If reports from France (via the Express) today and last night are anything to go by, Alexis Sánchez may finally be leaving Arsenal this summer. According to these reports, Paris Saint-Germain are ready to test the Gunners’ resolve not to sell the contract rebel, with a reported £70 million bid.
Sánchez has just one year left on his contract at the Emirates and has so far turned down Arsenal’s offers of a new deal. The Chilean star recently hinted he wants to move because he would like to play for a club that is playing in the UEFA Champions League next season and one that has a chance of winning it.
The story so far
Chelsea were the first to be linked with a move for the Chilean. It was said the Blues would aim to sign Sánchez this summer as they believe Eden Hazard could be off to Real Madrid before the new campaign. That then changed when Hazard got injured. Hazard’s injury, which will keep him out for a while, means Madrid are very unlikely to make a move for him this summer. This means Chelsea no longer need to fear that the former-Lille midfielder will leave this summer. And therefore no great need to sign Sánchez – at least for now.
Manchester City have also been linked. Pep Guardiola is said to be a fan of the Chilean and will try to sign him from Arsenal. But as the reports were coming out, Arsène Wenger insisted that Sánchez and Özil will not be sold– not to a rival and not outside Europe. He is an important player for Arsenal and Wenger wants him to stay and see out his contract.
PSG: the game changer?
Listening to and watching all of Arsène Wenger’s press conferences, I was convinced by the Frenchman for the first time that he was serious about not wanting to sell the former-Barcelona attacker. He previously said Robin van Persie wouldn’t be sold and he was. Before that he said Samir Nasri and Cesc Fábregas wouldn’t be sold but they were. However, it would be outright foolishness for Arsenal to turn down an offer of £70m for a player who is soon to turn 29 and has only one year left on his contract.
It will be difficult to replace Sánchez. There are not many players on the market at the moment who are as good as he is. But why keep an unhappy player who is getting very close to 30 when you have the chance of getting as much as £70m for him?
Personally, I feel Arsenal should sell Sánchez to PSG and I think they will. The Arsenal PLC – I mean Arsenal FC – that I know will surely not turn down an offer of £70m for a player who is in the final 12 months of his contract. One whose heart is somewhere else and not with the team.
A smart deal would however be to accept around £55m for Sánchez and ask for Adrien Rabiot as part of the deal. With Jack Wilshere looking to be off and Santi Cazorla still unable to overcome his injury woes, Rabiot would be useful in Arsenal’s midfield. It seems Mr Wenger admires the Frenchman as he reportedly made moves to sign him some years back.
