Thursday, March 28, 2024

Alexis hints at decision but refuses to go public

Alexis Sanchez says he has a clear idea of where his future lies but stopped short of going into the details.

Arsenal are trying to persuade the Chile international to sign a new long-term deal at the club, however, all offers have so far been rebuffed by the 28-year-old who has been heavily linked with Bayern Munich and Manchester City.

The latter are the bookies’ favourites to sign Sanchez, even though Arsene Wenger has repeatedly insisted that he will not allow the striker to move to another Premier League club. The Frenchman has even suggested he’d even be willing to let the striker run down his current deal and leave next summer on a free.

Speaking from Russia where he’s helped his country reach the final of the Confederations Cup, Sanchez made clear he’s currently trying to focus on his international responsibilities.

“Right now I’m focused on the Confederations Cup,” he answered when asked if he could line up next to compatriot Claudio Bravo at the Etihad Stadium next season.

“When this is finished I will see if I stay or if I go. I don’t know.”

Sanchez then confirmed that his future is clear in his mind, adding: “Yes it’s clear, but I can’t tell you.”

Sky Sports’ Bryan Swanson, then pressed the player on whether he might stay at Arsenal. Sanchez responded, “I don’t know, my friend, I don’t know.”

Aside from the fact we’re getting closer to a conclusion to this long-running saga, we’re not really sure what to make of what’s been said or indeed, not been said.

Chile plays Germany in the final of the Confederations Cup on Sunday having already faced drawn 1-1 in the group stages. On that occasion, Alexis opened the scoring to become Chile’s all-time top scorer. 

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Terry Henry

hmmmmm

Mein Bergkampf

Lacazette deal now on the BBC so that’s almost definitely happening. I’d still sooner send him to Citeh (as a last resort), off set one sale with the other and then we’ve still got the financial muscle power to sign two big players. Sanchez really shone for us in a team which had a lot of mediocrity, he was the *star* man. At Citeh, he’s another player and I think a man like Sanchez needs to be the star. I’m not saying he wouldn’t do well but he won’t win them the league single handedly ala RVP. We just can’t… Read more »

Papas

Personally, I’d rather sell him to this club in Azaibadjan, the name of which escapes me but it’s owned by a gangster friend of Usmanov’s.

Calgary Gooner

Yeah, I wrote the same thing on a different post and got heavily voted down by fans. Seriously though, Arsenal FC (or any business) are not going to turn down £60M for one more year. Anyone who’s handled real money knows thats not the way the world works. He has strongly demonstrated he doesn’t believe Arsenal is good for him at this point so he’s gone to one of the few teams that can afford him – probably city.

Punter

What are the odds of him leaving to city. I am placing a tenner on that.

Dom

I hope you lose your tenner!

Punter

Well..i hope so too!

Giroulski

Lets take off our Arsenal hats. He’s gone.

midgunner

Looks that way to me.

Oh well, if he goes to City I’ll look forward to Per and Rob going to work on him when we play them.

Seriously, I do think we need to find a buyer abroad, even if it means taking a £20m hit.

Gooooooooonnnnaaaaaaaaa

No one goes to work on Alexis. He would tear our defence apart if we played against him. I don’t see the issue here, he has a contract and imo I’d pay more than 50m to have him for one more season as he’s irreplaceable. If he’s adamant on leaving, get him to sign a contract with improved terms and a release clause that’s decent and only applicable to teams outside the prem. If we allow him to leave to city then we might as well not turn up for the season and would be impossible for the fans to… Read more »

Hornet

But why would Alexis want to sign that kind of a deal? Either Arsenal can persuade him to stay, or we can’t. However, I don’t see why he would weaken his position by signing a deal if he doesn’t want to stay with us long term.

Geefive

Are you kidding? Per could do a pelvic thrust and poke Alexis’s left eye right out of the socket.

Bill

I don’t know he seems to cut in on his right a lot, maybe just put two defenders on the corner of the 18 yard box and he’s bound to run into one without passing. (I’m joshing, it’s not that easy jsyk)

IamaGoober

Alexis is gone 100% The only thing we can do now is just make sure he goes to Munich, we cannot let him end up at City or any other Premier League club otherwise we will look like such mugs. Yes City will obviously pay more but we just have to suck it up and take the financial hit, besides its not like we are strapped for cash, we’ve got plenty, and ultimately its the Wengers + the boards fault we are in this position in the first place anyway. I don’t know how many more ‘transfer sagas’ we have… Read more »

btw

I’m sure they tried, but they probably also told Sanchez we would be competing. Don’t know if there is anything they could do. Should have got Klopp or Pochettino two years ago and reorganized the whole structure.

Chippys chip

Please stay and show the rest how to compete. We love you more than any other fans will. We need you more than any other team does. We will win…..errr.. promise! You can even have my dog, he is a cute, loyal jack russell that loves me more than the mrs and kids and vica versa. Pretty please with bells on??

Chippys chip

Im no scientist but i would have a go at trying to clone atom and humber into two elevens for him to play with when he is “relaxing”.

Chippys chip

Too far??

Anonymarse

My arsenal hat doesn’t come off

A different George

I don’t know how anyone can be so certain.

Anonymarse

He could be a real wind up merchant I supposs

Another Paul

Jesus f*** ing Christ… To be honest I just want this to be over!

Calgary Gooner

It already is.

JGunner

The fact he says his mind is made up where he will play, but then asked if its Arsenal and he replies I don’t know, really does not bode well at all 🙁 Personally I would bite the bullet keep him and sign two or three top quality players around him. Tough cookies, you’ve got a contract buddy.

Jim2wheels

I read it that his mind is made up to go elsewhere (City) but whether he has to see out his contract at a Arsenal or not is what he doesn’t know. One year with us or not, that’s basically where things are.

Alexstratz

If he stays one year with us, he can get a huge sign on fee next summer. Anyway I don’t see any scenario where we are the winner.

BidOnLard

Well he stays with his current modest salary, bangs in 50 goals and wins us the PL, FA and EL, then leaves on a free to get a good salary elsewhere. He wins, we win.

Gandalf

There are a couple of scenarios.

We could keep him, add a couple of new faces, and hope the stars align for us to have a proper go at the title.

Who knows, maybe we can convince him to sign a new deal.

If not, when his contract is done he’ll be 30, and maybe a club from abroad will snap him up.

We absolutely CANNOT sell him to city, unless it’s really stupid money.

Mc1892

Really think we’ve gotta for the former. Imagine they offer £100m (they won’t but for arguments sake). We’re not going to be able to sign any truly elite level players right now with the discord and Europa League, so what’s the point? I know everyone says United managed it but we’re not United. Keep him- I honestly can’t see him downing tools purely because he likes playing too much.

LeMmy

as in 300m ? the discussion

thw14

We keep him, win the League with him and get him to sign a new contract next summer.

adgonner

Sanchez Aguero swap works for everyone?

Gooner63

£50m + Aguero and it’s a deal

dennis

It works for me. Think Aguero is the better player

GoonerJust

That is what I thought as well. He wants to get out but nor sure if Arsenal want to let him go this summer. I hope I am wrong but if the bid is north of 50mn pound, I still think the board will take it.

Anonymarse

That’s certainly how it sounds

Should’ve kept spending after we signed him. Costly penny pinching mistake.

kaius

Absolutely. This was the gamble we made with that Cech-only transfer window. A title win that season and every single player we’re worrying about now would be signed up.

FunGunner

I agree. Make him see out his contract. He will probably throw a wobbly but ultimately he wants to play and it’s a world cup year. At worst, we take a notional £50m hit and helps us with the transition to his eventual replacement.

dennis

What notional??? It is real money that can be used on signing a replacement. If we wants to go then get the money and fuck him off

Fox in the Director\'s Box

Penny pinching Wenger to sign 2 or 3 top quality players? Pigs might fly!

Ben

Anyone think he might be paying the board back for their indecisive actions regarding wengers contract?

bob davis

Hopefully the club would have told him that we’re bringing in some players so we can compete!

lewdoo92

Alexis will believe that when he sees it – just like me

Heavenly Chapecoense

The most disloyal player in Arsenal shirt after Adebayor. His goals give him no right to treat the club like that. Arsenal took him from his Barcelona nightmare and gave him the platform to improve. Ferguson would have let him go and buy another player.

kaius

Are you old enough to remember us flogging guys like Overmars, Petit, and Hleb to Barcelona? Because we play the transfer market too. Should we now refuse to sign Mbappe or Lemar because by considering leaving their clubs they’ve shown their “disloyalty”? And what “nightmare” are you on about? The season before we bought him he scored 19 league goals + 10 assists (better stats than Neymar that season) and they only lost the league to Atletico on a dramatic last day of the season. You’re consistently wrong about Sanchez so maybe lay off overreacting to the slightest whiff of… Read more »

Domi

Spot on Kaius. Heavenly, sit down and shut the f up.

Mpls

Don’t make yourself look a fool Domi. That’s not an acceptable way to speak to a fellow gooner or anyone but your overly drunk mate who is getting out of joint.

Mpls

Though I imagine I shouldn’t be throwing the word fool around either. Go figure.

Domi

Mpls, you are completely right, and I do look like a fool doing what I did. Heavenly, I apologize, although I strongly disagree with you, mostly on him being disloyal as he always gave 100% and I do believe that he wanted to win it all and make Arsenal great. I jus6 think he saw that it will not happen under Wenger and he is no spring chicken.

kaius

Respect to you for holding your hands up.

Like you, I’ll defend Alexis until the day he leaves (then we can start trashing him lol). But seriously, he made us competitive in big games we were getting used to losing, and he’s scored in both the cup finals that the club consider so successful they gave Wenger a new contract. He deserves more respect.

Gooner4life

Do you not remember how crap he was from January? His goals dropped; hardly any assists and moaning nonstop. I blame him for the poor middle of the season we had , he disrupted the team and if he wants to leave so badly then let the whinging pre Madonna go , Great players have come and gone before but Arsenal always finds another. He’s held the club to ransom and I can’t believe supporters still have any time for him. Sanchez is all about Sanchez, did anyone hear what Lee Dixon said about him during the confederations???? He is… Read more »

Crash Fistfight

It’s prima donna (first lady) not pre Madonna (before Madge came to prominence in the 1980’s perhaps?).

Heavenly Chapecoense

Why did he move to Arsenal then? Didn’t Barcelona tell him he was no more in their plan?

Arun

The only reason was because they had found their upgrade ; that bitey racist with the buck tooth

Determined Culture

Alexis needs the freedom to roam n do watever he wants to be at his best.
He doesnt thrive as much as part of a structure.

At barca that freedom was n still is with messi.

He enjoys that now at arsenal. Is he going to enjoy n thrive as much in city, given it’s a pep squad?

gmci

That is the question. Would Pep give him the freedom to play the way he plays? The headline next season could be the “discord at City.”

Mpls

And it’s a good question indeed with David Silva there already given a heavily roaming role as well as Kevin de Bruyne.

clins

what exactly is this nightmare you are talking about . he was a starter for barcas first team and he left on a mutual understanding with barca when they bought suarez mainly because he wanted to play regularly. he is a top top player , one of the best if not the best in the premier league . and there was other clubs chasing him other than arsenal .so the argument that arsenal and wenger took pity on him and bought him is pretty invalid . arsenal needed sanchez as much as sanchez needed arsenal . and in three seasons… Read more »

Smudger

What loyalty does he owe us? His obligation was to see out his contract (admittedly he’s a year away from doing that) and put in 100% every game he plays. I would say he’s done that, and I would argue he’s one of the few players that did it last year. As much as I want him to stay, I wouldn’t begrudge him wanting to leave because he’s a world class player and we’re miles off the pace playing in the Europa League. I don’t think he’s conducted himself like Adebayor and the like. I just really hope we can… Read more »

Heavenly Chapecoense

Didn’t Arsene put him on the bench at Liverpool because of his behavior in the dressing room ? If the best player does his own thing and does not pull teammates with him, the result it gives is Europa League.

Faisal Narrage

You don’t actually know what really happened in the dressing room.
What we do know is, whatever punishment laid out to him backfired, as Wenger instantly looked to him to save us from Liverpool.

That night probably summed up in his mind why he had to leave. We need to stop being so dependant on individual magic to keep us up.

Gooner4life

I totally agree with you
His just destructive .

TexasGooner6

Agreed. Not sure why he wasn’t signed to a 5 year contract when initially brought in. His contract should not have come up the same year as Ozil.

Gooner4life

Did you not watch any of the games he played in from January to around April ???
He was probably our worse player , certainly didn’t give 100% and constantly whinging at team mates and how many goals /assists did he get in that time ??
I blame him totally for our performance during that time.

He’s just holding the club to ransom.

We’ll soon have another superstar to cheer , we always do.

Tasmanian Jesus

No, that would be RVP.
He wasnt the star man at Barca, but he was among the very best in the best team around.

Bergkamp\'s Parachute

Does that argument convince anybody? Even if we brought in Mbappe and co I doubt that’ll offset the experience of having the same groundhog day season year in year out. I get the feeling that when a player decides to leave a club for footballing reasons (moneys involved but let’s not kid ourselves), it’s due to similar reasons for when a person to decides to break-up a long term relationship – it’s grown stale. Either way I’m over it. It hurts us yes but let’s not let it kill us. Regardless of whether he stays or goes we need to… Read more »

David

????

sahil

Well doesn’t seem like he will sign a new contract, can only hope the club put their foot down and make him play through his contract.

eternalflamini

Can’t believe i’m quoting old whisky nose but keep him on the bench all year if necessary to show we are no pushover. Has to be done.

dr Strange

Don’t let him play or train at all. If he doesn’t sign and are hell bent on leaving for City I would salute Wenger and the club for stating an example.

Thierry bergkamp

So punish him for not renewing a contract he probably has every intention of fulfilling? This isn’t football manager

dr Strange

Punish in what way? He´ll still get paid and he will be well rested for next seasons world cup.

adsa

I’ve upvoted you, but what I meant was yes, punish him for putting his interests over the club in a big way, for leaving plenty to be desired re: his professionalism, and for being ungrateful.

He was reject at barca, city and bayern showed absolutely no interest for him. Now when Wenger gives him freedom establishes him as CF, Arsenal is no longer good enough for him? Ungrateful, nothing more.

A different George

I am really amazed at comments like those of dr Stange. There is not the slightest hint that Alexis would not play his best for us, whether or not he signs a new deal. If he does that, he has every right to refuse a new contract, just like Kolasinac did. Maybe Schalke should have left him on the bench all last season to teach him a lesson.

kaius

Exactly. Some people want to blind themselves to the reality of how football works.

It’s also a World Cup year the priority for the best players this season will be starting games. What often happens when a player agitates for a move and a club refuses is: they start the season on the bench, the team gets on with it, and when the manager has fully asserted his authority and the player shows he’s ready to compete he slots back into the team.

Bjorgvin

What is wrong with you, punish him for what? Sanchez has played his heart out for us from the moment he came here (and will do untill he leaves), we can not say the same about some other players. It would be totally disrespectful towards our player to punish him and would only harm the squad as well. The club has not matched his performance by a long stretch so I fully understand him wanting to leave but if we keep him and than let him go for free next summer I know he will play his heart out for… Read more »

Faisal Narrage

Yeah.
We tried that once. Couldn’t even get through the whole game without looking to him for help.

You think that’s gonna happen for a whole season?

Glocken

I don’t think that has ever happened with such a high profile player, usually the player is sold ahead of the deadline.

Realistically you can’t play him for a season if he insists he’s not signing, he’ll get booed, the players probably won’t like & ever chance he misses people will say ‘he did that on purpose’ or ‘he doesn’t care’ it will be toxic, if he won’t sign then sell up, letting a world class player leave for nothing is mental & our board love money too much to miss out on 50 million.

FunGunner

Those are good points.

Magneto

It’s already toxic, unfortunately, and has been for far too long.

Heavenly Chapecoense

Problem is that he gets no competition from players like Welbeck and Iwobi. Aguero gets fierce competition from Jesus, even Ihenacho can do a job in his position. Welbeck at Arsenal, it is simply nada. If we ever keep this guy we need to buy another player who can push him go the bench.

Atom

Robert Lewandowski

Atom

sorry got cut off- Robert lewandowski is a possible template for this. everyone knew he was leaving to a rival next year but he put in a good shift for Dortmund. Alexis doesn’t seem like the type of player who would chuck it so worst case everyone knows he’s going to City or Chelsea in a year but in the meantime he’s an Arsenal player and will give his all.

Eric Blair

Lewandowski did not put it all in during his last season, and had a mysterious ‘injury’ that kept him out the last weeks of the season. Not a good model to convince on keeping Sanchez.

I’m of the opinion we bite the bullet as long as we get a large sum and invest it in new talent, don’t need Sanchez stinking the place out the next few months.

Man Manny

Klopp refused to let Lewandowski leave Dortmund to Bayern a year before he finally left – for free!
It has happened before.

Christophe

That’s kind of the point of his existing contract. He plays football for us and we then pay him money. When his contract ends he stops playing football for us and we stop paying him money.

Berlingoon

If he has decided to stay I don’t see a logical reason why he can’t say it. Maybe his agent has told him not to say publicly that he wants to stay as this could weaken their cards in the negotiations. But that’s more hoping that everything else tbh. I think he’ll be gone next season.

SB Still

True.

The only other point I can think of is, he has decided to go but he is not sure where he will end up – pointing to ManC.

Mpls

Maybe he HAS decided to stay and extend and is pushing for more money and signings!

HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA. sigh.

TPz07

He’s joining Man City I bet

gunnertron

He’s Staying!

Damobot

EXCLUSIVE!!!!
He is staying following his refusal to drop to a lower quality club after Man City showed an interest.

gooner

Not every team in the world has Alexis playing for them.teams without him finished below or higher than us. If he’s keen to stay, fine. If there’s nothing we can do sell him. Build on a younger talent. Could be 20 , 23, 26 as long as the team is restructured to their strength. We have lost guys who hit 31 or 28 league goals and moved on. To be fair with or without them and with him we average 70 points. What scares me though is our best goal getters are all in that territory. Alexis and despite what… Read more »

Bummer

So true

Goontang

Its pretty clear hes off. The much publicised pursuits of lacazatte and lemar say that we are already trying to replace his goals in the squad.

Thanks for the memories

Martin

I think the pursuit of these players is regardless of whether Alexis stays or leaves. I was hoping that by showing ambition it would be an incentive for him to stay. If he wants to leave or is undecided it would be better to let him see out his contract and hope that if we had a successful season he may decide to stay.

Bergkamp\'s Parachute

Keep him for the season regardless and have Man shitty deal with the free-for-all of competing bids for a sans transfer fee Sanchez. If we win some shit next year (prem + europa) it’s worth letting him go on a free.

Mpls

I know there’s not a chance you’re reading this Alexis, but please keep in mind how important you are to the club and its supporters and that going to a direct rival is a terrible, hurtful thing in our eyes.

Domi

Beautifully said Mpls!

Glasgow Gooner

P.S. You will be verbally slaughtered upon your return to the Emirates Stadium.

Yankee Gooner

At least if he leaves Arsenal, he doesn’t have a far move into Koscielny’s back pocket.

Surrey Gooner

He’s joining Man City ? No way Arsenal will let him go on a free next year (inevitably to City). This could run to the end of the window. I just hope they buy early to get a settled squad, get as much for him as they can and NEVER NEVER NEVER ALLOW SOMEONE’S CONTRACT YO RUN THIS CLOSE AGAIN, bloody idiots.

FunGunner

Shouldn’t you be directing your anger at Alexis? He chose not to sign. Our only choice is whether we sold him last summer, this summer or let him go for free.

Domi

No, we should have negotiated the new contract with him last summer or before that, gave him improved terms and now we wouldn’t be in this situation. Optimism was higher at the time, during summer at least and we finished second so we could have built on that. But as Arsenal, with the current management and thet dictator at helm, we are not capable of doing logical things.

Christophe

YOU CANT MAKE SOMEONE SIGN A NEW CONTRACT AGAINST THEIR WILL. Otherwise it would basically be slavery

Bon Jello

Rio?

Thierry bergkamp

Slaves didn’t get contracts and healthy weekly salaries.

Winstaan Stogie

It would be such a power play to let his contract run down. Would go some way towards killing the whole gutless arsenal rep…but doubt that would beat the financial agenda

JustBrowsing

I think the best case scenario at this point is if he signs a Suarez type contract, gives us another year to get to the desired level. If it doesn’t pan out we sell him with our blessing and turn a profit.

Gooner Stubbs

Maybe he should have a word with Cesc or Hleb or RVP about how this sort of thing plays out in the end. (Cesc was, at least, young enough to salvage something as a bit part, second-choice, player … Alexis won’t have that luxury.) Arsenal gives Alexis most of what he needs out of football to an extent that no other club ever will. OK, he leaves. Then we’ll watch as he gets ever more frustrated over his relationship with his new club(s): What? His new manager won’t have him playing so many games. Or he’ll get yanked off regularly… Read more »

Matt

He’s staying and just imitating the manager, who said the exact same thing and stayed. #wishfulthinking

Thomas Reynolds

If we hang onto him and he runs down his contract he can sign a pre contract half way through the season. That won’t help anyone. Get what we can for him now and if it is to City he should be allowed in return for Sergio Aguero.

Gunnersaurus\' left boot

He can only sign a pre-contract with a none domestic team. City would therefore be unable to get him on a free until the end of next season.

Bon Jello

Only to teams in other countries, domestically he’d have to wait till the end of the season mate.

Don

Always suspected he would leave. This has confirmed my suspicions. He wants to win league titles and Arsenal can not offer that, something that was made evident when Arsene Wenger received his new two year deal. I only hope he is not sold to Man Citu but abroad, as were he to move to City it would likely win them the league and cement our place as an unambitious club.

dr Strange

It’s s wierd feeling when Arsenal has gone so stale that I can’t be arsed if our biggest star stays or leaves.

Might be some kind of mental block so I won’t snap when he leaves for City.

Domi

You were hurt too many times by arsenal, it’s a defensive mechanism 🙂 same here.

Eamonn

Look , at the end of the day if in mind he wanted to stay, then there would be no beating around the bush and he would be putting the pressure on the club to make the decision. It would read something like “of course I want to stay, its up to the club to decide what happens”

Alex

Meh.

“I don’t know”

“Yes it’s clear but I can’t tell you”

Bosscielny

We should shut the football club down and open a soap opera company. So much drama. The players and manager keep the fans in suspense over the future.

Domi

Haha 🙂 spot on!

arsenal74

He’s definitely gone; if he was staying he would’ve signed the thing…he’s off. Let’s cash in and build for the future.

Mina262

Not so sure. If there’s a contract on the table why would he want to weaken his position by saying he’s definitely staying?

Christophe

If there was a contract on the table and he wanted to stay…he would sign the contract

Goonerink

You forget his agent might be haggling for an extra %

Public Elneny Number One

Guess he’s off then. Sucks that it’s City and not somewhere abroad but i guess do we want to take the money off them so we can try to plug the gap by his departure somewhat or let him rundown his deal and bugger off to City for free and then we have to find the money from within the club to plug the gap by his departure somewhat? Either option sucks though.

PFo

It’s a no brainer: we let him run down the contract. City may not even want him in 12 months time. He’ll be almost 30 then, they have a bunch of exciting attacking talent (much of it younger than him), and a lot can happen (both for him and for them) in 12 months. And if they take him next summer, we’ll likely already have gotten the best year of football he has left in him. Think about RvP: he basically gave United one brilliant year, and has been a has-been ever since. Consider if we had had that last… Read more »

Mina262

Valid points!

Griffbox

Anyone else feel like this:

If you dont want to play for the club then fuck off.

Exquisite player but I immediately fall out of love with a player when they dont want to play for the club. If they’re not a gooner then they r a gonna in my eyes.

Important caveat: i know he hasnt said that he wants to leave (yet) but that is the implication. Of course, i hope my reading of the situation is wrong.

UTA

Domi

Maybe he would stay if the manager was at least somewhat good. With Wenger at the helm, no one.that is ambitious or accountable for their actions would want to play here. Two more years of this sh1te…

Gerardo

Sounds abit like he’s clear on wanting to go, but not sure if Arsenal we let him.

Glocken

Look, it’s obvious he wants to go, he has less than a year left on his deal and we have to cash in. People will say (including blogs) that ‘it looks bad’ or ‘what kind of message does it send’ who cares? Utd lost Ronaldo, Barca sold Figo to Real, clubs lose players all the time, the trick is to ensure that you significantly strengthen with other acquisitions so that the player you are losing is not missed. Personally, if offered 35 million & iheanacho I would take it now, that’s exactly the sort of the signing we should be… Read more »

Domi

I see ur point of view, but Barca/Real or Utd had more world class players and could afford and attract a new or current superstar to replace the outgoing player. To be honest, Utd were less successful but the red nose managed to bring more success withoud Ronaldo and later we did them a favour by selling them RvP.

With our manager’s reputation very close to the gutter level, there is no world class players who would choose us as there are at least 5-10 clubs ahead of us with more ambition, better managers and today everybody has the money.

Glocken

I wouldn’t disagree with that, while Wenger is still in charge we have to accept (but not like) the level we are currently at, when he finally goes we can think about being competitive again. This is why we need better scouting and to buy a few ‘unknowns’ and build them up to a higher level. There is no point in wasting time on M’Bappe, players like that and their agents are not silly, they know Wenger is a busted flush and probably wont last two years. Go for young hungry players who want to play and don’t be fixated… Read more »

Poe

Why Iheanacho though? I think he represents an entirely huge risk and we need to replace goals from Alexis immediately. I would flat out demand for Aguero and some money on it.

Glocken

I just really like the kid & every time I’ve seen him I’ve been impressed. I’m very very surprised City will let him go. I think he’s a bit of an all rounder, not express pace but quick and he can really finish, have a look at some of his goals. Aguero is a great player but his hamstrings are a bit fragile, with our record he’d be out for ages or Wenger would overplay to them point that he’s break him. Plus, I don’t think he would come to us. All iheanacho needs is regular games & he would… Read more »

Mootilated

The difference is that those clubs had/have players of the same caliber. Alexis is a big fish in a small pond. The players around him are average at best, so losing him looks terrible on the club because it shows that we’re still EXACTLY where we were 5 years ago.

Yawn. Yawn. Yaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaawn.

Glocken

Agree to an extent. Our biggest problem is the Manager, it’s a catastrophic decision to give him another’ two years, the FA Cup wins have saved him, we are getting worse in the league & Europe every year.

Badly prepared for the opening game
Player contracts left too long before renewal
Capitulate against rivals

That all goes when Wenger goes, unfortunately most fans are too sentimental to force him out or at least tell him it’s over, he has enough people fooled.

Once he finally goes we can start again and become competitive in the league and Europe again.

Jacob

I really don’t understand why Iheanacho would help. Completely unproven and he’s going to be spending 6 weeks in Africa. If we are going to be playing hard ball on anything, and we are going to resign ourselves to selling to city, it should be the price. He is, at the very least, twice as valuable to us as he was when we purchased him. We have to be clear that to replace him we are going to need to purchase someone who can score 30 goals in a season. If city want him, they need to give us the… Read more »

Glocken

You need to look at the long term view, he’s 20-21 & could really develop into something special, he’s already a very good player, in my mind it’s a non brainer.

mo974

Let him go if he wants to , Great player, but we have lost better, more clutch ones who gave us titles and we survived. Thats football. The guy doesn’t want to stay obviously. The club is ready to break its wage structure for him and it doesn’t want to stay . FFS ! Alexis is no Bergkamp ! The thing that irritates me is the feeling that he deserved better teammates. He had them at Barca and did not flourish bar one season. And he appears so frustrated at times. He is great player but he is no leader.… Read more »

Oooh Ahhh Ray Parlour

Well he’ll have to wait a year….

Florin

Does anyone really believe we have a chance to finish 1st after being 5th, with or without Alexis? This will likely (hopefully) be a transition season. Keeping him for the final year of his contract is unwise and bad business. He should be sold and the money invested so that we’ll get back into the top four this season and then be able to properly challenge for the PL and UCL in 18/19. He doesn’t belong here anymore, just as Fabregas 2011 and van Persie 2012.

Jdog

If he goes to city, this arsenal are dead to me. I mean that with the greatest sincerity. There is no logical reason to sell him without making us look like chumps again, creating in fighting amongst fans and making us considerably weaker. There is no logical reason to follow a football club who does all those things to a fanbase in the name of 50 million quid. I might as well support Natwest. Keep him. Make it clear he can’t go to city and there are no other buyers, and offer him a new contract. He either takes it… Read more »

Domi

Spot on buddy, spot on. But the people running this club have no spine or balls.

Mpls

There are many ways to interpret ‘No one is bigger than the club’.

Domi

Except Monsieur Wenger, who has become just that, by the usurpation of power and fear of leaving the post he loves so much that he can’t see that he is now destroying the club that he claims to care for.

Hank Scorpio

Agreed. If he goes he absolutely must be replaced by a star player like Aguero, Lewandowski or Aubameyang. The likes of Lacazette and Lemar won’t cut it. It would be like replacing RVP with Giroud all over again. Unless he is replaced by top top quality he must stay. I suspect thougg that the club will take a business approach to this & sell to the highest bidder. Hope I’m wrong but I doubt it

Gooner223

Like many other comments, just would like to finally have some closure on this so that I, we, can move forward. It’s like that cartoon where the rain cloud is fixated over one person. It’s deflating.

Troy McClure

Adios amigo.Thanks for 3 great years

dg1

If he moves to City and the reason is that they offered him more money, I am not sure whether I’ll be more disappointed by him or by the club

Xhakalaka

If he left and Arsenal won the league, that would make him regret. I personally don’t want him to leave, but if he wants to, shouldn’t be forced to stay either.

Hank1979

Jesus do me a favour. Grow a pair of balls make a decision and move the fcuk on. Alexis has made his mind up a long time ago on this and its not arsenal. He has form in this regard. Great player. I expect to see him at citeh sadly. Kun plus 10 mil anyone??

Mpls

+20. Dodgy hammies and he doesn’t do anything for you in the midfield or near as much creatively.

Daniel

“But going into the new season, I beg you, please, get behind this team and this manager and give them the support they need.” – said by Ivan Gazidis yesterday.

Allowing Sánchez to leave City would definitely help this cause mr. Gazidis, wouldn’t it?

Fox in the Director\'s Box

I don’t think he’ll be unpacking his bags when he returns to London from the Confederations Cup and, quite frankly, who can blame him? Having consistently put in the effort of any 3 other players put together last season and with very little in the way of support, why would he want to stay and play on a Thursday night in the pathetic Europa League followed by a Premiership game at the weekend where we already have little chance of finishing in the top 4. I have been an Arsenal supporter for all of my 62 years but the decision… Read more »

David Hillier\'s luggage

If he doesn’t sign a new deal and makes it clear he’s leaving next year then let him rot – no training, no matches and ban him for training anywhere else associated with any football club. Alexis loves to train but will still be in no shape for the World Cup if he hasn’t played for a year. Let’s see how he likes that. We need to start playing hardball with players. Alternatively, give him a contract with a £60m buyout clause next year. Below market value but guarantees a move for him and a fee for us. Clubs all… Read more »

chuqu

Wenger already knows the fans are no longer forgiving. He will awaken the demons in the fans if he even consider selling to a PL team. Just don’t test the fans Wenger. This is not the era of, Cole, Nasri, Adebayor, Clichy, Kolo, Sagna and RVP. You have punished the fans enough Wenger. You keep giving your best players to your rivals almost every season and the fans keep forgiving you. DON’T DO IT THIS TIME !I am so f****ng angry because of this .

Domi

Well said buddy, well said. Let’s all hope the spineless board and Wenger surprise us this time. Although it’s unlikely 🙁

A P

Chuqu is angry.

ClockEndRider

You wouldn’t like him when he’s angry…..

Public Elneny Number One

Candy gram for Chuqu

https://i.imgur.com/sQZ6wbh.gif

Original Paul

I think the best thing to do for one’s sanity is expect him to leave and remember all the times he stopped our attacks by giving the ball away. 🙁

ClockEndRider

Hear hear. Which is a large pat of the reason Barcelona offloaded him.

Kwame Ampadu Down

Loyalty is more than just wanting to stay. We have far too many players who are happy just to play for Arsenal. Alexis was someone who wanted to be the best player he could be & win as many trophies as he could at arsenal. Not enough of his teammates felt the same sadly, it frustrated him immensely & when it came to the crunch, his manager backed them over him. That’s why he’s leaving.
Good luck & thanks Alexis.

Gonzogunner

“I don’t know whether I’ll be at arsenal but it’s clear in my mind where I want to be”
Looks like we’re holding him to his contract, if he wanted to stay he’d say so.

Goonie

Like rvp all over again. A major bargaining chip managers have this transfer window is the world cup next year. If he is going to go to Man city on a free next year, we might as well make money out of it this summer. if we were to get two top quality signings it would make up for his loss. Obviously I’d like us to make some quality signings this summer regardless. Alexis has had two of the greatest seasons of his career with us and Wenger. Please stay Alexis, no other club would hang an Atom and Humber… Read more »

Exiledgooner

I’ve been desensitised to transfer crap ever since we sold the Dutch Skunk to Manchester United, a move that to this day still presses my cider. Not to mention the summer before, when Fabregas and Nasri were sold despite Wenger explicitly saying beforehand that we could no longer be considered a big club were we to sell them. I will always admire Wenger. I appreciate that that trio of cunts were only out for themselves. But the very fact that the Wenger and the club allowed themselves to be played by those three bastards reeks of amateurism. And it appears… Read more »

6gunner

What this article fails to mention is that it is not his decision. It is ours. He is on 140K a week. If I am Arsenal, I tell him that if he signs a deal with us for 280K a week, he gets an extra 7,280,000 this year. If he thinks that he can make that up from Man City in 2018-2019 then he can leave on a free then, otherwise he best sign with us. Either way, I’d tell him I’m looking forward to seeing him in August.

PFo

This. Are City really going to want to pay through the nose on wages next summer for a player who’s about to be 30? If they do, then fair play to them. But the time for Alexis to move is now–his stock has never been higher, and probably will never be again. And the time for City to get him is now, not in 12 months, when his form may have dropped and they may be in a completely different situation (will he want to move there in 12 months if Sane, B. Silva, Jesus, and De Bruyne have all… Read more »

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