Joe Cole says £49m man Liverpool sold has ‘become a goalscorer’, Arsenal want him

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Joe Cole has stated that Arsenal transfer target, Raheem Sterling, has ‘become a goalscorer’ since leaving Liverpool for Manchester City.

The former England midfielder shared that he was at Liverpool when Sterling was coming through as a teenager and one thing that struck him was his ‘mentality’.

There was a lot of hype and noise around a fresh-faced Sterling and he caused a bit of a stir when he decided to secure a £49 million transfer from Liverpool to Manchester City in 2015 (BBC Sport). 

The England international, who is now wanted by Arsenal this summer, will point towards the trophies he has won as proof that he made the right call.

But during that period, Cole thinks Sterling has transformed into a ‘big-game’ player, as he told Channel 4’s international football coverage.

“He’s developed as a leader,” said Cole. “We saw that at the Euros. He had a difficult season leading up to it, then he just came alive.

“In big game, the big players, they take the game by the scruff of the neck and they make something happen.

“He’s not a natural finisher. But he has become a goalscorer by putting himself in the right positions and working on his technique. He always gets the job done.

“I love watching, Raheem. When he was coming through at Liverpool, I was there, so I saw him emerge into a talent.

“One thing that struck me was his mentality. He worked so hard. People don’t see that and he has become this crucial player for England.”

STERLING HAS A BIG CALL TO MAKE WITH HIS MANCHESTER CITY FUTURE

In 12 months’ time, Sterling could head for the exit door as a free-transfer, so he has to make a big call on his future this summer.

The versatile forward, who scored 13 Premier League goals from 30 games last season, needs to either sign a new contract or look for a new home.

Given the goalscoring threat Sterling can provide, then he probably would want to join another Champions League team

That does put Arsenal on the back foot, but could Mikel Arteta, who worked with him at the Etihad, and the lure of London, persuade the Englishman to take up a challenge at the Emirates?