That’ll Pep up Alexis
City hot favourites to land Chilean Sanchez as Bayern rule out move
LONDON: Manchester City are now hot favourites to land Alexis Sanchez after Bayern Munich were priced out of a move, according to reports.
The Gunners are expected to demand over £50mil (RM278mil) for their star player, who is out of contract next summer. According to the Mirror, Bayern are unwilling to splash out what would be a club-record fee and will turn their attentions elsewhere unless Arsenal lower their price.
And City are now confident they can lure him to the Etihad because he wants to play for Pep Guardiola, according to the Guardian.
Arsene Wenger is resigned to losing Sanchez, 28, as he fears losing him on a free.
The Gunners boss had a rumoured offer of £ 280,000 ( RM1.5mil) a week rejected by Sanchez.
Selling to an English Premier League rival is Arsenal’s nightmare scenario, but City are now clear-cut favourites.
Guardiola hopes a reunion with his former Barcelona ace will help him form a fearsome attack to challenge for the Premier League and Champions League next season. Sanchez was Arsenal’s top scorer last term with 24 league goals.
Reports earlier this week suggested City could offer Sergio Aguero as part of a swap deal for the Chile star, who scored in the penalty shootout to help fire his team into the Confederations Cup final on Wednesday. Arsenal have launched a £35mil (RM195mil) bid for Monaco winger Thomas Lemar as they line up Sanchez’s replacement.
An initial £ 28mil (RM156mil) offer was rejected but the Ligue 1 champions are giving serious consideration to their improved bid.
Wenger is also closing in on a club record £57mil (RM317mil) move for Lyon striker Alexandre Lacazette.
Arsenal are also showing interest in Nice midfielder Jean Michael Seri as AS Roma are set to drop out of the race.
According to The Guardian, Roma are believed to be put off by the Ivory Coast international’s £35mil release clause. The 25-yearold turned heads last season – scoring seven goals and providing nine assists in Ligue 1.
Seri was a key player for Nice last term as he helped them mount a surprise challenge for the league title.
Arsenal are set to face competition from Tottenham Hotspur as Seri has been heavily linked with a move to London.
During last season, Seri said he would only leave Nice if he was a guaranteed starter at his next club.
Seri said: “There are a lot of clubs that follow me. But there is nothing done.
“If I leave, it will be to join a club where there is a real desire to play football as in Nice. And I’m not going to be on the bench, I’m leaving only if I know I’m going to play.”
He could be brought in while Mesut Ozil may leave the Emirates as he is yet to sign a new deal.
Ozil and fellow contract rebel Sanchez are set to be offered a 20% pay rise in the hope to get them to sign a new contract.
Both Sanchez and Ozil reportedly rejected a previous contract extension from Wenger’s side in the region of £250,000 (RM1.3mil)-aweek. — The Sun, London