According to latest reports, Manchester City are the latest club to join the chase for Arsenal superstar Alexis Sanchez. The Sky Blues have had an underwhelming campaign so far with the billionaire club getting ousted of almost all the titles- EFL Cup, Premier League and Champions League, with just the FA Cup remaining; and the new manager at the helm is eyeing a major revamp before the next season.
While scoring hasn’t been a huge problem for the Manchester outfit, Guardiola hasn’t found any extraordinary character in the dressing room who could make the difference in pressure situations. And the 54 goals that they have scored this season has stemmed mainly from the occasional individual performances from the star-studded squad.
The Chilean star could bring to Etihad just what the manager wants. The 28-year-old has been immensely consistent this season scoring 18 goals for Arsenal so far, despite the North London club struggling to win against big opponents. Sanchez has been directly involved in nine goals in the last 10 games he has played.
While many European giants like Juventus, Paris Saint-Germain and Bayern Munich are in hot pursuit of the in-form winger, there is a big chance of Manchester City emerging victorious in the rat race. City manager shares a good rapport with the Arsenal man from their stint at Barcelona. In his two seasons under the Spaniard, Sanchez had managed to score 15 goals and six assists.
Sergio Aguero has been increasingly rumoured to be on his way out of the Etihad at the end of the season and in the pre-match conference of Manchester City’s clash with Arsenal, the former Barcelona and Bayern Munich manager didn’t hold back his admiration for the Chilean.
Stating himself as a ‘big fan’ of the player, Guardiola stated, “He can play both sides, he can play more roles… Alexis, we were together one or two years in Barcelona…”
Comparing his former player with his current striker, Aguero, Guardiola explained how the Argentine is a better striker, but the Chilean is way more versatile. Sanchez’s work rate is definitely an attribute every manager would love to have in his team. His tenacity to chase defenders and force them to make mistakes is a rare trait and is quite handy in the Premier League.
His contract with Arsenal ends in 2018 and a contract extension is on halt at the moment. Arsenal are unwilling to agree to his huge wage demand and the manager, Arsene Wenger’s uncertain future has further affected his decision. If Arsenal decides to sell their top player, then they would definitely want to make sure that he doesn’t happen to a direct rival and a title contender.
