Ian Wright believes Raheem Sterling should be looking for a new club as he does not expect Arsenal to sign him on a permanent transfer.
Arsenal fans had high hopes for Sterling after the England international joined the club from Chelsea on a season-long loan deal.
Sterling was desperate to revive his career after flattering to deceive at Stamford Bridge and being told to leave by new Blues boss Enzo Maresca.
But Sterling has continued to underwhelm in north London, starting just three Premier League games under Mikel Arteta and scoring one goal in 14 appearances.
Wright felt Sterling’s disappointing spell at the Emirates Stadium ‘might have turned’ following a more promising performance in Arsenal’s FA Cup defeat to Manchester United last weekend but he was subbed off during the subsequent north London derby and then benched for Saturday’s 2-2 draw with Aston Villa.
Given his poor loan spell, Wright does not expect Arsenal to sign Sterling on a permanent transfer and reckons he will return to his parent club Chelsea.
But with Maresca still at the helm Sterling’s prospects at Stamford Bridge look bleak, meaning the 30-year-old will likely be looking for a new club come the summer.
‘Raheem is having a tough time,’ Gunners legend Wright said on his podcast.
‘I thought it might have turned for him after that little cameo against Man United, he looked sharp. That was the guy we want to see.
‘It’s not happened nowhere near enough, that’s fair to say. The way it looks, you get the impression that we’re not going to sign him long-term.
‘So what has he got to lose other than to get on it and blast it? I would love to see him go to that place.
‘That would give the fans and show he’s trying, that’s what they want to see. When he joined, I thought it was a perfect move.’
Sterling came on as a late substitute as Arsenal threw away a two-goal lead at home to Aston Villa on Saturday.
The draw saw Arsenal slip six points behind Premier League leaders Liverpool, who also have a game in hand, but Wright retains full faith in Gunners boss Arteta.
‘To the board, I still have 100% faith in what this man is capable of doing, he’s brought us so close,’ Wright said. ‘But he needs some help.
‘We might not get something in January but it’s imperative that they make some major additions in the summer.
‘You need to match the players’ ambition off the pitch. This squad is on its knees, the board has to do something.’
Wright also urged his former club not to get wrapped up in the ‘negativity’ that is surrounding the club in terms of their faltering title challenge.
‘I feel very nervous unfortunately because the energy around the club,’ he added. ‘Everyone is very nervous and very worried.
‘I think that stems from the pressure we put on ourselves at the start of the season. As soon as a few games didn’t go right people were saying it’s over.
‘I feel like we’re in that kind of mode. Everyone goes straight to the negativity but we have to back what this manager is trying to do and back the lads.
‘We’ve got 17 games left. Are we honestly supposed to believe Liverpool are going to win all their games?
‘I think Jamie Carragher said we needed to win 15 of our remaining games, we couldn’t afford to lose two games, now we can’t even afford to lose one.
‘Why do they ramp up all the s*** about Arsenal all the time? And then the Arsenal fans just lap it all up.’
Arsenal face Dinamo Zagreb in the Champions League on Wednesday night before returning to Premier League action next weekend against Wolves.
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