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Arsenal and Alexis Sanchez: The destination is everything
Per reports, Manchester City are the front-runners to sign Alexis Sanchez. If Arsenal are forced to sell their star attacker, then the destination is vital.
The summer transfer window is here and Arsenal have a foundation to work from. It has now been announced that Arsene Wenger will remain with the club, signing a two-year contract on Tuesday. While the decision is one that will anger and frustrate many factions of the fan base, the club can now move forward with a lead decision maker at the helm.
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That means that the many crucial decisions that have to be made this summer can begin being worked on. The futures of many key members of the squad. Recruitment amid fans baying for change and revolution. The structures of the club behind the scenes in preparation for when the time comes that Wenger is no longer at the club.
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One of the most prominent issues to be settled between now and the commencement of next season is the future of Alexis Sanchez. The Chilean was, unanimously, the Gunners’ best player this past year, scoring 24 Premier League goals, assisting another 10, and bettered by only Harry Kane in total goal involvement.
However, his contract, after being allowed to wind down thanks a number of faltering discussions, has just one more year remaining, and there have been significant links with a possible move away, this summer. Certainly, if Arsenal are unable to convince Sanchez to re-sign, then they will likely have to allow him to leave with the threat of him walking out on a free in just a year.
In such a circumstance, the task of Wenger and the board suddenly becomes where they well Sanchez to and how much they can get for his services. They were in this position before, when Robin van Persie continually rejected new contracts in 2012. With just a year left on his deal, there were a number of offers from varying clubs throughout Europe. Arsenal, though, decided to accept the highest offer, no matter who it was from.
As we all know, it was Manchester United who were the beneficiaries of the signing, with the Dutchman firing them to the title the very next season. Letting the same disaster to play out with Sanchez this summer would be naive at best and downright stupid at worst.
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If Sanchez must be sold, then the destination is crucial. Allowing him to join a domestic rival is a criminal mistake and ensuring that me moves abroad, if he has to leave at all, is of the utmost importance.