CITY FURY AS SANCHEZ MOVE FAILS
Pep thought he’d got his man for £60m…
MANCHESTER CITY were last night left fuming with Arsenal over the Alexis Sanchez saga.
Pep Guardiola’s City were encouraged to make their second bid of the week – up to £60million – by Arsenal as the summer transfer deadline counted down.
City were told the second bid would succeed as long as Arsenal could find a big-name replacement. Arsenal seemed to have done just that in Monaco’s Thomas Lemar, who would have cost about £90million, only for the Frenchman to have a change of heart.
It become a frustrating day for Guardiola and City, who had been talking to Arsenal about Sanchez since May.
A bid for West Brom centrehalf Jonny Evans also proved GARETH SOUTHGATE has refused to hammer Joe Hart for his poor club form and confirmed he will give the West Ham goalkeeper the gloves for tonight’s World Cup qualifier against Malta.
With the London club struggling at the foot of the Premier League, there has been much focus on the 10 goals Hart has shipped already in just three games.
“From my point of view, we’re three games into the season but he has been excellent,” said Southgate. “As a manager, we’ve only conceded the two goals in Scotland in this Group so, for me, I think he’s rewarded me with the performances I wanted.
“I don’t think anyone else has had an opportunity yet to stake a strong enough claim to take over. But Joe knows there is competition for places, and that is healthy.
“Whether he needs a confidence boost or not, I think it’s important he plays.
“There was an opportunity to make a change against Malta and then change it back, but that would have created more speculation and uncertainty. I told him a couple of days ago he was playing because I felt it was the right thing to do.”
There was less of a confidence boost for Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain, however, with Southgate somewhat spiking the excitement of his new challenge at Liverpool by