Chelsea and Arsenal set to battle for 17-year-old Championship breakout star: Reports
Chelsea and Arsenal are reportedly interested in signing Stoke City teenage midfielder Souleymane Sidibe. The 17-year-old is touted as one of the most promising youngsters in English football, and his progress is closely tracked by several leading Premier League clubs.
Both Chelsea and Arsenal were active in the summer transfer window as they made a plethora of additions to their squad to bolster their strength in all areas. While the 2024-25 summer transfer window has shut down, both clubs are still looking out for players who could be of value to their team.
According to TBR Football, Arsenal and Chelsea are eyeing terrific teenage Stoke City midfielder Souleymane Sidibe alongside a host of other Premier League clubs.
Sidibe is a product of Stoke City’s academy. He played for the club at both U18 and U21 levels before earning promotion to the senior team. His affiliation with the Potters should not come as a surprise given that his father, Mamady Sidibe, spent most of his playing career at Bet365 Stadium, spending eight years at the club (2005-2013).
Souleymane Sidibe made his debut for Stoke’s first team as a late substitute at 16 years in 2023 against Rotherham United, as his side won 4-1. The match made him the second-ever youngest player to make a league appearance for the Potters and the third-youngest of all time. He has made 12 appearances for the Potters across competitions and has just one assist to his name.
Apart from the Blues and Gunners, other Premier League clubs that are interested in the English-born midfielder include Manchester City, Aston Villa, Nottingham Forest, and Wolverhampton Wanderers.
Former Arsenal and Chelsea player challenges Raheem Sterling to show his worth
Former Chelsea and Arsenal player Emmanuel Petit has urged Raheem Sterling to prove his worth at Emirates as he joined the Gunners on a season-long loan deal following his expulsion from the first team at Stamford Bridge.
Sterling seemed to lose his touch at Stamford Bridge before he was considered surplus to requirement by Enzo Maresca. Petit, however, believes the 29-year-old can still play at top level and has urged him to show his quality at Arsenal. He said (via Mirror):
“I think that Sterling needs to show that he’s still a world-class player. He was on big wages at Chelsea, Arsenal are paying a fraction of those, but you need your best paid players to deliver week-in, week-out. That has been his biggest problem.
“I think he’s been quite inconsistent for the last few seasons, even towards the end of his time at Manchester City. Sterling can be very good for two or three games and, all of a sudden, you don’t see him for three weeks.
“Sterling knows that he’s facing competition at Arsenal, but they are a totally different club to Chelsea. There is stability, serenity at the club, so this is something that can help bring the best out of him.”
Emmanuel Petit also believes that the atmosphere at the north London club will provide room for the 29-year-old to flourish there.
“The environment at Arsenal is definitely not the same at Chelsea, so I think that will suit Sterling perfectly,” said Petit. “He knows exactly what type of dressing room he’s walking into at Arsenal. He’s joining a great group of motivated players, and a very good club that is looking to win the Premier League this season.
“He would have seen Arsenal’s improvement over the last three years. I think Arsenal is precisely the right environment for him to improve as a player; it’s the perfect place for him to regain his confidence. He will definitely want to show Chelsea that they made the wrong decision letting him go.”