Report: City increasingly confident Sanchez will force move from Arsenal
Manchester City is growing in confidence in its pursuit for Alexis Sanchez because of the Chilean's preference to join Pep Guardiola's project in Lancashire, the Guardian's Jamie Jackson reports.
Sanchez has a year left on his contract at Arsenal, leaving the possibility of the forward exiting the Emirates Stadium for nothing at the end of the 2017-18 season. That potential massive loss on the £31.7 million he cost in 2014 - and, given the current footballing landscape, he would now demand a fee of around £50 million - gives Sanchez power if he wants to engineer a move from Arsenal this summer.
Arsenal apparently offered Sanchez a new contract worth £250,000 a week, but this was turned down. At Manchester City, it's believed he could take home a weekly pay packet worth nearer £300,000 a week.
Unsurprisingly, the Gunners are keen to retain the 28-year-old, and if they fail they would prefer he joins a team from outside the Premier League. Bayern Munich and Paris Saint-Germain are said to be interested in Sanchez.
Arsenal can still outright deny Sanchez a switch to Manchester City, but aside from that the only remaining snag is the player persuading his partner to leave London - but those ties aren't irrevocable.
(Photo courtesy: Action Images)
The former Udinese man enjoyed the most prolific season of his career in 2016-17. Despite Arsenal faltering and ending the term in fifth place, Sanchez paired 24 goals and 10 assists in league play, and added a second FA Cup medal after scoring in May's 2-1 final win over Chelsea.
Sanchez was signed by Guardiola at Barcelona in 2011, and the pair worked together for a season - winning the Copa del Rey, Club World Cup, and both the Spanish and UEFA Super Cups - before the manager decided to take a sabbatical from the game.
Not only would Guardiola's revolution appear appetising given the recent arrivals of Bernardo Silva and Ederson Moraes - and expected signing of Sanchez's old Barca teammate Dani Alves - the Spaniard can also peddle Champions League football. By comparison, Arsenal is offering an upcoming campaign in the Europa League.
City is relaxed enough to play the long game in its chase for Sanchez, with the artilleryman currently on Chile duty at the Confederations Cup.
Arsenal, meanwhile, could be readying a contingency plan if he does leave, with reports surfacing on Wednesday that Monaco had rejected a £31-million bid from the Gunners for winger Thomas Lemar.