The latest rumour this week regarding the ongoing Alexis Sanchez contract saga is reports that the Chilean for the second time in the last month was spotted in Paris, this time with his girl friend and his agent. Now I’m not an expert but normally if you want a romantic weekend away you don’t take your agent with you.
It has led many putting two and two together, with Paris Saint German one of the few teams outside of England able to afford the wages the South American demands.
Many Arsenal fans have tried to reassure themselves that having spent over 200 million on Neymar, an offer from France would now be unlikely out of fear of further upsetting UEFA’s financial fair play scheme. That’s wishful thinking , the reality is 50 million to the Qatar owners is to what 50p is to your average person.
It has led to some fearing that Arsene Wenger’s insistence that Arsenal have made a club decision to allow their star man to play out his contract will now be tested.
Once you look at the facts however could an argument not be made that the rumours coming out of the French capital are the best possible news out of a horrible situation?
Writing that might put me in the minority with my fellow Gooners but in life you have to deal with the cards you have been dealt. Once you get over the fact that too many contracts have been allowed to run down with less then a year left you have to deal with the reality in front of you.
The reality is that Sanchez clearly wants to leave the club. The fact that he has turned down becoming the highest paid player in our history , not willing to consider any type of compromise, tells you how much he wants to go. Arsene Wenger would not of been our manager for two decades if he truly believed that someone changing their mind in their last 12 months was realistic.
Stan Konrenke can be criticised for much but on this occasion no one can accuse our board of not showing ambition. 300, 000 pound a week is more then the going rate. The moment it became clear that Sanchez and his agent were not willing to negotiate then Arsenal’s priority became clear, do whatever it takes to stop him from joining a Premiership rival.
The only side who can help us do that is PSG.
Some Arsenal fans (and clearly our manager) have fallen into thinking that our best case scenario is forcing him to stay, patting themselves on the back for once putting football principles above what makes sense from a business point of view.
From a PR point of view I can understand why our board feel that say 50 million would not be worth the grief they would receive from an already disillusioned fan base. Their job is to keep the customers happy and in the short term they do that by ensuring that the gunners have another 12 months of seeing a world class player at the Emirates.
But the key words are short term. Only Arsene Wenegr knows in private what his player has told him. But if he is making it clear that this time next year he wants to stay in England but North London is not his destination, wouldn’t that be more painful then selling him now to a club where he can’t come back to haunt us?
By forcing him to stay are we not just putting a bandage over a gaping wound, are we still not bleeding? It’s like knowing that someone in a relationship is not in love with you but ignoring the fact for 12 months, your just delaying the hurt.
My fellow gooners, ask yourself this, what would hurt more?
Sanchez being sold now to PSG or getting to see him in the red and white for a few more months but the result being he goes and plays for a City, United or worse Chelsea?
I have no doubt that if any club from abroad in the last minute of the transfer window called Arsenal’s bluff with an offer, they would take it. It would be the perfect compromise..
Dan Smith