CITY V BURNLEY Sanchez is not Gunner be a risk...
ADDITION OF STRIKER WOULDN’T DISRUPT CITY – PEP
PEP Guardiola is adamant Alexis Sanchez will not disrupt City’s bid to win an unprecedented quadruple.
The Blues boss wants to sign the Arsenal striker this month – despite the Etihad hierarchy preparing a summer move when he will be a free agent.
But the knee ligament injury suffered by Gabriel Jesus has convinced City’s manager he needs to bring forward those plans to this transfer window. It was understood City were willing to wait for Sanchez while prioritising the recruitment of a centre-back in January.
One factor behind that thinking was the potential for the Chilean to prove a disruptive influence to an attack that has fired the Blues to a 15-point lead at the top of the Premier League.
City’s hierarchy had also been left angered by Arsenal’s handling of their £60m bid for the 29-year-old in the summer, which collapsed on transfer deadline due to Thomas Lemar’s refusal to complete a £90m move from Monaco to the Emirates.
Signing him for nothing, less than 12 months later, would be seen as a victory over the Londoners.
But Guardiola, who has been desperate to be reunited with the player he signed for Barcelona in 2011, wants him now.
Asked if January additions could be disruptive, he was blunt in his response.
“If that player is nice, then there’s no risk,” said Guardiola.
While there have been suggestions of disharmony between Sanchez and some members of Arsenal’s dressing room this season, Guardiola has no doubts about his character having worked with him at the Nou Camp. While at the Catalan giants he was forced to accept a role behind more established stars such as Lionel Messi, Andres Iniesta, Xavi and David Villa.
Guardiola was also happy to add him to a starstudded attack at City in the summer – in the knowledge he would have to compete with Sergio Aguero, Jesus, Raheem Sterling and Leroy Sane for regular playing time.
He had no concerns about Sanchez’s ability to integrate into his squad, even though established players like Aguero may be forced out of the team following his arrival.
Arsenal are believed to be ready to listen to offers in the region of £25m, which presents a starting point for negotiations during a period when it is notoriously difficult to do business.
Guardiola also wants to sign a centre-back to cover the injured Vincent Kompany, having already missed out on one target in Virgil van Dijk, who has joined Liverpool. “At Barcelona, at Bayern Munich and here, I never pushed,” he said. “All the clubs I work with try to do the best, and sometimes it’s possible, sometimes not, but there’s not a big problem. “We are working now for this month, but also for the future, for the next seasons. “What happens, happens, and I will work with the players I have. “The toughest period to buy players is now because everyone wants to keep players, so it’s not easy. “If we believe we need something because we are in four competitions and anything can happen, then okay. “If it doesn’t happen, we will go with the guys we started with, and we are going to move forward with the players we have.”