Arsenal Entering Murky Waters With Alexis Sanchez

Arsenal are facing down the prospect of having to fork out the big bucks and establish some ambition to maintain Alexis. Could anything be more important?

Arsenal have reportedly been tossing around the prospect of giving Mesut Ozil and Alexis Sanchez brand new contracts and, given the lack of external spending, it’s a no-brainer. If new players are not being brought in then, at the very least, make sure the stars of the club are amply paid.

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When it comes to stars, no one has barged into more of an immediate impact situation than Alexis Sanchez. Acclimation to the Premier League is no easy feat but Alexis made it look like just that. The rambunctious Chilean dragged the team along for his first half season at the Emirates. So much so that it arguably led to his exhaustion and injury woes in the second half.

Now that Alexis is learning how better to handle the wear and tear of the Premier League, his impact at Arsenal is only going to grow.

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While Mesut Ozil has claimed the headlines this year, it is still Alexis Sanchez that has the most star power at the club. And that role and it’s accompanying responsibility is not lost on Alexis, nor his agent.

Reports indicate that Alexis is looking for a raise that will up his wages to £160,000. The Daily Star blurts that Arsenal is ‘shocked!’ at the demands, but that’s doubtful. £160,000 would put him fourth on Manchester United in terms of wages. This is no great shock and it is no cause for concern. Arsenal can – and will – pay him.

What is concerning is the next part. Again, this is only according to the report, but supposedly Alexis wants to know the club’s intention for the future. For those of you getting a little feeling of deja vu, that’s because Robin van Persie sought the same thing before being sold to Manchester United.

This is where it gets murky. Really murky. Arsenal may be through the ‘debt’ years of paying off the Emirates, but that does not mean the situation has changed much, as we have seen in recent transfer windows. Arsenal may have signed Alexis, Ozil and Cech in the past three summer windows, but in terms of what those signings have done, the results are still inconclusive.

Arsenal only finished third last year and in terms of this year, a wide open title race has left the Gunners right back in third. They have been unable to capitalize on a golden opportunity to run away with the title. For someone like Alexis who is entering the latter stages of his career, this could be bothersome.

It goes without saying that Alexis enjoys playing at Arsenal and he enjoys learning from Arsene Wenger, but that has never kept someone tied to a club forever. Alexis wants to win at Arsenal but if Arsenal do not want to win themselves, then Alexis will leave.

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Which brings us back to the murky waters. It’s not that Arsenal do not want to win. It’s just that Arsenal may very well have the financial constraints of a conspicuous majority owner to overcome. Arsenal do not have the depth of many of the title contenders in this race. They are walking a fine line and as we have seen, injuries can and have derailed this club in the past.

If Arsenal’s future plans do not mesh with Alexis’s like they did not mesh with van Persie’s, we may face another nightmare.

The timing of this ‘demand’ could not be worse. I was so quick to dismiss Pep Guardiola’s arrival at Manchester City as a non-threat to Arsenal players, but you have to wonder if Pep had a word in Alexis’s ear, telling him to hear it from Wenger’s own mouth what the intentions of the club are.

There is a good chance that no major signings are in store for Arsenal in the future and that may not jive with Alexis. I don’t think this needs to be said, but expect a full-on torch-and-pitchforks rebellion if Arsenal end up having to sell Alexis. Stan Kroenke may have to turn his luxurious new ranch into the Alamo 2.0. But even then, we all know how the Alamo ended, and it won’t be good for Kroenke.

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Of course, all of this is moot if Arsenal can just win the title this year. Do that and everyone is happy.