STERLING + £30M = SANCHEZ
Arsenal tempted to do deal with City for Chile rebel while Raheem is up for the switch
ARSENAL could finally be about to crack and sell Alexis Sanchez – but it would take cash and Raheem Sterling to get them to do business.
Manchester City last night had a £50million cash offer rejected and are ready to put Sterling into a player-plus-£30m deal. While Arsenal want to keep Sanchez, the hardline stance that the striker was not
available at any price – which Arsene Wenger has maintained all summer – has softened slightly.
Sanchez, who is away on international duty, had anticipated being needed for a City medical today by asking for permission to leave the Chile training camp.
His request has infuriated the country’s coaching staff on the eve of a vital World Cup qualifier against Paraguay.
City have an official on stand-by in South America, while in England Sterling might be tempted to switch if he feels he is not in Pep Guardiola’s plans, and would get the opportunity for regular football at the Emirates.
City insist it was the Gunners who initiated the inquiry about Sterling, but with Wenger keen to retain Sanchez despite him being in the final year of his contract, the Gunners claim they are not chasing a deal.
While a cash offer of £70m would make Arsenal think about selling, they are concerned they would be left short with the transfer window closing tomorrow night.
However, the chance to take Sterling – who cost £44m when he moved from Liverpool two years ago – as an instant top-quality replacement has its attraction.
At 22 the England international is six years younger than Sanchez and would join on a long contract.
However, player-plus-cash deals are notoriously difficult to tie up.
Arsenal are simply not interested in Sergio Aguero as they are well stocked with strikers and City will not entertain the Argentina international leaving. Arsenal had been chasing Monaco’s Thomas Lemar. But after having had two bids for the France international turned down, it has become clear that the Ligue 1 club want to keep the 21-year-old. That leaves Arsenal unwilling to sell Sanchez unless an offer is too good to turn down.