Following Arsenal’s stunning 2-1 win over Manchester City in the semi-final of the FA Cup on Sunday, the Arsenal boss Arsene Wenger has spoken out in praise of the match-winner Alexis Sanchez and hailed his top-scoring player as ‘an animal’, insisting that the much-coveted forward will be an Arsenal player beyond the end of the season.
As quoted by the Sun, the veteran manager said: “Alexis Sanchez was like the team, he had problems to start with and became stronger and stronger. He is an animal, always ready to kill the opponent. He will never give up. He will be here next year because he has a contract with us and hopefully we will manage to extend it.”
Now while I do not want to get too excited knowing Arsenal’s history in such contract situations, I cannot help but wonder whether Wenger just said that Sanchez will remain at Arsenal even if he does not sign a new contract. It sounded like it to me. If it were to be true, any such decision would be a major statement of intent, showing that the club are indeed moving forward and keeping their best players at all costs.
But let’s be realistic here, Arsenal paid Barcelona £35 million to acquire his services and the Chilean is now understood to be valued at around £50 million. Would Arsenal really make him stay and risk losing him for free next season? The answer is most certainly a resounding ‘no’. Despite how valuable Alexis is to this Arsenal team, the board will simply not risk a financial loss of that magnitude to keep one player at the club.
But what this tells me is that the club are yet to give up on the prospect of making their star player extend his stay at the Emirates. Personally, I do not think the negotiations are centred around the monetary aspects as most media reports suggest. While money is a big factor and a hefty pay-hike is being negotiated, I think Sanchez is waiting to see where the club finish and whether some big names will be brought in ahead of next season. As of now, I am happy that Wenger is holding firm and that Alexis’ departure is not a given.
Anurag
I’d rather have play out his contract than sell him for 50m. Money I know won’t be used to improve our club. But goes into the pockets of the greedy board members.
Wenger is indirectly telling us that no contract for Alexis, but he (Wenger) stays no matter what.
Gotta sell that 2017/18 merch somehow, innit? And what a better way to do it than to lie about key player’s contract situation.
Guys, don’t give in. And for god’s sake, don’t buy merch. You’ll be taken for a ride again.
It has been an emphatic win against City, it really has. BUT.
Don’t forget who owns the club. Don’t be fooled to think that Sanchez will stay at the club next season. He’ll wear the blue jersey before August, there is no way in the world that won’t happen.
Top four battle is our fate until Dagnote buys the club.
Money has never been the key issue for Sanchez. Unlike many other players at Arsenal, he started from scratch, from dusty dirt pitch in his desert hometown to the best football fields in the world.
He is just waiting to see if:
1. Wenger stops playing mistery and says if he stats or not. That Frenchman ego is huge.
2. Wenger stops saying that’s there’s no urgency to discuss Sanchez new contract.
3. More than a raise, he’s waiting to see if the board steps up and goes all guns blazing to take summer market by assault and sign 2 or 3 world class players. He enjoys playing at Arsenal, but his critics says he disturbs the dressing room.
What’s do you want? A team that quietly goes into oblivion and accepts it gladly ?!?
If the Board will not give him a raise nor buy top players they must say it now. Waiting untill the summer to get to a final decission will only be a waste oftime to secure those top players the team badly needs. Those greedy members of the boards will sell him in the summer, make no mistake.
Sánchez staying or going is immaterial. More fool him if he stays under Wengers guidance. He’ll win nothing significant until he or Wenger leaves….
I agree, Unurag, Sanchez is a goner. He is definitely not waiting for any transfer activity because then he would have to wait till the last day of the transfer window. Besides the club won’t buy any world class players. The price tags of world class players start at a minimum of 75 million. We won’t pay that.
My bet is that Sanchez will go to PSG. I hope the club won’t sell him to City.
There is no point listening to Wenger because he always misleads or lies about transfers. He also said RVP would stay and same for Fabregas. Wenger doesn’t like the truth and doesn’t speak it.
Sanchez is gone and I have no doubt about it. I just hope he doesn’t go to a top 5 team in the PL.
Or better yet, I hope we use him as a bargaining ship to land another world class player. If it is true Griesman has an 85 million buy out than how about Sanchez + 35 million?