Arsenal: £40 million for Alexis Sanchez still ridiculous

Per Sky Sports, Paris Saint-Germain are prepared to pay £40 million to secure the services of Arsenal’s Alexis Sanchez. While it is more than the £30 million previously touted, it is still a ridiculously low figure.

Selling players for their maximum value is something that Arsenal have struggled to do for many years. The difficulties they have are because of a variety of different reasons, from their contract mismanagement to poor negotiation tactics to leaving themselves vulnerable to low offers because of their clear desire to sell. But the end result is always the same: players leaving for a price that is far less than what they should be worth.

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aContrast their struggles to Chelsea, for a little context. Although they are renowned for their big bucks, willy-nilly splashing the cash, accused of ‘buying success’, which is a petty criticism at best, where they have truly excelled in the transfer market is in the selling of some established stars.

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Since 2013, Chelsea have earned £256.7 million in player sales. That is a huge figure. It includes the significant departures of players like Romelu Lukaku for £28 million, Juan Mata for £37 million and Kevin de Bruyne for £18 million. While the likes of de Bruyne and Lukaku have proceeded to add to their value, and have, in fact, been a part of more recent transfers for far greater value, Chelsea have also been able to sell players that haven’t come close to living up to their price tag.

David Luiz for £50 million, two years before re-signing him for a fee thought to be in the region of £30 million, Oscar for £60 million and Andre Schurrle for £22 million. Chelsea have consistently sold well, ensuring that they are able to continually refreshen their squad with new recruits.

It is in this context that I bring up a report from Sky Sports that states Paris Saint-Germain are willing to pay £40 million for Alexis Sanchez, as if that would be enough to turn Arsenal’s heads.

What an absolute joke!! Although Sanchez has just one more year remaining on his current contract and the Gunners may be in a weak negotiating position as a result, that does not mean that they should sacrifice on price, simply to ensure that they get something for their star man.

PSG are paying for the certainty of having Sanchez beyond next year. That is why Arsenal can drive a hard bargain. Even if he becomes available next summer on a free, there will be much competition for his signature, and it is far from guaranteed that PSG will win that race.

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They are paying to win that race a year early. That is what Sanchez’s fee will be worth and to suggest that £40 million is a reasonable figure is simply ridiculous. Arsene Wenger must take note of his London rivals and play hard ball with his masterful Chilean.