Manchester City are said to have pulled out of the race to sign Arsenal forward Alexis Sanchez because of financial reasons, but does it makes sense?
The Chilean is out of contract next summer and is firmly expected to leave the club without extending that deal, and Manchester City had been believed to be nailed on as his next club, until a fortnight ago at least.
Manchester United have since emerged as his most likely destination, and terms are even believed to have been all-but finalised, with Henrikh Mkhitaryan moving in the opposite direction.
The claims were that Man City were unwilling to pay the £35 Million asking price which was demanded to part with Alexis, half the fee which they were believed to have agreed only four months ago, and it was the Red Devils who moved in with their offer.
There is also the claim that the Citizens were now unwilling to pay the wantaway star the wages demanded, but do we actually believe that Alexis was not set to become their highest earner when agreeing terms on Deadline Day in the summer?
So we are to believe that after four months, City are now unwilling to pay half the fee they had previously agreed, and that wages are now an issue?
The papers love to have their agendas, and one theory has been claimed that moving to United would only be about money, and joining Pep would somehow have been because of footballing reasons, but what if City had been told that Man United was his dream?
Did Man United simply offer the highest wages? Would the chance to work under Mourinho outweigh Guardiola? Did City try and save face by trying to cry about a financial high-ground?
Pat J
I think it is about saving face but for me I don’t care I just want him gone and for us to move on, sooner the better
can this alexis saga end already?
SERIOUSLY AS AN ARSENAL FAN I AM NOT BOTHERED ABOUT SANCHES BUT I WILL BE VERY GLAD FOR HIM TO LEAVE BECAUSE A TREE DOES NOT MAKE A FOREST.GO OUT THERE AND COMPETE WITH THOSE SUPERSTARS.BUT JUST FOR ARSENAL TO JUST KEEP GROWING BECAUSE THERE IS ALWAYS ANOTHER TIME,,,,, GUYS THINK OF LEICESTER CITY….
48 hours was a long time ago now
Another 48 hours.
It’s a good point, there’s no getting around the fact that city play with their money like the average person would with monopoly dollars. Actually, I think people are more frugal with monopoly money ..than city are with cold hard cash.
Pep must has some thoughts behind this one, he’s the one who knows Alexis best, he generally knows player details very well. If he wanted Alexis city would make sure of it. Maybe he’s thinking about Greizmann / Dybala / or has an eye on the next superbly talented kid to make a big splash. Or it could just be that he wants to be mostly fair with the lads he has now, seeing as they’ve put him and the club in the most enviable of positions.
the fact he was offered 500k a week to 275 may of been a significant reason,money talks,anybody who says they wouldnt if given the opportunity is a bare faced liar
City and pep have come out of this with great credit. £35m plus £400k a week is far too much to pay and even they have baulked at theses figures.
I wish he was gone already, then I wouldn’t have to read another just Arsenal article about it. Don’t care if City are saving face as they’ll will probably end up buying a young talent, we have been linked with and make him a star, don’t care if United seem to have and endless amount of money to spend and out pay there rivals, don’t care if Myk hasn’t been signed in time so he won’t be able to play this weekend and even if he was Wenger wouldn’t of thrown in him straight away without training with us first. I would just like us to get to the end of the season without us being embarassed every other week, this season has been a joke so far, worse than last season and the season before that and so on. I’m just waiting on the day Wenger finally leaves so we can kick on and start again.
Just GO, you greedy little man !
Cannot wait for confirmation the rat has gone.
Despicable.
Alexis is 29………and has about two productive years in football including 2018……….he needs to cash in now……besides the guy never stays long anywhere…………I just hope we get Aubameyang and that Taryn guy………….and use AMN as DM……..then buy another DM or promote one next season………
The only ones who lost face in here are Arsenal with le fraud alone. Alexis would be a luxury buy and City knows that even though he is off to manure, it will not make any diff whatsoever to them and to manur
I firmly believe Sanchez signing for City- which now looks dead in the water – is a big let off for City. Mercenary Sanchez – as is now clearly revealed – would bring huge trouble to a club, that, frankly, does not need him and his attitude to money. IMO Sanchez could well end up loathed throughout football and his grotesque greed harms all top level football and removes such players further from being ever accepted anywhere. At his age, if United are stupid enough to pay what is widely published, then more fool them! They will reap the disruption in team spirit and pay a huge price , not only in money for their foolishness. And nothing will please me more! Apart from Wengers sacking of course. But then , I have already factored that in.
Please get rid of Alexis. Bad apples rot everywhere. Can’t wait till he is gone. At least I won’t hear that pathetic song we sang for him again. Alexis Sanchez baby!!!!! Wtf was that all about? Good riddance, hate him more than rvp already.
How ungrateful! Sanchez has carried this pathetic excuse of a club, and manager, since he’s been here, and we wouldn’t have won a thing without him. Arsenal were the definition of a ‘one man team’ last season. He’s given us stunning goals, and incredible commitment on the pitch. Such mentality we’ve not seen since 2006, and before.
And did he down tools this season? Refuse to be a sub, not put in the effort when on the pitch? No he didn’t. And he’s our top scorer by the way!
Getting rid of Sanchez changes nothing, as the biggest ‘bad apple’ is Wenger, and Arsenal will continue to rot under his management.
Thank you so much for your service Sanchez. Sorry you had to work under such a poor manager, and at a club with ZERO ambition. Good luck working under a WC manager, and please don’t score against, although I’m sure our defence will give you plenty of opportunities.
@Goonerbri
Spot on!!! Any fan who claims otherwise is either a fool who deserves a manager like Wenger or their helmet is too tight…keep it up ThirdMan
‘Are Man City trying to save face over chase of Arsenal’s Alexis?’.
What a stupid question. They just refused to be gazumped. Maureen doesn’t care. She’s off to PSG at the end of the season and he’s desperate to win something, anything?
I don’t see any tears being shed for the Chilean’s departure. The plan is to have him sitting on Lukaku’s shoulders for corners and dressing room bust ups.
I think our problem has been clear all season; Xhaka. Almost everybody has also been aware of the solution except Wenger; AMN
We need a Manager!