Report: European giants prepare massive bid for Arsenal star, wages not a problem
By Matt Farr
European giants AC Milan are planning an audacious attempt to land Arsenal goalscorer Alexis Sanchez in the summer, according to a report.
The Express claimed on Sunday that the Italian club were prepared to make a £45million move for the 28-year-old, who will have a year left on his contract at the end of the season.
The report details that Milan are willing to match Sanchez’s £250,000-per-week wage demands, which are proving to be a stumbling block in his bid to sign a new Arsenal deal.
Sanchez has already been offered a £180,oo0-per-week deal to stay in north London, but the Gunners are believed to be hesitant to meet his excessive demands.
However, they run the risk of letting him leave on a free transfer in a year’s time if they don’t stump up the necessary money.
AC Milan have no such qualms about paying Sanchez the money he thinks he deserves.
The seven-time European Champions are set to land new Chinese investors, Sino-Europe, which could see them bring a huge financial injection to the club for the transfer market.
They are believed to be set to offer the Chile international three-year-deal at the San Siro.
But they will have to fight off the likes of Juventus and Paris-Saint Germain, who have also shown an interest in his services.
Sanchez has been a key player for Arsenal since arriving at the Emirates in July 2014, where he has netted 61 goals from 126 appearances for the club.
After being handed a central-forward role at the start of the season, Sanchez currently has 19 goals and 16 assists from his 32 appearances in all competitions this term, and looks set to smash his previous best of 25 goals from his debut campaign.
Arsenal fans will be desperate to keep hold of him but will be fearing the worst, with uncertainty over manager Arsene Wenger’s future currently mounting.
Football Insider verdict
There’s simply no other way to put it than to say Arsenal simply have to keep hold of Sanchez. They would be stupid not to offer him what he wants, because he is integral to their hopes of success. An extra £70k-per-week matters very little to club of Arsenal’s stature, so it is odd that they are so reluctant to meet the demands. As long as his future remains up in the air, the chances of a club like AC Milan swooping for him become even greater. Their pending takeover could see them have the necessary resources to do battle with Europe’s richest clubs, and it would be a great fit for him. However, their recent lack of European football could be a determining factor, but it is a club with a huge history in the competition, and with players like Sanchez within the ranks, they will no doubt become a force there again in the coming years.
In other Arsenal transfer news, the Arsenal managerial saga has revealed another huge development as this former Premier League guru joins the race.
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