Despite the slump Arsenal find themselves in, there is no doubt that Alexis Sanchez has had his best season at the Emirates – scoring 23 goals and providing 12 assists this campaign. Alexis’ red-hot form and the Gunners’ lacklustre season so far has resulted in a lot of speculation over his future and the latest media reports in this regard claim that the Chilean is on course to move to Ligue 1 giants Paris Saint-Germain at the the end of the season.
In fact, the Metro has claimed that PSG boss Unai Emery has been in contact with Arsenal’s supposed contract rebel to convince the much-coveted player to move to the Parc des Princes this summer. The report comes on the heels of speculation in Chile that Jose Mourinho and Pep Guardiola have been in touch with the forward with regards to a move to their respective Manchester clubs.
Personally, I would not read too much into this speculation. While it is an open secret that Alexis is not happy about the current state of affairs at the Emirates, his departure is certainly not guaranteed. As unlikely as it may seem, I believe that if Arsenal finish in the top-four and make some big name signings to go with a healthy pay hike, the Chilean may well stay with the club.
But in all honesty, that is a longshot. However, if Sanchez was to go anywhere, it certainly would not be PSG. With all due respect to French football, I believe Sanchez is a level above and despite the Gunners slump this season, moving from Arsenal to PSG is not really a step up. If Sanchez were to move, I see it happening only if one of the Spanish giants or Bayern Munich come into the mix. Now although Chelsea and both Manchester clubs are also interested, I really do not see Arsenal selling to a direct rival this time around, or at least I hope!
But if Arsenal want to make a statement about their future credentials, then surely the services of the former Barcelona man have to be retained. The club cannot claim progress if the best players keep leaving season after season. While one cannot speculate too much about the monetary aspect of the negotiations, surely Sanchez’s end product in terms of goals and assists and his sheer work rate on the pitch is well worth Arsene Wenger breaking the bank on. So if Arsenal are serious about building a team that can win the title next season, the first step would be to get the diminutive Chilean to sign on fresh terms.
Anurag