Arsenal: Selling Alexis Sanchez in January undermines everything

Arsenal are reportedly willing to sell Alexis Sanchez in January. However, now they have committed to keeping him into the final year of his contract, it would undermine the whole point to cut bait halfway through.

Throughout the summer transfer window, the question of will Alexis Sanchez stay or not lingered over Arsenal like an unwanted smell. Answers were not forthcoming, from Sanchez nor the club, and as rumours began to circle, uncertainty and doubt reigned.

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Nevertheless, Arsene Wenger, as he claimed throughout the summer, though his claims, thanks to historical evidence, were pretty difficult to believe, spurned the chance to sell his star attacker as Manchester City made a late bid to prise him away.

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The decision was a little odd. City had offered £60 million for a player who did want to be at the club and could leave for the club for absolutely nothing just a year later. Had Wenger perhaps possesses a little more foresight, he would have been able to ready a replacement, such that he would have been able to garner as much compensation for the outgoing Sanchez, without losing his on-pitch influence. Unfortunately, that wasn’t the case, and Arsenal, by their own choice, were forced into committing themselves to seeing through Sanchez’s final year, no matter the financial cost.

Well, if recent reports are to be believed, Arsenal are now considering the possibility of selling Sanchez in the January transfer window, eeking out any last smidge of value that they can. That decision, though, makes very little sense whatsoever.

Very much like in the summer, the only way in which selling Sanchez this winter makes sense is if a replacement of suitable quality and productivity can be found and acquired. And the chances of being able to find such a player in a window where clubs are extremely reluctant to sell their established stars, of which they would be if they were suitable Sanchez replacements, is extremely slim.

They have committed themselves to Sanchez being their primary attacking threat; they cannot, or, at least should not, cut bait halfway through. They are reliant on Alexis consistently providing the moments of quality to break down the opposition throughout the season. Last year, he was directly involved in 34 goals — 10 assists and 24 goals — in the Premier League. The Gunners need that once again.

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If they sell him halfway through the year, they most certainly will not be getting that. The chance to recoup value came and went in the summer. Wenger has ensured that the club will not make a profit with their Sanchez dealings. The only thing that now matters is what happens on the pitch, and, on the pitch, Arsenal are utterly dependent on the player that could be preparing to sell.