Arsene Wenger has sensationally claimed that Alexis Sanchez will be 100% committed to Arsenal this season after rejecting a £60million switch to Manchester City on Deadline Day.
The Chilean’s future has been the talk of the town all summer and it now seems it is in further doubt after the Gunners opted to keep the striker put, knowing that he has less than a year left on his current deal at the Emirates.
Sanchez will remain at the club, but it appears only up until next summer. As a result of not selling him this summer, the Gunners are now in serious risk of losing his services for nothing at the end of next season.
However, Wenger remains adamant that the 28-year-old is fully committed to the Gunners:
“Your interest is always to perform. It was not very close.
“It’s very difficult for me to speak about that because what I want the player to do is now focus on his career, on his season and on Arsenal football club.”
How a player could be fully focused or committed at a club he doesn’t want to be at is beyond me. Yes, he does have a contract and should honour it. But would it have not been better for both parties if Sanchez had been sold this summer? Personally, I would have taken the £60million for a disinterested player and invested it in one or two centre-backs as our defence is the problem, not our attack. In addition, would it have been so bad if Sanchez was sold after acquiring Alexandre Lacazette? Ok our attack would have been slightly weaker, but we do have many options in this department, so we may have been alright.
Anyway, if Wenger believes Sanchez is fully committed to the club then so be it. I’m sure a lot of Arsenal fans out there would beg to differ, including me.
