Sky Sports is reporting that Arsenal has shot down a near $65 million Manchester City bid for Alexis Sanchez.’
Earlier reports said Arsenal is asking for closer to $75 million, while others said the Gunners would want cash plus Raheem Sterling.
[ MORE: Schick to Roma | K. Hazard to Chelsea ]
Sanchez is out of contract after the season, and sign a pre-contract anywhere on a free transfer come January.
According to Sky’s Transfer Centre:
The BBC’s David Orstein has a take from the other side of the proposed deal.
Arsenal have rebuffed all approaches from Man City for Sanchez. #AFC stance remains not for sale - unless huge money + player offered #MCFC
— David Ornstein (@David_Ornstein) August 29, 2017
If Arsenal is willing to sell without taking on a player, it’s easy to see this transfer happening before Thursday for a fee higher than the stated $75 million. That’s assuming Pep Guardiola knows he can sign Sanchez to a long-term deal.
As for the 22-year-old Sterling, if push comes to shove Sanchez is miles ahead of the the Man City player albeit six years older. Sanchez has some value other than attack, while Sterling is very much one dimensional at this point.
Then again, last season was by far Sanchez’s best season since leaving Barcelona and he’ll turn 29 in December.
There’s also the question as to whether Arsenal should want a ticked off Alexis Sanchez sticking around, especially given the disappointing early season potentially setting the table for all kinds of problems (though early season struggles at the Emirates Stadium are nothing new).