Arsenal: How much are Mesut Ozil and Alexis Sanchez actually worth?

When the January transfer window rolls around, Mesut Ozil and Alexis Sanchez will have just six months left on their respective contracts. Given that they can leave on a free at the end of the season, how much are the Arsenal pair actually worth?

As soon as the transfer deadline passed and neither Alexis Sanchez nor Mesut Ozil had left Arsenal, it was clear that Arsene Wenger was intent on keeping them, despite the threat of receiving nothing in return for their departure just a year later.

Now, it is unknown whether Wenger was wholly unwilling to sell, or whether he was simply unwilling to sell for the price that was on offer. But if the Gunners do want to recoup any value for their two most prominent players of the past three years, then they will have to do so in the January transfer window, a period that Wenger has famously lamented in the past.

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The primary thought as to why Wenger did not advocate a sale in the summer was because he could not find and acquire a suitable replacement. That is certainly a fair and sound argument, if that was indeed Wenger’s thinking. But the financial implications are somewhat concerning, as Wenger has admitted himself. So, there could be a feasible scenario that, in a last-gasp attempt, Arsenal do try to sell both this January and sign replacements.

If that were to happen, though, the wisdom of such a decision will ultimately fall on the price that they are able to drive. If, say, Sanchez is sold, somehow, for £50 million, then it becomes a smart decision to sell, even with the best player in the squad departing as a result. But, for £10 million? Is there really any point?

All this leads to the question: What are Ozil and Sanchez, in the current market, with just six months left on their contracts, and potential buyers knowing that they will have the chance to sign either without a transfer fee in the upcoming summer, actually worth?

Certainly, if they were under a long-term deal with their futures secured, then Arsenal would be able to demand a fee close to the £100 million mark, especially for Sanchez. However, in the summer, the best offer they received for either was £60 million from Manchester City for Alexis. I believe that they would be lucky to receive half of that this January.

Realistically, Arsenal would be doing well if they haggled for more than £20 million for either player, even in the inflated market that clubs currently work in. And, for that price, is it worth even selling? Arsenal, for example, just announced turnovers of £422 million in the 12 months before May 2017. If we assume they were able to sell Sanchez and Ozil for £40 million, that would be just 10.55% of their annual turnover. Hardly a substantial figure.

Next: Arsenal: 3 players where the time has come to part ways

Wenger committed to the decision of seeing out the deals of Sanchez and Ozil in the summer. That was the last chance to agree to a reasonable deal. That ship has now sailed, and it has come for Arsenal to see this through, even if they must face losing both for nothing.

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