Raheem Sterling has been warned by Darren Bent that he wouldn't get into Arsenal's team on current form after the Gunners were linked with a move for the Chelsea forward.
And Bent is adamant that Sterling could struggle if he decides to quit Stamford Bridge in the summer - as there could be a lack of viable suitors willing to spend big in order to acquire his services.
Sterling, 28, left Manchester City to join Chelsea in a £50million deal in the summer transfer window but has struggled to replicate the form that made him a mainstay in Pep Guardiola's side. The England international has managed just four goals in 18 Premier League appearances and has been linked with a move away in recent weeks.
Although links to Arsenal have since been dismissed, it's expected that there will be a high turnover of players at Chelsea this summer after the Blues strengthened significantly in the January transfer window. However, Bent was not impressed after one caller on talkSPORT claimed Sterling would "walk into" the current Arsenal team.
Bent retorted: "That’s ridiculous. How does he walk into a side who are top of the Premier League? All the front-three are playing well. Martinelli is Arsenal’s joint-top goalscorer. Looking at Raheem Sterling’s form this season, he doesn’t walk into Arsenal’s front-three, no way. Arsenal’s front-three are flying. We’re not talking about a peak Sterling here.
"Arsenal’s forwards are flying. Sterling doesn’t make Arsenal stronger right now, Arsenal’s current front-three are playing better than Sterling. Martinelli and Saka are playing really well, better than Sterling. So why would you change that?"
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Sterling plundered 131 goals for Manchester City and won four Premier League titles during a fruitful seven-year spell at the Etihad before he was lured to Stamford Bridge in the summer, where he became the first signing of the Todd Boehly era.
Chelsea have gone on to endure a torrid season under the guidance of new head coach Graham Potter, but they still spent heavily in January - meaning Sterling is likely to face fierce competition for a regular first-team berth from the likes of Mykhaylo Mudryk and Noni Madueke going forward.
And Bent believes that Sterling could find himself with nowhere to go if he does decide to move on from the Blues after failing to make an impact during the first half of the season.
The former Tottenham striker added: "The problem is, where would he go? He can’t go back to Man City, he wouldn’t go back to Liverpool, Man United wouldn’t take him. I think Newcastle and Spurs are the two you would look at maybe."
