The fees may go up in line with the moral outrage but the dynamic of a transfer has stayed pretty much the same.

Player wants a move, or is told, to move, is offered a deal that keeps him happy, takes it, then dons a Robbie Keane mask and says it’s always been his ambition to play for his new club because their badge was emblazoned on the duvet he slept under as a kid.

That’s why the funniest line during the Alexis Sanchez /Henrikh Mkhitaryan swap deal wasn’t the pair of them playing the boyhood-dream card but a hurt Arsene Wenger claiming: “I cannot understand anybody wanting to leave Arsenal .”

Which no doubt led to a spike in North London A&E admissions from people banging their head against a wall and screaming to be freed from another brain-crushing outbreak of deja vu.

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How can you not see why a player would want to leave ANY club when Neymar dumped Barcelona and Ronaldo says he wants out of Real Madrid — the two destinations we’re assured every romantic dreamer/hard-nosed mercenary wants to end their days.

It’s easy to see why Wenger wouldn’t contemplate leaving Arsenal.

They pay him £9million-a-year without expecting the kind of results commensurate with the world’s sixth highest income-generating club and the highest ticket prices on earth.

But to not get why world-class players, offered mind-boggling wages, might want to go to a club that challenges for titles when you haven’t won the Premier League for 14 years is delusional.

Of course £9m-a-year, under-no-pressure-from-above Wenger is happy to stay (
Image:
EPA-EFE/REX/Shutterstock)

Why wouldn’t Alexis Sanchez want to play elsewhere?

In his 3.5 seasons at Arsenal, the former Barcelona man scored 80 goals and provided 41 assists in 165 games, yet never finished within 10 points of the title winners (they already trail Manchester City by 23 this time) and didn't once make it past the last 16 of the Champions League.

At Old Trafford, Sanchez won’t just triple his wages, he’ll have an immediate shot at winning this year’s Champions League and, next season, will be going for the Premier League.

Arsenal never finished within single figures of the champions during Sanchez's time (
Image:
AFP)

Robin van Persie claimed this week that Wenger is the best coach in the world for developing young talent, but that didn’t stop the Dutchman leaving for United after saying he disagreed on “many aspects” with his manager about the way forward for Arsenal.

And it didn’t do him any harm, as he joined a list of top talent who left against Wenger’s will before filling their boots with champions’ winners medals — Ashley Cole, Patrick Vieira, Thierry Henry, Samir Nasri, Gael Clichy, Kolo Toure, Cesc Fabregas and Van Persie won 16 League titles and two Champions Leagues between them after fleeing the Gunners.

Cole won the European Cup, the title and four FA Cups after moving to Chelsea (
Image:
Getty)
After eight failed attempts with Arsenal, Van Persie was a first-year champion at United (
Image:
Man Utd via Getty)

Even now, Mezut Ozil is refusing a new contract, and Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain turned one down to make less money with Jurgen Klopp's Liverpool.

Klopp is under similar pressure to Wenger for selling Philippe Coutinho to Barcelona.

But he made no empty claim about Anfield being a final destination for everyone who joins.

Oxlade-Chamberlain's already gone — and Ozil could follow him on a summer Bosman (
Image:
Getty)

He understands his club’s place in the food chain and accepts players wanting to leave “is part of the business. We have to create a situation where they want to stay.”

A lot of players look at Arsenal under Wenger and see a fabulous package: A rich, historic club with a grand stadium which is packed every week and hosts teams that play beautiful football in the most cosmopolitan city in Europe.

The club, ground and city are all attractive — but Arsenal simply don't win enough (
Image:
Arsenal FC via Getty)

But when they discover the recent reality, that all they’re competing for most years is a glorious run in the Carabao Cup or FA Cup, it doesn’t satisfy the very best.

Wenger not understanding why any player might want to leave simply defines himself as part of the reason why so many do.

Or why Sanchez was banging out Money, Money, Money on the Old Trafford piano while he was humming the same old tune.

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