Poor old Arsenal.. it’s like a return to the bad old days of selling their best players
ALEXIS SANCHEZ would be Manchester United’s greatest transfer hijack since they pinched Eric Cantona from champions Leeds 25 years ago.
And if he ends up across town with the neighbours, he will be a frightening addition to Manchester City’s nuclear front line.
Either way, it looks like another ‘Welcome to Manchester’ billboard will soon be appearing in the powerhouse of English football.
There is no point in Arsenal keeping a player who can leave for nothing in the summer if they can get about £30million for him now.
Don’t forget, the Gunners turned down £65m only last summer.
Sanchez will either be signing up to a fistful of medals at Etihad or top of the bill at Old Trafford.
Poor old Arsenal. After Cesc Fabregas (above) and Robin van Persie (right), it looks as if they are going back to the bad old days of selling their best player.
Why they allowed Sanchez to run his contract into the its last year without moving the earth to keep him much sooner is another story.
But you can’t blame City or United for wanting to poach one of the Premier League’s most exciting talents from a major rival. Especially if they can get him for peanuts – and in today’s money, £30m is an absolute steal.
For what it’s worth, I believe he will sign for City.
He has played for Pep Guardiola at Barcelona, and after seeing City’s breathtaking football this season, why wouldn’t he fancy a slice of the cake at the Etihad?
In a tug-of-war with Mourinho, Guardiola holds the trump card.
The main choice, as I see it, is whether Sanchez wants to play every week – or whether he wants to win trophies.
With Sergio Aguero, Leroy Sane, Raheem Sterling, Gabriel Jesus (when fit), David Silva and Kevin de Bruyne for company, he would not play every game . . but he would add even more firepower to the frightening depth of Guardiola’s squad. If City reach the final of every competition this season – and they are still on course for the clean sweep – they will play 63 games. Guardiola will need a full deck of cards to cope with the physical demands of potentially winning the Quadruple.
At United, Sanchez would have to go straight into the front line. He would be top dog at Old Trafford – and, sorry Arsenal fans, but right now you would rather be the big cheese at United than the Emirates. It would be a sensational hijack if Mourinho managed to sign Sanchez. A massive coup.
I don’t think the player’s decision will be dictated by money alone. Both clubs can afford to offer him top dollar. For me, it might come down to Guardiola allowing Sanchez to express himself in City’s ‘Fab Five’ front line, where he might be required to conform to Mourinho’s more rigid system. But wherever he goes, I love watching Sanchez play. The Chile star belongs in the Premier League’s very best signings from South America, with the likes of Aguero and Luis Suarez, because football seems to bring out the street fighter in him.
I played with Roque Santa Cruz at Blackburn, and his mindset was the same: He approached the game as if he was kicking a ball in the street with his mates.
There seems to be a special desire about Sanchez – always wanting the ball, always wanting to be involved – that sets him apart.
Among current English players I can only think of Wayne Rooney, who fostered his love of football in the backstreets of Liverpool, having an equivalent approach to the game.