Timeline: How Arsenal's Lemar deal fell apart, and Sanchez stayed put
The perils of procrastination came to the fore on Thursday.
Arsenal and Manchester City, instead of working throughout the summer to find a solution, waited until the final day of the transfer window to try to close a pair of conjoined deals, and in the end, each ended up walking away empty-handed.
Pep Guardiola's interest in Alexis Sanchez has long been established, but the Citizens didn't submit an official offer until Wednesday. When reports Thursday suggested an improved bid of £55 million plus another £5 million in add-ons was enough to close the deal, attention shifted to the Gunners - Arsenal, it was reported, would only green light the sale of the wantaway Chilean if a replacement was procured.
Enter Thomas Lemar.
A blitz for the French winger started Thursday, kicking off a wild few hours of action that saw the club agree to a mammoth fee, then drop out after being unable to reach personal terms with the player.
Related - Report: Arsenal runs out of time as €100M move for Lemar collapses
Here's how a madcap morning played out:
Arsenal, Manchester City reach Sanchez agreement:
Story with @ChrisWheatley_. City and Arsenal have verbally agreed a £60m deal for Alexis, but Arsenal want replacement (Lemar) first
— Sam Lee (@Sammy_Goal) August 31, 2017
That replacement was identified as Monaco's Lemar:
#afc focus now seems to be on landing one of Draxler or Lemar. Both big-money deals and time running out. Meanwhile, Sanchez must wait.
— James Olley (@JamesOlley) August 31, 2017
After reports suggested Arsenal tabled a gargantuan €100-million bid, it seemed things had been sorted:
I'm told that Monaco and Arsenal have agreed a fee for Lemar but that it's now down to the player to decide if he will go #AFC
— James Ducker (@TelegraphDucker) August 31, 2017
That left some scratching their heads at the scattergun approach from the Gunners:
July: Arsenal reject £10m for Kieran Gibbs & decide £52m is too much for Lemar.
— joshua jones (@joshuapsjones) August 31, 2017
August: Arsenal accept £7m for Gibbs & bid £92m for Lemar.
And then, it all fell apart:
Sanchez staying at Arsenal
— John Cross (@johncrossmirror) August 31, 2017
No go on Lemar
As you were
Man City left it too late for Arsenal to entertain their bid and get it done
Unless there's a dramatic change, City up offer for Sanchez, Arsenal wilt, looks like Sanchez will stay at this stage. Lemar deal looks dead
— James Ducker (@TelegraphDucker) August 31, 2017
Why the sudden change? The ever-reliable David Ornstein gave Arsenal supporters the cold, hard truth about Lemar's decision:
As others report #MCFC Sanchez bid over. Conditional agreement reached £55m+£5m but #AFC needed replacement. Lemar said no so Sanchez stays
— David Ornstein (@bbcsport_david) August 31, 2017
And here we are. Lemar remains at Monaco, and Sanchez will be playing out the final year of his deal in north London.