Chelsea aren’t the only ones looking to make impactful moves in the final two days of the transfer window, with title rivals Manchester City, Liverpool, and even Spurs staying very busy as the window slowly winds shut.
City’s main target appears to be yet another attacker, Arsenal’s Alexis Sánchez, who’s been linked with Pep Guardiola’s new team for the better part of a year, which is almost as long as Chelsea have supposedly been interested as well. But while Chelsea appear to be sitting this one out — grumble, grumble, grumble — City are still having just as many issues as anyone else these days in trying to get a signing over the finishing line.
BREAKING: Man City have made a player-plus-cash offer for Alexis Sanchez involving Raheem Sterling. More on @MirrorFootball
— John Cross (@johncrossmirror) August 29, 2017
Arsenal proposed including Raheem Sterling in a swap deal for Alexis Sanchez. Man City want cash-only deal for Sanchez.
— Richard Jolly (@RichJolly) August 29, 2017
Our friends at Bitter and Blue have a very good run-down of the day’s activities around Alexis, but it basically boils down to this: Alexis is still on the market. City offered £50m, Arsenal rejected it and countered with a cash+Raheem Sterling request, which City in turn laughed off. They have promised to come back with an improved cash-only offer, though it’s unclear just how much Arsenal are demanding.
Arsenal have rebuffed all approaches from Man City for Sanchez. #AFC stance remains not for sale - unless huge money + player offered #MCFC
— David Ornstein (@bbcsport_david) August 29, 2017
Meanwhile, the Telegraph reports that Alexis’s own teammates have grown tired of his roses and want him gone as soon as possible.
Arsenal’s fed-up players want club to sell Alexis Sanchez before the transfer window shuts | @Matt_Law_DT https://t.co/LVvWYIBnVX
— Telegraph Football (@TeleFootball) August 29, 2017
So, the question is, can we convert Willian into a backup right wing-back? He can cover right, Pedro can cover left, we play Alexis up top with Hazard and smash them all 10-9.