Arsenal rejected Barcelona 24yo to sign Raheem Sterling | OneFootball

Arsenal reportedly rejected Ferran Torres in favour of Raheem Sterling in the summer transfer window, opting for the Chelsea winger on a loan deal after being offered the Barcelona man.

The decision reportedly came as Barcelona sought to offload Torres, aiming to free up salary space for other attacking signings.

BARCELONA, SPAIN – AUGUST 31: Ferran Torres of FC Barcelona celebrates scoring his team’s seventh goal during the La Liga match between FC Barcelona and Real Valladolid CF at Camp Nou on August 31, 2024 in Barcelona, Spain. (Photo by Alex Caparros/Getty Images)

Despite this opportunity, Arsenal, under Mikel Arteta‘s direction, decided not to take on the Spanish international, who was also offered to Juventus before they withdrew due to the financial implications.

Barcelona were keen to remove Torres from their wage bill, as the 23-year-old earns €250,000 per week, comprising a base salary of €192,308 and bonuses totalling €57,692.

Arsenal’s reluctance to proceed with the deal could have been influenced by these significant wage demands. Even with Barcelona’s intent to find a new home for Torres, Arsenal remained focused on securing Sterling from Chelsea on terms that were highly advantageous for the North London club.

Raheem Sterling wearing the number 30 with Arsenal (Photo via Arsenal.com)

Negotiations for Sterling’s loan deal were marked by Arsenal’s hard-line stance on costs. Chelsea initially sought a loan fee for the season-long arrangement, but Arsenal refused, making it clear they would abandon the pursuit if their conditions were not met.

With Chelsea eager to trim their squad and reduce their wage commitments, they eventually agreed to Arsenal’s terms: no loan fee and the Gunners only covering a much-reduced portion of Sterling’s £325,000-per-week salary.

Reports indicate Arsenal are paying just £100,000 weekly towards Sterling’s wages, a significant discount from his full pay packet.

Raheem Sterling signs for Arsenal with Edu Gaspar (Photo via Arsenal.com)

This favourable financial arrangement underscores Arsenal’s resolve in the market, as they were prepared to keep Eddie Nketiah and Reiss Nelson if Chelsea had refused to compromise.

In the end, Arsenal offloaded Nketiah to Crystal Palace for a fee rising to £30m and arranged a loan move for Nelson to Fulham, paving the way for Sterling’s arrival.

From Sterling’s perspective, the move was an ideal outcome. The winger was reportedly “delighted” to join Arsenal and had been interested in making the transfer a permanent one.

Sterling was even willing to accept a pay cut to facilitate a permanent switch, but time constraints late in the window ultimately made that option unfeasible.

BARCELONA, SPAIN – AUGUST 12: Ferran Torres of FC Barcelona looks on prior to the Joan Gamper Trophy match between FC Barcelona and AS Monaco at Estadi Olimpic Lluis Companys on August 12, 2024 in Barcelona, Spain. (Photo by Eric Alonso/Getty Images)

Meanwhile, Torres has continued to find opportunities limited at Barcelona, featuring for 430 minutes so far this season, averaging just 40 minutes per game in La Liga.

Despite the Catalan club’s efforts to create space in their wage bill by offloading him, Arsenal’s decision to focus on Sterling appears vindicated.

With a favourable financial deal and a motivated player in Sterling, Arsenal’s summer dealings reflect a calculated approach to strengthening their attacking options without overextending financially.