Arsenal have given Chelsea a £31m problem ahead of transfer window fire sale

might have hoped that would fire them to a first Premier League title in 20 years before sealing a bargain permanent deal at the end of the campaign. Instead, the England forward is heading back to Chelsea having barely left a trace in north London.

Mikel Arteta believed he was striking a shrewd move when he gave the green light for Arsenal to sign Sterling on loan from their London rivals. The Spaniard felt that the 30-year-old would add experience to a young squad and provide the quality necessary to drag the Gunners over the final hurdle. Now, the brutal reality is that Arsenal will have no interest in harbouring Sterling for another season, let alone agree to sign him permanently.

Sterling will return to Chelsea, where he will be one of the Blues' biggest problems this summer. The Blues are keen to offload a player who struggled under Mauricio Pochettino and was then banished by Enzo Maresca.

Stripped of his squad number last summer, Sterling faced the prospect of spending a year training alone before Arsenal offered to revive his Premier League career. After a disappointing season at the Emirates Stadium, there will be even fewer suitors this time around.

Sterling remains one of Chelsea's best-paid players. The two years remaining on his reported £300,000-per-week salary mean his parent club still owe him £31m before his deal comes to an end in 2027.

That could pose a problem if no clubs are able to meet his wage demands. Chelsea may face the prospect of paying compensation for Sterling to leave, which could mean stumping up a large portion of his remaining salary.

Chelsea are not believed to be close to breaching profit and sustainability regulations (PSR), despite their vast spending over the last three years. Their participation in the Club World Cup this summer will provide a further windfall of up to £40m. However, spending large sums on compensation fees will not be a welcome expense.

Sterling is expected to be one of a number of players who leave Chelsea over the coming months. The report that the Blues will consider offers for every player apart from Moises Caicedo and Cole Palmer. Club chiefs will reportedly demand astronomical fees for the likes of Enzo Fernandez, though.

Chelsea will be keen for Sterling to depart after an unhappy three years. There may be some regret that Arsenal were not able to get the best out of the dwindling star.