Alexis Sanchez looked gutted when he was subbed off in the 70th minute in the game against Stoke City this Saturday, and it seemed due to his failure to get a goal that led to the frustration. But, if gone by what Spanish sports magazine Don Balon reported today morning, the frustrated feeling stems from deeper dissatisfaction.
As per the report, the Chilean is delaying in signing a new deal because he wants Arsene Wenger out. It also claimed that the 27-year-old thinks the Frenchman has given the club all he can and should now step aside to allow fresh blood in.
The former Barcelona man has been in stunning form this season playing as a striker, scoring 13 goals and providing 10 assists. Sanchez is currently locked in contract talks with Arsenal, with his current deal set to expire in June 2018, he has reportedly asked a huge wage increase from £130,000 a week to around £300,000.
Apparently, he also has his other plans for the club. Apart from wanting an increase in wages and a new boss at the helm for the 2016/17 campaign, he is seeking a competitive team built at the Emirates, focused around himself and Mesut Ozil.
Now, it is hard to believe to such demands coming from the Chilean star who is known to shy away from the camera and introvert in nature, but the demands don’t seem very unreasonable.
Arsene Wenger has been a man of values and it is his principle that no player should be on a higher wage than their manager, is what is actually stopping the contract extension. His stringent moral values have let the club to leave players like Cesc Fabregas, Robin van Persie, Samir Nasri, Alex Song and more, which has only postponed the club’s title ambitions.
The ‘Wenger Out’ brigade has now been vocal in their demands for long now and despite the club doing great this season, their stance is unlikely to back down. Wenger’s contract is up at the end of the season and fans hope the old gaffer to leave the club with good memories.
Sanchez’s impact on Arsenal has been phenomenal. The Chilean’s spirit has often been compared to that of Arsenal’s ‘Invincible’ squad. And the figures reflect that aptly. Sanchez has been directly involved in 73 goals in the Premier League and Champions League since August 2014. He has scored or created a whopping 33.49% of the goals for Arsenal since arriving.
With the Chilean in the team, the Gunners have scored an average of 1.91 goals per game, conceded 0.93 and won 1.99 points. In the 14 games, they have played without him, those numbers have dipped to 1.71 goals per game, 1.07 against and 1.86 points won. Arsenal have been victorious in 55.70% of the league games that Sanchez has appeared in.
On one hand, there is a player who has the potential to fire the North London club back to their glory days, while on the other hand, they have the man who created a footballing brand, which the club is associated with. We think what matters is the present, and that is Alexis Sanchez.
Also, just a little caveat. THIS STORY JUST DOES NOT ADD UP.
As my father used to say, if something seems like bulls*hit, it probably is bulls*hit.
Stats Credits- Squawka
