Wenger speaks on the potential £150 million loss on the cards

Arsene Wenger defied the odds by holding on to Alexis Sanchez, taking him to the final year of his contract. The French manager insisted throughout the transfer window that the Chilean superstar was not someone for sale. Sanchez was heavily linked for a reunion with his former Barcelona manager Pep Guardiola at the Etihad. The manager hanging up with Sanchez much against the player’s wish has reportedly angered the player who had earlier made a statement on his desire to play in the Champions League, something the Gunners fail to offer.

Keeping Sanchez can be a huge loss

The Arsenal boss himself admitted that taking Sanchez into the final year of the contract can cost Arsenal a sum of £150 million. The 28-year old was subject to a £60 million bid by Manchester City which failed to materialize on the deadline day after Arsenal failed in the Lemar pursuit. Wenger believes that when Sanchez leaves for free, they need a player of his caliber to replace him which would cost a big amount in the inflated market.

“You take Sanchez into the final year of your contract, you sacrifice £60 million to £70 million in income, and then at the end of the season, you will have to buy somebody for the same amount of money. So it has a huge price,” Wenger told beIN Sport.

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Contract situation can be tricky

Wenger believes that it’s not only Arsenal who are in trouble of players entering the final year of the contract, as Wenger himself faces a similar situation with German star Mesut Ozil. Wenger highlighted that contract renewal is something kind of a tricky as players demand humongous wages which the clubs may fail to accept, causing chaos in the dressing room and transfer market.

“Sanchez is just one of 107 players across England playing with expiring terms, proving the struggle isn’t Arsenal’s alone,” the 67-year old manager explained.

“The amount of money is completely disconnected to reality and the truth,” Wenger added on the difference between players’ wage demand and what the teams can offer.

Author’s Take

As Wenger admitted, not selling Sanchez can further deepen the financial trouble at Emirates, while Ozil taking a similar stance can add to the financial woes. If Wenger had managed to sell Sanchez and sign a replacement, the cost could have been nil. But now it leads to an overall £70+£70 million loss for Arsenal. Wenger selling Chamberlain was a brave step that yielded them a good sum, and Wenger would now focus to extend the contract with his stars and other players who could potentially run out of contract. Though Wenger managed to extend his contract, it looks curtains for him if something significant on and off the field fails to come.