Arsenal: Alexis Sanchez return beckons the end is near

Alexis Sanchez has returned to Arsenal. His reintroduction to training on Tuesday suggests that the end of his lengthy, delayed and controversial transfer saga is near.

Transfer sagas are, at their heart, extremely frustrating. In a society that is increasingly wanting instant — it has been reported that it takes just two seconds of buffering to incite rage –, the summer saga, especially when, seemingly, it involves Arsenal, are far from that. They are long, drawn-out, with the toing and froing of rumour and conjecture, the inevitable agent speak, the revelation from the manager, all culminating in a murky mess that only time can unravel.

For the Gunners, this summer’s saga has centred on the future of Alexis Sanchez. After a series of years in which Arsene Wenger was forced to fend off interest from clubs around the world for his most accomplished and established stars, often unsuccessfully, there had been a period of rest-bite thanks to the loosening of the purse strings and the greater aggression that he could attack the window with.

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However, this summer, that rest-bite came to a crushing end. Not only was Sanchez’s future unclear, but Mesut Ozil, Jack Wilshere, Kieran Gibbs, Wojciech Szczesny, Mathieu Debuchy, Carl Jenkinson and Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain were all entering the final year of their respective contracts. Wenger had, and still has, a great number of substantial decisions to make.

And as we now enter August, with the commencement of the Premier League just nine days away and transfer deadline day now less than a month into the future, time is an increasing issue that Wenger will have to overcome in shaping his squad.

That is why the return of Sanchez to London Colney on Tuesday is significant. After featuring heavily for Chile in the Confederations Cup in June, his fourth summer international tournament in four years following a World Cup and two consecutive Copa Americas, Wenger decided to give Sanchez an extended break to provide him with time to rest and recuperate before another long, arduous and demanding season ahead.

Given the distance and lack of contact that occurs, it is difficult for any progress to be made regarding a potential sale, renewal of contract, or just clearer communication and understanding between the two parties. Now that Sanchez is in North London, though, such progress can be made. If he wants to leave, he can say; if Wenger refuses to sell him, he can say.

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The end, thankfully, is near, and soon, Sanchez, Wenger and Arsenal can move forward knowing where their respective futures lie, and that is the most important thing.

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