Arsene Wenger has confirmed that any deal which sees Alexis Sanchez go to Manchester United will be a swap deal involving Henrikh Mkhitaryan, and that it’s an exchange that is ‘likely’ to happen.
There has been intense speculation over the last few days, with both sides playing their cards close their chests. There are obviously financial considerations too, but the Arsenal manager insisted that wages for the Armenian would not be a problem.
Here’s how the press conference conversation about it all went down.
On the latest regarding Sanchez
“It can happen, and it can as well not happen. It’s at that stage.”
Can he play for Arsenal again?
“Yes, of course. If it doesn’t happen he will play on Saturday.”
United want to do the deal inside 24 hours, how likely is that?
“I work on transfers for 30 years, so it is likely to happen, but at any moment, any minute, things can break down. That’s how the transfer market is. So, as long as it’s not over the line, you have to accept that it can as well not happen. These things are not guaranteed.”
Is the deal based around a swap with Henrikh Mkhitaryan?
“My understanding is yes.”
Do you like him?
“Of course. If it’s a possibility it’s because I like the player.”
On Mkhitaryan liking Arsenal.
“We played against him many times when he was at Dortmund so he has appreciated the quality of our games, and the way we play football. So, that’s why he loves the club as well.”
Would wages be an obstacle?
“No, the wages would not be a problem.”
Is Mkhitaryan the Sanchez replacement you mentioned?
“This would be an exchange of players, and one would replace the other. Are we still on the transfer market after that? Yes.”
—
So, it looks like this one going to happen. For further updates on Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, Malcom, Jack Wilshere and more, stay tuned here or follow us on Twitter @arseblognews for instant notifications of new articles.
I don’t think we are losing anything if Sanchez goes and we get Mkhi and Auba this January. Just make it happen Wenger.
Take a look at the squad at City and United: Rashford, Martial, Lukaku, Pogba, KDB, Sterling, Jesus, Sane…
The most of their best players are under 25 and they are still a way ahead of us. If we choose Auba + Mkhitaryan we will have one of the oldest squad among the top6 clubs and we definitely won’t improve significantly (we will maybe – but not significantly).
To me:
It is classic Top4 move.
Be among the best but to have a real chance to reach the top: is absolutely subsidiary.
But if this is to be Wenger’s last season(s) then he wants instant quality, trusted players in their prime. Exactly how Ferguson went out – stealing van Persie won him the league. That is his motivation. While not as selfish as Ferguson, as he is still integrating youth to a large degree, he simply does not have any more time to wait for 20 year olds to develop.
Don’t understand this negativity. Wenger is prepared to bring in, if reports are to be believed, two experienced players who are among the best in Europe who have a proven track record, especially together. Not only that, but the financial outlay will be minimal when outgoings are taken into account, those outgoings including players who have contributed little or would be expected to contribute little in the coming months. When Malcom, who may or may not be the next coming of Pele, was all over the papers a few days ago people were criticising Wenger for bringing in callow youth… Read more »
…and I understand your positivity. But I also think there are some misjudgement in what you’re writing. I think Wenger is not “prepared to bring in” – He was forced to do it. Because contrary to your stance the “outgoings” contributed a lot. With Walcott/Ox/Alexis we are loosing 35% of our assists and 46% of our goals (based on last EPL season).
End remember: we finished 18! points behind Chelsea
We not only should offset those losses but appreciably add to the starting point if our resoulte aim was to catch the best teams in the league.
they are odd signings though. For what i know of the players Aubumeyang represents a step up on Wellbeck, whilst Myk ultimately offers us much the same as Mesut, who may be moving in the next months but has not done so yet. Forgetting the fact we need a DM more then anything else, i cant see how we are replacing Alexis… is that player Malcolm? is that still happening? Have we given up on signing LEmar now chelsea are sniffing around? I would have thought surely if we were extracating a decent player who isnt getting enough game time… Read more »
You make a good point, but right now we’re not in that bracket. We need to improve just to get into the Liverpool/Spurs fighting-for-top-4 bracket.
Sanchez is leaving anyway, so we might as well get some money + a handy player for it.
Let wait and see how they click on pitch.
They were great together at Dortmund, hence will have an excellent understanding, would love to see them both here.
I know people have reservations about Mkhitaryan but it doesn’t seem like a bad deal to me, especially if we remain in the market for at least a couple more signings.
Kinda hope that this happening is linked, in part, to Aubumeyang happening. Himself and Mkhartakayayan know each other and played well together in the past.
I will need to invest in a new dictionary though. Along with the Greek fellow we’re well on the way to having the hardest transfer window ever to spell.
Just Mickey will do, sir
Yes- let’s take the Mickey out of Manure
How long have you been supporting arsenal, there’s no chance we will get a couple more signings.the only reason we might get mkhitaryan is because utd want Sanchez not because of some grand plan of ours, we are hideous at transfers
Glen, how exactly long have followed Arsenal? If getting Özil, Sanchez, Kolasinac (free, mind if I add) amount others in recent memory makes us hideous, I’ll settle for it.
35 years or so, if you want to settle for the laughable shit show we’ve become over the last 10 years good for you, it’s no wonder Wenger will never be sacked….let’s face it ozil was giving to us by Madrid, Sanchez was great business and kolasinac can’t even get into our team and then of course there’s rvp, Suarez,higuain,vardy, Sanchez sale,ozil sale,,nasri, and so on where we are pretty embarrassing
So you should remember this: From 1972 to 1998, Arsenal won the league twice. We were 10th in 1993 and 12th in 1995. But I suppose we were very good at transfers then.
Thats the point. Its only those players. After the stadium debt was paid off it should have been we’re back in business. Get more then that to replenish the assets that were stripped during the previous years. We basically only got 13-Ozil, 14-Sanchez, 15-Cech, 16-Xhaka, Mustafi, Perez, 17-Laca, Kola Obviously there were other players like Elneny, Welbeck and younger inexpensive players like Holding. After 2015 summer it should have been obvious to most of us that AW shouldn’t be in charge of the transfers or contracts. Failing to land another quality player lead to the horrible summer of ’16. The… Read more »
Before he went to Yanited, I was excited about the prospect of his (rumoured) arrival at London Colney. He hasn’t suddenly become a poor player. He doesn’t give the ball away to opponents with Alexis’ frequency.
With all the access to statistical information we have now, how did ‘giving the ball away’ become the barometer we use to judge attacking players? We have a real creativity problem at Arsenal. We are ridiculously predictable in our build up play. We have to do better at integrating creative players like Sanchez, which means reducing that risk that giving the ball away in the attacking third leads to counters. That means our DMs must be athletes and tacklers, not repositioned no. 10’s. The Alexis problem is not an individual one, it’s a structural one, and unless it’s fixed, Mkhitaryan… Read more »
@kaius: he meant that we need creative players (like Sanchez) but who don’t give the ball away as frequent as Sanchez. I’m sure this mythical creature exists somewhere…
His name is Messi. I’m sure we could sign him in a swap deal with Giroud or something
At night Messi dreams of having Giroud’s aerial ability
And his beard. Messi’s looks like his is glued on.
And scorpion ability
Messi loses the ball with some frequency. Then he miraculously gets it back. The first ten or twenty times I saw this, I thought it was luck.
Yes the mythical creature exists. I’m saying him giving the ball away isn’t really a technical flaw the same way it is with Walcott, Welbeck or Giroud. With Alexis it’s partly motivational, but mostly he tries to do too much against defenders that know his game and as a team we can do better at showing for passes with better off-the-ball running. Doesn’t help that our coaches don’t insist on him playing one and two touch and instead just fold their hands on the bench and let him freestyle. When Coquelin and Cazorla were controlling midfield, Alexis stayed high and… Read more »
I like your view on things.. I do agree the problem we have is a structural one which is why i have been unable to get excited about any of these signings… They may or may not improve us in the interim but until we fix the structural problem in the middle of the park, i don’t think it will matter what else we do. Our front-line should be enough to get a win against most teams but our setup leaves us weak in the middle and badly exposed at the back. I am not going to pretend like i… Read more »
Agreed Poe, can’t see much changing.
Liverpool have bought well, but they beat City because their front six pressed like madmen for 80mins. We can’t do it for more than 10 mins at a time.
I agree for the most part, though I think Giroud is an exceptionally good technical player for a big man. And Wellbeck is actually pretty good technically, except when he gets anywhere near goal–he never miscontrols the ball when he is out on the wing.
He’s been poor since his knee injury in his second to last season at dortmund. Since then he’s barely played because of fitness and injury issues. Blaming it entirely on jose is convenient, but the guy just doesn’t seem like a hard worker. We have plenty of languid players now. Let’s face it, the only reason he’s at united at all is because he shares an agent with 2 bigger profile players and the manager at united.
If it happens, it happen.
Having backed ourselves into a tight corner, we end up losing one of our best players in exchange for one of their deadwood. Masterstroke.
Whilst I agree that none of this looks well planned and managed and would love Wenger to be included in any transfers, but IF we get Mhik in exchange, he can join the De Bruyne, Mo Salah club of Maureen “deadwood”.
And Mata, he’s Deadwood 2: Deadwood becomes not dead.
With Santi in no man’s land, I’d take Mata tomorrow. (Remember he was first choice to replace Cesc before Chelsea pipped us).
And Lukaku
@Dave
I’d love for that to happen but for the last 2 or 3 years, most players coached by Wenger have either stagnated or gone backwards.
Sanchez should have been sold last summer, along with Ozil and any other player who didn’t want to sign a new contract, it would have been painful but at least we’d have been in control of the situation.
Don’t forget Lukaku and Matic that he had to buy back with huge loss
Those guys were young. Lets face it Mou hates young unproven players. Mhki is already close to 30?
I’m all for it. Way better than losing Alexis on a free.
It’s just a shame that since Cesc left, we can never seem to have more than 3 top quality attacking players in the team at the same time. Would make it a bit easier to keep them all together.
Oh, yes, all the titles we won when Cesc was with us… Good ol’ times.
😀 😀 😀
False alernative. Real one is selling him to Man Shity for 10M less but at least not strenghtening maurinho and not yet again admiting in front of the world that united are so much bigger club than us if they take our top talents and we get their rejects.
Selling to City would mean strenghtening the strongest team in the league, not getting a talented player and not even getting much money to put towards a talented player.
Shity is none of the competition for us, united is much more so.
We have to hope City will be competition in the coming seasons.
Or we have to wake up
You mean give up.
I’m of the opinion that we need to forget the other teams in the league, and their managers, and only focus on what is necessary to get ourselves back on track and salvage this season. At the moment we’re not playing well enough to consider anyone above us our rivals.
Let’s get ourselves sorted out as quickly as possible and then see where we are.
This is true, but at the same time, we don’t need to help create a second Premier League juggernaut. You’ve actually highlighted exactly where we’ve gone wrong in the last 3-4 seasons – ignoring what our competitors are doing as if what we do will be enough.
It’s the most competitive top European league. You either factor that into your planning or you’re planning to fail.
The best thing about this story is the photoshop skills in the picture
I only scrolled down to comment the exact same thing before I saw this gem
He’s head is enormous
Maseeve heed Mhki
I’m hoping it’s to scale
I’m feeling hopeful. Not long ago Mkhitaryan was one of the most highly-rated players in the world. It hasn’t really worked out for him under Mourinho (he did well to help them to the Europa League, though) but it didn’t work out for Salah, Cuadrado, De Bruyne and others. Mourinho’s a great coach but if you don’t fit his plans you really don’t fit his plans. Alexis was off anyway. Would another few months of him not wanting to be here have been worth missing out on getting such a potential star for so little? There’s a new decisiveness this… Read more »
This is completely reactive behaviour, basically the shareholder doing just enough to keep his investment where it needs to be.
When have we last seen such activity? You don’t think Mislintat and Sanllehi have changed things?
Raul doesn’t start until february.
I’m looking forward to watching Alexis with mounino. They’ll be fighting and throwing tantrums within a month. Alexis won’t like the power struggle at yanited, but he’ll be paid loads of money and it seems that’s what he wants.
I like sanchez. But I am not mad at this deal at all if we also add Aubemeyang. A lot of people would want us to sign malcolm as well but I think Mikhi, Aubemeyang and a central midfield anchor to address the very obvious gaps in Xhaka’s/Elneny’s game is more important. If we sign those three it will go some ways towards dulling the pain inflicted by seeing Sanchez play for that horrible club.
And Özil (who is far better than Mki…)? And Lacazette (not truly less good than Auba)?
When this was first mooted I was looking forward to the end of Sanchez’s saga and despite his time at Manu, Mkhitaryan was promising.
However the way that guys camp, especially the agent Rowdyola has acted, I’m not sure about getting him.
Wenger usually doesn’t like such characters, so it’s probably Mislintat based on the Dortmund experience along with the intention of bringing Aubameyang. Its intriguing.
It’s a rebuild in the middle of the season. Hope it works and we get back up the table quickly.
This is a partial rebuild. What we need goes much further than this…
What the actual fark. I was thinking this was just media speculation. NO WAY JOSE!
Tch. Rather than actual football news, I/we have now relegated myself to getting my jollies and entertainment by scrolling down the comment section of Arseblog News. 😐
Anyway, “NO WAY JOSE!” wins! So thank you Ausdrexler……in these trying times. \m/
Can’t believe he’s let this happen, sell to Mourinho as well.
He has no backbone.
Get Out
Whoever downvotes obviously hasn’t supported Arsenal long enough to know the pain of selling to Man Utd or Mourinho.
Prawn Sandwich brigade out in force
We hate moaningho and manure to the core but there’s a fine line in being stupidly stubborn and looking to invest and beat them thoroughly because of that. Also Sanchez for all his abilities in shooting and running masks a major deficiency in his game play; and that is he loses the ball piss easy. Be it simple passes or dribbles. Though it might be down to the fact he doesn’t trust his current teammates forcing him to do it all or to select players to pass to, but it’s no longer our problem and hopefully won’t be once we… Read more »
Ugh the whole thing is so sad. Regardless of who we get in return we’re right to be angry about this. The RVP guard of honour humiliation represented the club’s failure to fulfill the promises made when we moved to the Emirates.
We didn’t take a wrecking a ball to Highbury just to become Utd’s feeder club. Would feel better about strengthening our rivals if we at least try to upgrade our own defensive midfield, center-back and goalkeeper positions. That’s where we really need to improve.
Whatever! Just get this out of the way.
Goodbye Alexis.
Welcome Mkhitaryan.
Life and football continues.
Arsenal lives on.
Mkhitaryan joins, Aubamayeng follows him as well as Ancelotti taking over the managerial in the summer? If these all happen, Arsenal fans will be asking ‘Alexis who?’
It’s laughable to think that Anceloti is going to make everything great at Arsenal. I, for one, don’t want him.
Who do you want, then?
Calling it now, Mourinho is messing with us. We’ll not complete the sale transfer, end result the club/player will have been further unsettled. Will have scubbered the deal to go to City.
Classic Dick move.
The annoying thing about your post is its highly likely to come true. Jose is a total twatface and this type of action you mention is well within the scope of activity he would sanction to gain an advantage. The prick.
I hope its not.
But it would be worth putting a fiver on if it became an option to bet on.
I guess we should stop with signing Mkhitaryan and Aubameyang as our two attacking players and should probably concentrate on signing a good midfielder (hopefully a DM) as well.
I actually have not been in for the Malcom deal. I believe he is exactly not the sort of a player we should be concentrating on.. given where we stand at the moment. I am glad Wenger has denied the rumours actually.
I’d like a DM but wouldn’t a defender be more important? I’d be pleased if Evans arrived to take some of the strain off Kos’s legs.
Kos is overly exposed due to our useless midfield. Ramsey, xhaka, elneny just won’t work. Not top 6 quality and far too unbalanced. Age is catching up but that doesn’t mean the end of kos. We really need to work to get a good DM to partner wilshere/Ramsey or a good B2B to drop Ramsey.
put a cheeky bid for fellaini as well?
I hope we make manu believe auba is alexis’ replacement then when we get him we tell manu no thank u, u may keep miki as well and then we condemn Alexis to the u23s
Very telling.
Sanchez = goals, but = loses pocession too often & is disruptive.
Mkhitaryan = similar No.10 to Özil …. he likes Arsenal, but can they play in the same team?… or is it preparation for an Özil’s exit in the summer?
It seems a strange player swapl, although Mkhitaryan has quality. I guess Arsenal feel they could sell Mkhitaryan for more than what they’d now get for Alexis if all else fails… but strengthening a traditional enemy mid-season who have a horrible manager is rather diffficult to take. It’s a mess…
“strengthening a traditional enemy mid-season who have a horrible manager is rather difficult to take. It’s a mess…”
So what do you suggests? Leave him to further destabilize the team and go on a free transfer in 4 months? Please don’t tell me to sell him to a foreign club (or any of such rubbish). You can’t sell a player if he doesn’t want to go there.
How many non traditional enemies could afford him even at his price right now?
Club has no plan no direction just goes with the wind. losing our best player to utd already above us in 2nd one below where we should want to be, think they would of learnt after the van persie fiasco who in in hindsight made the right decision. Wenger got no shame the amount of times that man has disrespected you called you a specialist in failure, but guess if you stand for nothing you’ll fall for anything. Team lacks quality, balance and character yet still no in comings. Goreztka a player that would be perfect for arsenal has 6… Read more »
Can we not sign 4 quality center backs & play 8 at the back… that would make more sense than the current nonsensical mixed transfer strategy…. oh I forgot… there is no strategy 😀
Welcome on board Mikhi
It’s a decent transfer. We are still losing our best player, however. Mik is also, gulp, a number 10, so of course, Wenger was in for him….
I rare miki a lot and was livid when u-shite-d signed him, so hopefully if he comes he’ll do the bizz. Still all this is kind of a distraction from the fact we beed a 1st team midfielder but perhaps that will come in the summer. Still better business than losing alexis on a free.
Will henryk and pierre be cup tied if they come vy the way (in Europa)
Mkhi & Giroud. We will have 2 scorpion kickers!!
ARSENAL fans can never be satisfied…
Mhiki and Auba is not bad but I think we need more if we want to compete against Manchester teams and Liverpool
We really need an upgrade on Xhaka and Elneny
“I work on transfers for 30 years” mmm that might be the problem Arsene.
ok great. get Mkhitaryan in. get Aubemayang in. get ozil to sign a new contract. get jack to sign a new contract. buy a bloody DM. drop Xhaka.
The team can look like Cech/ Bellerin/ Mustafi/ Kos/ Kolasinac/ AMN or fabled purchased DM/ Ramsey/ Mkhitaryan/ Ozil/ Laca/ Aubemayang.
LANS – Like a new Sanchez
OH MHKI, YOU’RE SO FINE
YOU’RE SO FINE I LOSE MY MIND
HEY MHKI ? ? ?
HEY MHKI
It would be brilliant if this happens. I read somewhere that Mkhitaryan struggled after his dad passed away. I’m thinking Wenger’s father figure/best friend approach to managing might help revitalise him.
His dad died when he was about 10 so unless he struggled his way into a highly successful football career I don’t think it will.
Can’t be complaining if we get Mkhitaryan in exchange for Alexis. The guy is gone at the end of the season and is not really doing the business on the pitch anymore. It is entirely up to Alexis where he goes, so getting a player in Mkhitaryan (someone we targeted and tried to sign previously) as part of the deal is opportunistic. The same kind of approach which got has a few fabulous years of watching Ozil’s talents. I also don’t get why people are complaining about Aubamayeng. Quality striker who when becomes available, you would hope Arsenal have to… Read more »
Has he ever been this frank and forward before? Usually it’s like a well prepared defendant in a cross-examination but he was very open in his answers. Freaking me out man.
Within a week of Wenger letting go of his Coq he grabs Mo’s Mkhi! “Look, uh…”
As a Armenian gooner, who always found Sanchez to be disruptive, I couldn’t be happier about this possibility. Sanchez is a great player, but he never really seemed to fit in the team. Hate to see him go to ManUre though.
Assuming you know a bit more than the rest of us about Mkhitaryan, would you say he’s a like for like swap? With that I don’t mean if they are the same type of player but in terms of skill. Are we getting a good deal on this one?
Band aid solution. Panic buy. The new scout/Football director team simply using their leverage over certain clubs/players but not doing enough work frankly. They need to be bringing in players that add balance to this squad and have an exciting future. To me, the brand of the club is down the toilet. We lose Alexis and we add a United reject. Has that ever happened before? Welbeck. RVP another one to go over to the dark side for pitance. And we add anther striker to one we already bought last summer who had an equally amazing track record but is… Read more »
You always come up with these horrible narratives. Our new Football brains not understanding how to leverage their assets? You have no idea what goes on behind the scenes when transfer are being negotiated. I’ve seen alot of your insane valuations that come from your mind like Theo being worth 30M? Debuchy 8M? and turning around and thinking we can some how Jedi mind trick other clubs into giving us discounts on players or devaluing them in your mind One of our better backups? I don’t hink majority of the fans on here were hoping to see Coq on the… Read more »
I will review the efforts of the January players at the end of the season