Arsenal's Mikel Arteta has “strong feelings” about Chelsea's Raheem Sterling and Liverpool's Arne Slot teases journalist: news from morning managers’ conferences

Arteta: Sterling was unbelievable when we were together

Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta did not rule out interest in exiled Chelsea winger Raheem Sterling in his press conference. Sterling has been told he won’t have many minutes at Stamford Bridge under Enzo Maresca, leading other Premier League clubs to weigh up moves for the 29-year-old.

When asked about his opinion on the winger, whom he worked with in his time at Manchester City, Arteta was complimentary: "My time with Raheem was exceptional. We built a really strong relationship together. He was unbelievable at the time we were together. He taught me a lot as well, about individuals, how they, players think, how we support them. He is someone I have really strong feelings about."

Sterling would probably have to play second fiddle to younger wingers at most clubs, including Arsenal, where he’s unlikely to displace the likes of Bukayo Saka and Gabriel Martinelli.

However, the Gunners have been sniffing around for an additional forward in this summer’s window - could a move across London be on the cards?

Elsewhere on the pitch, Arsenal have already secured the services of Riccardo Calafiori this summer and are understood to be in pursuit of Euros winner and Real Sociedad player Mikel Merino, but their manager was cagey on the specifics.

"You have to be ready and especially in the last week. You have to be alert and prepared because a lot of surprises can come.”

The Londoners face a trip to Aston Villa on Saturday evening, looking to build on last week’s 2-0 home win over Wolves.

Arne Slot charms Liverpool fans with forthright press conference

You’d think the prospect of his Anfield competitive debut would be a nerve-wracking one, but apparently not for Arne Slot: the Dutchman was a picture of calm and even drew a few laughs in his press conference.

“I'm not nervous at all, certainly not at this moment because I'm in the middle of preparing the team for Sunday. No, nerves are not there. It wouldn't be a good thing. If you've got nerves then you probably don't trust what you did before, you just don't trust your team.”

He was pressed on transfers, though - despite recouping a reported £60m through sales, no incomings have been announced. Apparent interest in Anthony Gordon and Martin Zubimendi proved fruitless, and the squad Slot inherited from Jürgen Klopp has not been reinforced - but the new boss wasn’t worried.

“I trust the team. I've said many times before, I inherited a real good team, a team of many young players as well. I think we all know that especially young players can develop at the ages they are on at the moment, so we just try to work as hard as we can with them.”

Asked about any potential newcomers, he said: “I think you know already the answer. If a deal is done then you will hear from us. Until that moment, we don't speak about transfers or players that are not ours.”

Slot showed stony calm and composure on transfer issues, but added a bit of levity to proceedings through his forthright demeanour. When asked about Ryan Gravenberch’s qualities in the number 6 role, he praised the midfielder but forced several news sites to paraphrase him when he added: “If all the other 10 would have played **** at Ipswich, I don't think Ryan would have been able to play a great game.”

He also drew laughs from the assembled reporters when addressing one journalist, who asked him about Joe Gomez’s future at the club: “At this moment, I'm expecting everyone to be here. But like you know – you are maybe even longer in football than I am, looking at you, [you are] a little bit older than me! – everything can change.”