ARSene WengeR’S

sums are not exaggerated. if Alexis Sanchez leaves Arsenal on a free transfer, the cost of keeping him this one season is roughly £140m. in the credit column, there is the £60-70m Arsenal would have got for him and in the debit, the £70-80m it will cost to replace him. So while the fee for Sanchez’s replacement may only be, say, £70m, the swing between the columns doubles that number.

this is a significant financial gamble and only pays off if Arsenal are very successful this season, recouping some of that loss with competition winnings. no sign of this positive projection so far, however. in many ways, compared to keeping Sanchez, the £92m bid for thomas lemar was a snip.