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Manchester City to make £60m bid for Arsenal forward Alexis Sanchez
Manchester City will make a bid to test Arsenal’s resolve to keep Alexis Sánchez before the transfer window shuts with Pep Guardiola still desperate to add the forward to his squad.
Arsène Wenger, the Arsenal manager, has been adamant that Sánchez will not be sold this summer, despite the Chile international entering the final 12 months of his contract.
Wenger and Arsenal have also been particularly insistent that Sánchez will not be allowed to join a Premier League rival.
But that will not stop City, on the instruction of manager Guardiola, trying to tempt Arsenal with a bid of around £60 million before the end of this month.
City are also prepared to hand Sánchez a contract worth around £400,000 a week, including bonuses and image rights, if they can convince Arsenal to sell.
Sánchez missed Arsenal’s opening Premier League game of the season through injury, but was at the Emirates to watch the thrilling 4-3 victory over Leicester City.
He is also expected to miss the trip to Stoke City on Saturday and raised fears among Arsenal fans by revealing he was in Paris over the weekend.
But Paris St-Germain’s interest in Sánchez has cooled since they signed Neymar in a world-record deal, leaving City with seemingly a free run to try to sign the 28-year-old.
Chelsea have also shown a strong interest in Sánchez, but felt a long pursuit of the player could prove fruitless. It remains to be seen whether the defeat to Burnley and obvious need to strengthen changes their stance.
City have already spent around £220 million on new players this summer, but Guardiola still sees Sánchez as a vital potential addition as he tries to build a squad capable of challenging in the Premier League and Champions League.
Guardiola’s new-look team opened their Premier League campaign with a 2-0 victory over newly-promoted Brighton, in which Sergio Agüero scored.
Sánchez ideally wants to leave Arsenal this month, but is prepared to wait until the end of the season and leave on a free transfer if he has to.
Sources insist that his current injury is legitimate, but Sánchez, who scored 24 Premier League goals for Arsenal last season, could yet push for a move if he learns of an official City bid.
Asked whether there was any update on Sánchez after the victory over Leicester on Friday night, Wenger said: “No. He practised well today, this morning, had a good session for the first time because he had a little muscular strain. He is focused and happy in the dressing room because we won the game.”
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