on confidence and looked out of touch when he joined Arsenal from Chelsea a few years back.
Arteta and his coaching staff managed to rejuvenate the German and Petit is hopeful that they can do the same with Sterling at Arsenal this season.
“I hope Arteta and his staff do the same work as he did with Kai Havertz”, the former Gunner said on talkSPORT.
“Remember when he first arrived at Arsenal, he was missing confidence and he was sometimes running and was last on the pitch.
“But week after week, in a good environment, a good management and good teammates, he changed a lot of things.
“I hope he can do the same with Sterling.”
It remains to be seen whether Sterling gets a chance in the starting eleven when Arsenal take on Tottenham in the north London derby on Sunday.
