Here’s why Alexis Sanchez will be staying at Arsenal this summer
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Bayern Munich have ruled themselves out of the running for Arsenal ace Alexis Sanchez, and we say he’ll now stay in North London.
The Bundesliga champions signed James Rodriguez on a two-year loan deal from Real Madrid, and no longer see the need to pursue Sanchez.
It removes one of the forward’s few options to depart the Emirates, having joined the club from Barcelona in 2014.
Despite becoming a fan favourite, bagging a hatful of goals along the way, Arsenal have failed to match Sanchez’s expectations, and he cut an increasingly frustrated figure last season.
Comments emerged over the weekend that he wants to play for a Champions League club, with the Gunners now in the Europa League.
His contract is up in 12 months time too, and Arsene Wenger risks losing his key man for nothing next summer.
Since last season drew to a close, the 28-year-old has been as short as 2/5 to leave the Gunners in the current window.
But Bayern’s move has this writer believing Sanchez is going to stick around at the Emirates.
Chelsea and Manchester City remain in the hunt, but the former are looking for an all-round forward to replace Diego Costa, rather than a winger-cum-striker in Sanchez.
And the latter, though managed by Sanchez’s former Barcelona ally Pep Guardiola, already boast Sergio Aguero, while Gabriel Jesus is their man for the future.
Plus, we haven’t even mentioned the killer blow here.
Arsenal simply cannot afford to sell Sanchez to a direct Premier League rival.
It would be a disaster on all fronts – PR, marketing, business – let alone a sporting own-goal of epic proportions.
If the player himself wishes to wind down his contract and join Chelsea or Man City in 12 months’ time, then that’s his prerogative, but for Arsenal to sell him directly is an absolute no-no.
All Odds and Markets are correct as of the date of publishing
