City target Sanchez and Evans

MANCHESTER CITY are prepared to take their spending past £300million to land Alexis Sanchez and Jonny Evans.

They are determined to test Arsenal’s resolve with a £70m offer to reunite Sanchez with Pep Guardiola at the Etihad.

Gunners boss Arsene Wenger is digging his heels in over the Chile striker and City have yet to make a formal bid.

But there have been talks about the player, who has just 10 months left on his current contract.

Mirror Sport understands the sale is being blocked by Wenger amid fears of a fans’ backlash and he has the full support of the board.

However, he accepts that a bid of £70m would be difficult deal to turn down.

City have splashed out a record £210m so far and have earmarked funds for Sanchez – back in training following a groin problem and expected to play at Liverpool on Sunday – should the Gunners give them permission to negotiate.

Guardiola wants Evans to strengthen his options in central defence and West Brom boss Tony Pulis would be prepared to sell his captain for £25m. City’s most-recent offer, of £18m, was rejected.

The Etihad clear out continued yesterday when Samir Nasri completed an £8m move to Antalyaspor, agreeing a two-year contract with the Turkish club.

Arsenal are this week expected to hold further talks with another contract rebel, Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain.

They will offer a new deal, even though he has already turned down two, the last one worth more than £125,000 a week.

Oxlade-Chamberlain has told Wenger face-to-face he will not sign a new contract as it is not a question of money, and Chelsea are waiting in the wings to make a fresh bid in excess of £35m.

But, as with Sanchez, Wenger is standing firm in what he sees is a changing transfer market.