- Manchester City readying £20m bid for Arsenal’s Alexis Sanchez in January
- Pep Guardiola sanctioned £60m offer in August but the deal fell through
- Sanchez is out of contract at the Emirates in the summer and could leave for free
- But City could get a cut-price deal for the Chilean in January window
Manchester City will make a fresh effort to sign Chilean star Alexis Sanchez from Arsenal in January.
City bid £60million for Sanchez on deadline day but the move fell through after Arsenal failed to sign a replacement.
Sanchez, whose contract expires on June 30 next year, is free to talk to clubs from January 1 and sign a pre-contract for next season.
Manchester City are planning a £20million January offer for Arsenal forward Alexis Sanchez
Chile star Sanchez has been a long-term transfer target for City manager Pep Guardiola
But it is understood Pep Guardiola will try and sign 28-year-old forward Sanchez in January, offering around £20m.
Arsenal did accept city’s offer at the end of August but the deal fell through after the Gunners failed in their pursuit of Monaco’s Thomas Lemar and Julian Draxler of Paris Saint-Germain.
Guardiola also refused to sanction a request to let winger Raheem Sterling go to the Emirates Stadium in part-exchange for Sanchez.
Sanchez has scored once and set up two goals in seven appearances for Arsenal in all competitions this season.
Sanchez celebrates after scoring Chile’s winner in their World Cup qualifier with Ecuador
Sanchez pictured in training ahead of Chile’s next qualifying match against Brazil
He also scored an important late winning goal for Chile against Ecuador in their World Cup qualifier on Thursday, putting them within touching distance of the tournament finals in Russia.
City’s chances with a January bid are strengthened by the fact Arsenal would lose the player for nothing in the summer and also that City are likely to be in the Champions League knockout stages in the New Year.
Arsenal are spending this season in the Europa League having come fifth last season, the first time in 20 years they had failed to qualify for the top continental competition.
Sanchez also played under Guardiola during his three seasons at Barcelona.
