Wenger row over ‘respect’
players Paul Pogba, Romelu Lukaku and Zlatan Ibrahimovic.
For that reason, Raiola has been given every chance to secure Mkhitaryan’s move to Arsenal, whose manager Arsene Wenger seemed to be cranking up preparations for life after Sanchez when he made him train away from the rest of the squad. The Frenchman is convinced Sanchez’s move to Old Trafford is reaching a critical stage.
He said yesterday: “It’s the deadline now: in the next 24 to 48 hours this will happen... or not.”
But having insisted he had no qualms about including Sanchez in the team for tomorrow’s game against Crystal Palace after leaving him out against Bournemouth on Sunday, Wenger made Sanchez train with the kids while what the Gunners’ boss described as a “lawyers’ battle” played out between Arsenal and United. “I would say our fans know Alexis will not extend his contract and they have accepted that idea,” said Wenger.
“The fact it will not be one-way traffic makes the whole thing a bit smoother, maybe, a bit less disappointing.
“We lose a player yes but we could gain another player.” And Wenger was adamant there was a place for Dortmund’s Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang at the Emirates.
“Yes [he’d fit in], because character can be a very positive note and it can be a very negative note,” he said.
His comments did not play well with Dortmund, who will not be including the player for their game against Hertha Berlin tonight amid fears his head had been turned.
“We regard it as disrespectful that Wenger expresses himself about players of other clubs,” said a Dortmund statement.