Tag Archives: Alexis Sanchez

Cristiano Ronaldo’s future set to change Arsenal’s transfer plans

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It might just be posturing. Cristiano Ronaldo might just be flexing his muscles. Trying to get one big last contract out of Real Madrid.

Or it might be completely true. Ronaldo is fed up having been part of the Spanish version of HMRC’s witch hunt against footballers. Finds the £13m fine for unpaid tax to be excessive, and wants to pack up his bags and leave.

My personal bet is it is just posturing. Ronaldo wants Real Madrid to foot his tax bill. They pay, he stays. They don’t, he then has a decision to make. But if he does leave, what ramifications will it have for world football? The great players in the world leaving for a world record fee will have a ripple affect throughout the global game.

Chelsea, for example, will be quaking in their boots. Real Madrid were already targeting Eden Hazard this summer. Losing Ronaldo will just make them chase the Belgium international even more aggressively. Already set to lose Diego Costa, to lose Hazard as well will spell disaster for the English champions.

But what could Ronaldo’s move, probably to Manchester United, mean for Arsenal?

Closing doors

With Ronaldo leaving, Real Madrid will not want to lose any other of their Galácticos. Potential Arsenal targets like of Gareth Bale, Isco or James Rodriguez will be stopped from exiting the club.

Young start Marco Asensio, who has recently voiced his concern of a big name player coming in and taking his place, would also be told in no uncertain terms you aint going anywhere mate.

If Ronaldo leaves, there will be o further departures at Madrid.

Missed Targets

Kylian Mbappe.

Just a few weeks ago, Arsenal looked to have taken pole position in the race for the talented Frenchman. Since then, things have gone a little quiet, with Arsenal instead being linked with Alexandre Lacazette.

If Ronaldo joins Manchester United for anything above £100m, Real Madrid will then have the cash to immediately make a down payment to Monaco for Mbappe.

They have followed him since he was 14, and whilst the £100m price tag for an 18 year old with such little experience is high, selling Ronaldo and signing Mbappe balances the books.

I would not be surprised if a deal for Mbappe is done within days of Ronaldo leaving.

And what for Alexis Sanchez?

If Ronaldo does go, Arsenal might have a ready made Real Madrid replacement for him in Alexis Sanchez. Could losing Ronaldo force Madrid into entering the race for the former Barcelona man? It would not surprise me.

 

Ronaldo leaving Real Madrid could change the transfer plans of every top side in Europe.

Keenos

Alexis Sanchez to sign new Arsenal contract

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Alexis Sanchez has provisionally agreed a double your money £280,000 a week, 3 year contract to remain at Arsenal.

In doing so, Sanchez turned down a mega money £40,000,000 a year deal to move to China which included a £12 million bonus a year.

Arsenal also warded off interest from Bayern Munich who offered a club record transfer fee in an attempt to pry the Chilean away from the London side.

Sanchez’s agreement is apparently with the understanding that Arsenal will sign 3 top players this summer, with the club reportedly letting him know that we are already in advanced negotiations for two high profile players.

The deal for Sanchez is set to be announced within the next 2 weeks.

Alongside this, Mesut Ozil is almost certain to follow Sanchez by signing a new deal at the club. Apparently the German’s contract is 99% agreed.

Sanchez has agreed the deal after a post-FA Cup meeting with Arsene Wenger and Stan Kroenke, when owner and manager outlined their short term plans for the club.

With Sanchez and Ozil set to stay, and Arsene Wenger prepared to make big moves in the transfer market, Arsenal are preparing to make a serious title challenge in 2017/18.

Alexis Sanchez – targeting trophies, not millions.

Keenos

Arsenal set to sign 2 to replace 1

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I tried really hard to work the Spice Girls song 2 Become 1 into the headline, but it just did not work. Sorry for letting you all down.

Personally I have felt since December last year that this season will be the last he has at Arsenal. Throughout his career he has shown he is unable to remain at a club for longer than 3 years. He certainly has a 3 year itch. He has also never signed a 2nd contract at a club. He is off.

So then it comes to replacing him.

Replacing someone as uniquely talented as Alexis Sanchez is impossible to do. You can not just pick up players like him with his skill and desire, off the shelf. There is not a single player in the world that would replace him. So rather than look at a single replacement, perhaps we should be looking at 2 replacements (and maybe even 3?).

Rather than sign 1 player to replace Sanchez, you look beyond that and sign two players that improve the first XI.

Let’s take Kylian Mbappe to start with. Rumours are that Ivan Gazidis and Arsene Wenger are currently in Monaco to try and secure the young Frenchman’s signing. Now personally I think his cost is ludicrous for a player who has proven so little, but he will at least get some positivity into the club. And will surely be an improvement on Olivier Giroud and Danny Welbeck.

Talk is that if a deal for Mbappe is completed, Sanchez will leave the next day. The only reason we are happy spending so much on the Frenchman is due to the cash coming in from Sanchez. It is money that is outside out war chest, and therefore will have no impact on other targets.

So Mbappe up top, it then leaves a Sanchez size hole behind to be filled. This could be done by Riyad Mahrez.

Whilst Mahrez is no as good as Alexis Sanchez, the bigger picture needs to be looked at:

Ozil Sanchez
Welbeck

Or

Ozil Mahrez
Mbappe

Whilst Sanchez is the stand out player, bringing in both Mahrez and Mbappe is exiting. We might get weaker in a single position, but potentially stronger in the front 3.

Then we have the third option. With Sanchez’s destination likely to be Bayern Munich, could Arsenal make a move for Renato Sanches to come the other way? A talented central midfielder who has struggled in Germany this season, he would certainly provide the drive and muscle next to Granit Xhaka in the middle of the par.

Losing Sanchez is not great, but we have lost better before, and will lose better again. The important thing this summer if we do lose a single player is that we make the overall team stronger.

Keenos