One of the oldest and most bitter rivalries in English football is between Chelsea and Arsenal. It is fair to say that there is no love lost between the two clubs, who hail from West London in Chelsea’s case, and North London for the Gunners.
Naturally, over the years, there have been players who have represented both clubs. One of those is currently playing at the Emirates Stadium, specifically Raheem Sterling, who is on loan from Chelsea. Perhaps the two biggest names are Ashley Cole and Cesc Fabregas, both of whom played first for the Gunners and then for the Blues.
Interestingly, the top-flight pair are battling it out to sign the same player this summer, rather than one man featuring for both, reigniting the rivalry off the pitch once more.
The player Chelsea want to sign ahead of Arsenal
There are plenty of good market opportunities this summer for players who are out of contract. One of the most prominent examples is Trent Alexander-Arnold, who will leave Liverpool on a free and is set to join Real Madrid.
Transfer Focus
Mega money deals, controversial moves and big-name flops. This is the home of transfer news and opinion across Football FanCast.
Well, Chelsea are set to go head to head with Arsenal to sign Bayern Munich winger Leroy Sane. According to reports from Sky in Germany, the Blues are one of the clubs ‘ready for the winger’ this summer, if he doesn’t sign a new deal at the Bundesliga champions.
They seem to be ahead of the Gunners in the race, who are thought to have ‘distanced’ themselves from the move, instead targeting a younger winger.
As for Chelsea, the report suggests that ‘much depends on qualification for the Champions League’, but if they secure that, they have an excellent shot at bringing Sane to the club.
Why Sane could be another Sterling
29-year-old Sane is certainly no stranger to the Premier League. He has featured in the English top flight before as a Manchester City player, scoring 25 goals and grabbing 30 assists in 95 appearances. In total, he played three seasons and won the Premier League twice.
If he can replicate at Stamford Bridge what he did at the Etihad Stadium, Chelsea fans would surely be delighted. Sane was a chance creation machine.
Across his three full Premier League seasons at the club, he averaged 1.8 key passes per game in 2016/17, followed by 2.2 in 2017/18 and 1.9 in 2018/19, according to Sofascore.
Key passes
1.8
2.2
1.9
Big chances created
0.4
0.5
0.5
Dribbles completed
2.7
3.2
2.6
Tackles and interceptions
2.7
1.5
1.6
Goals and assists
0.5
1
1
Yet, as time has gone by, the winger has not quite had the same impact at Bayern as he did at City. Across all competitions for the newly crowned Bundesliga champions this term, he’s managed 13 goals and six assists in 45 games.
Whilst there has been a level of consistency in the top division of German football, with 11 goals and six assists, Sane struggled in the Champions League. In 13 appearances, the Schalke academy graduate scored once and didn’t register an assist, with his goal coming in a 9-2 thrashing over Dinamo Zagreb.
With that inconsistency creeping in, perhaps there is a worry that Sane will struggle at Chelsea just as Sterling did. There are certainly similarities between the pair, given they both played for Man City in one of the most successful sides in Premier League history.
However, for Chelsea, Sterling wasn’t really as effective. He scored 19 goals and grabbed 15 assists in 81 games for the West Londoners, and never really played a consistent role in the side, constantly floating around different positions on the pitch.
There were some highlights, however, including this strike against Luton Town last season.
Perhaps these deals are just too similar for Chelsea. With Sterling a high earner, on £325k per week at Stamford Bridge last season, and Sane on roughly the same at Bayern, £323k per week as per Capology, it would also save the Blues some money.
However, he can be a “superstar” on his day, as football scout Antonio Mango described him, and there is no doubt about his quality. Perhaps Chelsea are willing to take the bet that Sane will be able to replicate his incredible output last time he played in the Premier League.
Chelsea must sell "lost" flop" who earns more than Isak & Delap combined
Chelsea could fund their striker search by cashing in on a high earner this summer
ByRobbie WallsMay 21, 2025
