Chelsea boss Antonio Conte is currently dealing with the exit rumours of Belgian star, Eden Hazard to Real Madrid. After his father confirmed that he has declined a contract extension from the Blues, numerous media outlets have the linked Hazard to the Santiago Bernabeu.
Conte has to be well prepared to handle such a huge loss if and when it occurs and might consider Alexis Sanchez as a replacement. The Chilean has drawn high praises from Conte and was heavily linked with the club in the summer.
Controversies of Sanchez leaving, along with Mesut Ozil, arose when they declined the club’s offer of an extension in the summer. Manchester City was interested in signing the attacker and had placed a bid of around £60million, which was rejected by the Gunners. After failing to sign Thomas Lemar from Monaco as his replacement, Wenger decided to stick with the 28-year-old for the 2017-18 season.
Even if Arsenal meets his lofty wage demands, it is highly unlikely Sanchez would remain at the side for long. He has openly expressed his frustration with the side after their failure to qualify for the Champions League last season with a disappointing 6th spot finish in the Premier League. Arriving at the club from a title-hungry side like Barcelona, Sanchez expected at least a title win in his 4 years at the club but was the victim of a 10-2 thrashing to Bayern Munich last season, as they were eliminated from Europe.
Willing to take his talents elsewhere and win silverware more frequently, the Chilean international was disappointed when his transfer talks did not materialise. A thorough professional with a relentless work ethic, Sanchez has still been a key component under Wenger this season. Some fans would argue his form has dipped ever since the transfer saga surrounding him surfaced, but the rest are still convinced over his irreplaceable quality for their side.
Sanchez plays in the exact same position that Hazard does and is equally talented as the Belgian if not better. Although Manchester City are at pole position to land his services, Chelsea can swoop in with a more lucrative deal for the 29-year-old.
Chelsea might not be title contenders anymore this season but are still in running for the Champions League trophy and the domestic cups. Conte’s ambitions line up perfectly with that of Sanchez and that might be the driving factor to see the former Barcelona forward end up in Stamford Bridge rather than at the Etihad.
