‘Genuine world-class’: £50m Arsenal summer target praised for his hat-trick

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Garth Crooks has praised reported Arsenal target Raheem Sterling on BBC Sport for his performance for Manchester City against Norwich City.

Sterling, linked with a move to Mikel Arteta’s Arsenal in the summer transfer window, scored a hat-trick against Norwich at Carrow Road in the Premier League at the weekend.

The England international, who can play as an attacking midfielder or as a winger, found the back of the net in the 31st, 70th and 90th minute of the match on Saturday.

City won 4-0.

The Daily Star reported in January 2022 that Arsenal are interested in signing the 27-year-old in the summer of 2022.

Defending Premier League champions Manchester City could reportedly sell the former Liverpool player for £50 million.

Former Tottenham Hotspur forward Crooks has included Sterling in his Premier League Team of the Week for BBC Sport for his displays.

Arsenal target Raheem Sterling praised

Crooks wrote on BBC Sport: “No-one scores a hat-trick and fails to get in to my team of the week. However, Sterling would have made my selection regardless of his goals.

“The Manchester City forward is in great form again. I haven’t heard City fans chanting Sterling’s name for some time. But against a Norwich side destroyed by the possession game of the visitors, the longer the game went on the more they hailed their hero.

“There was talk that when Jack Grealish arrived, Sterling might be surplus to requirements. What complete and utter nonsense. In the absence of Gabriel Jesus, Sterling is the only genuine world-class striker at the club.”

Encouraging

In our view, Sterling playing so well and scoring goals is actually encouraging for Arsenal.

It shows that the former Liverpool star is still at the top of his game and could make an impact at the Gunners if he joined in the summer transfer window.

Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta worked with Sterling when he was a coach at Manchester City, and a reunion with the Spaniard at the Emirates Stadium could be tempted for the attacker, especially if the North London club finish in the Premier League top four.