Alexis Sanchez has confirmed that he’ll make a decision about his future at the end of the season but says, for now, his main priority is helping Arsenal to win the FA Cup and qualify for the Champions League.
As has been well documented, the Chile international will be out of contract in June 2018 meaning the Gunners face a tough decision if their star striker refuses to pen a new deal this summer. While Arsene Wenger has repeatedly said he won’t sell his star striker to a Premier League side he could also have to fend off interest from PSG and clubs in China.
Speaking about the contract stand-off ahead of Arsenal’s game with Manchester United, Alexis told Sky Sports:
“What I want to do now is to finish the season well, try to qualify for the Champions League, win the FA Cup and then I’ll sit down with the club to decide what I’m going to do.
“No [progress has been made], we’ve said that the two of us will sit down together to discuss the topic in terms of what will happen and what we’re going to do, what’s best for the club, what’s best for me, what’s best for him [Arsene Wenger].
“We’ll speak once the season is over because if I speak now, that would take my focus away from what I want, which is qualifying for the Champions League and winning the FA Cup.”
With 24 goals in 45 appearances to his name this season, Alexis needs just one more goal to secure his best ever tally for a campaign. However, against the backdrop of the Gunners’ struggles in Europe and their dreadful domestic form in 2017, the Chilean still considers the season to be a disappointment with his frustrations all too often on show for all to see.
“I’m very happy about that [his scoring record], but, as always, I demand more from myself. I think that if a player wants to be at the very top, he needs to win the Champions League and league titles. That’s what makes the great players truly great.
“I don’t think it has been a very good season for me because I came here to win trophies, to be competing in the Champions League semi-finals and to win the Premier League, and I feel disappointed that we aren’t in a position to win the Premier League or the Champions League. We do have the FA Cup final coming up and we’ll give it our all to try to win it.
He added: “Sometimes I am frustrated, sometimes I’m not. There have been games when we’ve been in a position to kick on and win, but we’ve made a small mistake and found ourselves 2-0 down. Sometimes that gets to me because winning those points is so important if you want to win the Premier League.
“No, I’m not normally like that [angry with my teammates]. I sometimes get angry with myself because there are moments on the pitch when I make mistakes and I don’t like it when that happens. I’ve played for other clubs and I have to say that the quality of the players here is very impressive. There isn’t a very big difference.
“When I got here, I thought, ‘I’ll win the title with this squad.’ I feel that we should win more games 3-0 or 4-0, of course, that does sometimes happen when we play very well. I think Arsenal play the best brand of football in England.”
For more from Alexis’ interview with Geoff Shreeves, due to be broadcast before this afternoon’s match, visit Sky Sports.
He’s a winner and the number of times he mentions “the Champions League” speaks of a player that we have to do absolutely everything to keep.
He didn’t have the best of games against Tottenham but let’s not forget that it was his strike against City that has got us into the FA Cup final.
Players like him are very rare in football. I can only think of Suarez as someone that can match his incessant energy, talent, and impact.
“I’ve played for other clubs and I have to say that the quality of the players here is very impressive. There isn’t a very big difference. When I got here, I thought, ‘I’ll win the title with this squad.” having played for barcelona this guys obviously knows a thing or two about the required quality of players needed for a team to win the title . and when he says that our squad is good enough to win the title , i wonder what is exactly wrong at arsenal that we always end up competing for the top four rather… Read more »
Lol, Yeah sure a current player is going to throw his teammates under the bus and say his teammates aren’t good enough lol
The squad is good enough – its easily good enough. We just don’t have the belief or the mettle to go the distance. Nor do we have a manager in charge that instills the above in the squad hence the continuous collapses when things reach boiling point. After 3 wins in a row in September you get little wimps like Walcott talking about it being a ‘special season’ and that he can feel its ‘the year’ – then we go away to Chelsea when it really counts, and he’s bottling headers to stop Alonso from scoring. That’s the reason why… Read more »
Great timing to do this interview? Massive….MASSIVE game today. Which Arsenal will turn up? Please start Alexis up top. COYG
“I don’t think it has been a very good season for me because I came here to win trophies, to be competing in the Champions League semi-finals and to win the Premier League, and I feel disappointed that we aren’t in a position to win the Premier League or the Champions League.”
With this as your target then sadly I think we have to say adieu to another world class player whose ambitions we obviously haven’t and probably can’t match with the present management. Expect some “war chest” stories leaked out from the club to counter this interview.
Nice words, Alexis. But our ‘brand’ of football has been non-existent and a shadow of what I would consider Wenger’s preferred style.
I love Alexis as a player but I do wonder if he’s simply the wrong player for a short passing team. He never quite cut it at Barca, watching him week in week out you can see it’s because he loses to ball far to much for a possession based team.
I thought the same when we signed him. As well as him being a petulant brat. He seemed to prove me wrong for a while.
Exactly why I feel he should be played as a striker. He has the instincts of a striker, Suarezesc I would say…. So that there is not much defensive responsibility on the team. He is world class, we just need to use his skills in the best position I believe.
Absolutely. He’s by far more effective for us as a striker, you can deal with the high risk game he plays when it’s happening further up the field. He’s also the best player we have for that position, much rather see Welbeck playing wide left.
:))))) Alexis is wrong player for us? :)))))))))) so thats the problem. We are really tired of hw many points we lost to that basterd couple of years. Always ruining Wengers master plans to win big titles. Good riddance then :))))) #alexisout
Have a watch of Suarez and notice how many times he gives the ball away too.
The chap gives 1000%, and whilst others are trying too, there seems to be a massive depletion in team chemistry. And that is down to confidence, and you are only as confident as your defense. Which means our defense has made some terrible mistakes this year. Including Cech (who was recently brilliant). The stalwart to any title winning team is their defense, something we gunners have not been proud of since Cap Adams. Hence a new coach might bring new faces and create new energy. Unless that happens. surely Wenger should see himself out with the respect he deserves. COYG… Read more »
he can be very bad at giving the ball away but he is the best we have by a long way. and that says something.
that quick feet goal against city in the fa cup semi. not many players can do it in the world. never mind england.
he talks as if he has already decided he wants to give it a try at another club.
without a sturdy defence and midfield it would not matter if we have barca’s MNS upfront. cant play disorganised football in this day and age.
Yeah, not many players can lose the ball so often, refuse to play with some teammates, unable to run as much as this lazy Özil and still be considered as fantastic by delured fans happy to see a headless chicken.
”He talks as if he has already decided he wants to give it a try at another club.” That’s why I am not praising him like you guys. He loves football. That’s why he gives 100% on the pitch not because of love for Arsenal.
A sane zilch sex is an anagram of alexis sanchez.
I love his goals and assists but I think his prima donna antics have a detrimental effect on the psychological welfare of the team. Keeping Sanchez will make little difference in healing the current malaise. I for one really don’t mind if he goes as long as he takes Walcott with him!
I agree with the first part. Cant get rid of both him and walcott though. losing 2 20+ strikers seems a bit daft. Even if one frustrates.
Yes, let’s sell our two highest goals scorers, just brilliant…
“… needs to win the Champions League and league titles. That’s what makes the great players truly great.”
Best brand of football in England? Maybe if this was 2012 we’d have an argument. We don’t play better football than Liverpool or Spurs or City when they can be bothered.
Spurs don’t play good football. They have a style that works in England, but its not good football and it wouldn’t work in the rest of Europe. See their performances in the Champions and Europe Leagues this season.
We all know they do. Just dont do this. Let us ignore the fact
There is no me in team is there?
It’s I not me
Yes it felt a bit wrong when I wrote it – english is my second language
There’s no meat in this team
it’s not you it’s me
Sanchez should be tempting to stay: in no other league, a guy who loses so many balls and breaks so many attacking actions will still considered as God. And oh, he must go on playing with Özil: his own failures are Özil’s fault.
Suarez? People don’t seem to realise how similar Suarez and Sanchez are. Suarez give the ball away tons. Difference is on every plays as a striker in a defensively sound team that’s well balanced and with quality. Other behaves as a striker who had his best period with us as a CF (with Iwobi on the wing) but on the LW who drops deeper and thus loses the ball in more dangerous positions compared to Sanchez. Let’s just make him a striker and build around that. If Iwobi can’t be the LW option, the. Get a similar but better player… Read more »
Alexis is the same brand as Suarez. Suarez loses the ball a lot too, but I think intelligence wise, he outshines Alexis.
If he’s not signing, sell him at the end of the season to PSG or Juv for 40 million, and go in hard for Belotti from Torino. Similar mould of a player but he stays in position far more than Alexis. His attitude is another mega positive and former and current coaches and players vouch he has excellent attitude and determination and grit.He also has Arsene’s favourite quality-MENTAL STRENGTH. He is not one of those Walcott, Wilshere lot, who feel they are entitled to be in the team by default or who concedes defeat in the first minute itself. He’s… Read more »
Off to Juve then.. 🙁
It’s funny how all these Arsenal players are “impressed” with the quality in this team yet we shit the bed every season. I bet they play like Messi or Ronaldo in training against the reserves.
Know this season has been difficult, but for me today is especially huge. I hate Mourinho and Manchester United and so desperately want us to win today. Flew in from New York on Thursday for the game and had to buy Club Level seats through Hospitality for the game otherwise would never had been able to get tickets. Also, yesterday was my birthday which was the original scheduled day of the game, so I am really hoping we will beat Mourinho and Co. Will be a great birthday gift. COYG!!!
Bet that cost a pretty penny, a win will make it all worth it
I remember you posted your travel plans on here a couple of weeks ago. Glad you were able to get your tickets. Belated Happy Birthday. Enjoy the game.
Sanchez will go to a bigger team and be on the bench a lot more than he realizes. For all his great qualities he plays a very risky, selfish game, and gives the ball away far too many times….the reasons Barca were willing to sell.
I sure hope he stays with us, but who knows what’s going on with our team. We don’t even know if Wenger will be back…
Please beat Maureenho today!
Siiiiiiiiiiiigh, and now it begins
It would be wrong to make any concrete judgements as to his decision from reading this interview. But I think from his words it’s quite clear that this isn’t the ideal club for him: we have never once gone close to the CL semis (at least since Alexis has signed for us) and we haven’t really challenged for the PL either (at least based on the points at the end of each season). I don’t think arsenal will give him a mega contract, I think he’s going to be leaving. Again, not a concrete judgement this, just a random thought… Read more »
Our priority this summer should be to nail down the futures of Ox, Sanchez and Ozil. Any further recruitment should be secondary to this.
To have a player as good as Sanchez in your team and a player like Ramsey in the same side, sums us up.
“No [progress has been made], we’ve said that the two of us will sit down together to discuss the topic in terms of what will happen and what we’re going to do, what’s best for the club, what’s best for me, what’s best for him [Arsene Wenger]”
Ominous. Sounds very similar to something Van P said before he sat down with Wenger’s to have that infamous conversation.
It’s good to hear him talk. This isn’t a bad thing, but he’s a little media shy, but it means people largely base their opinions on him on their perceptions of his behaviour. This is refreshing