Alexis Sánchez will not play for Arsenal at Bournemouth on Sunday – the forward has not travelled to the south coast – and the latest indication is that he has come to favour a move to Manchester United over Manchester City.
Arsène Wenger finally admitted last Friday that Sánchez would not sign a new contract at Arsenal; his deal is set to expire in the summer. And, with Sánchez’s agent due in England for talks, the saga has now entered its end game.
Sánchez had looked certain to join City and enjoy a reunion with Pep Guardiola, the manager under whom he played for one season at Barcelona. City almost got him for £60m last summer and they have indicated a willingness to pay £20m for him this month.
But United have moved ahead of their cross-town rivals with a more lucrative package and the sense at Arsenal is that Sánchez has had his head turned by it. Arsenal are interested in taking Henrikh Mkhitaryan from United, who they wanted in the summer of 2016 when he was leaving Borussia Dortmund only for him to choose the move to Old Trafford. The attacking midfielder has fallen from favour under José Mourinho.
Wenger used Sánchez only as a substitute last Wednesday in the Carabao Cup semi-final first leg at Chelsea and he has omitted him entirely for the trip to Bournemouth. “He’s being vague, we have left him at home because of the situation,” Wenger told Sky Sports. “I still don’t know what is going to happen.”
Jack Wilshere is in the squad as the ankle injury he suffered at Chelsea is not too serious.
