Arsenal: Massive Alexis Sanchez Raise As Unlikely As It Is Magnificent

Arsenal are reportedly ready to make Alexis Sanchez the highest paid player in the Premier League and it would absolutely signal a change.

Arsenal supporters were pretty unanimous when asked what they would do with Alexis Sanchez‘s wage demands. “Pay the man,” was the call. The Chilean is the only reliable member of this team that overtly cares what happens and to lose him would be similar to ripping out a human being’s heart and wishing the rest of the body the best of luck surviving.

It was about a month and a half ago that the esteemed Sir Chips Keswick came out and said that Arsenal would not bow to the wage demands of Mesut Ozil and Alexis Sanchez. He hinted that the club was above conforming to the modern market demands for what you pay a superstar.

It sounded cut and dry then. They would try to extend Alexis and Ozil on emotion and loyalty alone, not on money.

However, recent reports are emerging indicating that the club has done a complete reversal and are willing to make Alexis Sanchez the highest paid player in England, with wages of £300,000. That’s quite the reversal and it seems borderline sensational, but if it were true, it would signal a couple crucial things.

First of all, it might indicate that the board is willing to negotiate; that maybe they aren’t the brick wall they portray themselves to be. It might look like they caved and capitulated to Alexis’s demands, but to the supporters, it looks like they might actually care (although it’s going to take a bit more than this).

It would also show that they may realize what a plight the club is in after all. While they are often (and rightfully) accused of putting money before titles, this new raise for their star player would seriously challenge the embedded narrative of greed.

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Keeping Alexis should be priority number one and the hard line that the board has taken has been disheartening among all the other reasons Arsenal has given its supporters to be disheartened.

But there has been this grasping of hope that somehow, Alexis would stay on. He gave us no reason to doubt, he even said that he just wanted to the club to “show confidence in him” through a bigger deal. Which the board obviously didn’t rush to procure.

After that, we received more good news when Arsene Wenger admitted (somewhat strangely) that they just had to reach a deal with the Chilean’s agent.

There is still reason to be skeptical about this new reported deal. Especially after it was reported that the club had offered near £200,000 just before Alexis made a ‘non-negotiable’ offer of £250,000.

It seems odd that the club would then jump to £300,000. Which is some China Super League-like wages. The highest in Premier League history.

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But it would serve it’s purpose of lifting a defeated club and at least temporarily pacifying a despondent fan base.

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