Arsenal transfer for £60m Viktor Gyokeres alternative blocked by little known Premier League rule

If Arsenal supporters did not think they had made a big mistake in signing Raheem Sterling on transfer deadline day in the summer, his lack of minutes since then will certainly have,changed their minds.

Sterling has managed just 340 minutes of action since arriving on loan from Chelsea on deadline day, playing the full 90 minutes just once - in the Carabao Cup win over Preston North End.

He picked up his first Premier League assist of the season in a seven-minute camoe against Nottingham Forest on Saturday, but it's fair to say his move has not gone to plan.

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And Gunners supporters may just be rueing that last-ditch move to bring him to the Emirates Stadium a little bit more now.

Arsenal were in the market for a forward in the summer, with Sterling being the choice late on to fill a spot in Mikel Arteta's squad. The Gunners had made the decision not to sign and out-and-out striker, despite heavy links with the likes of Viktor Gyokeres, Alexander Isak and Victor Osimhen.

Gyokeres will play against Arsenal in the Champions League on Tuesday night, giving supporters the chance to see him in action first hand and there is a feeling that the Gunners could make another move for him next summer.

But there was a wildcard striker option open to Arsenal in the summer - albeit for around £100million - and the Gunners may well miss out on a huge opportunity to sign him this January.

According to the Telegraph, Brighton have made Evan Ferguson available for loan this January, with the teenage striker battling injury so far this season and struggling to nail down a spot in Fabian Hurzeler's first team.

Ferguson was on a number of teams' lists in the summer, but the £100million price tag put everyone off. Now the Telegraph are reporting he is rated at £60million and is available on loan in January.

That will interest a number of clubs and while Arsenal may be interested, they will be blocked from making a move due to Premier League rules.

Premier League loan rules state: "Premier League clubs may not register more than two players on loan at any one time. The maximum number of loans registrable in the same season is four, and, under no circumstances, shall more than one be from the same club at any one time."

Arsenal already have two loanees in the shape of Sterling and goalkeeper Neto. So unless they decide to ditch one of them, they cannot make a move to sign Ferguson on loan in January.