Report: Arsenal Lines Up Potential Replacements for Alexis Sanchez
Arsenal appear to have finally made their peace with the fact that Alexis Sanchez will not be at the club much longer. All that remains to be seen is if a buyer meets their £30m asking price in January or if the player leaves as a free agent in June when his contract expires.
Either way, the Gunners must source a top class replacement if the Chilean's departure is not to be a huge setback, and the club reportedly has eyes on two options.
A report from the Daily Star suggests that if Sanchez is to be sold in January, Arsene Wenger wants it to be to Paris Saint-Germain. That has the bonus of not strengthening Manchester City by allowing him to go there, but also because Arsene Wenger is apparently eyeing a swap deal.
The tabloid claims that Wenger is keen on longstanding target Julian Draxler, a player whose position in Paris has come under threat since the summer arrivals of Neymar and Kylian Mbappe - that's despite only joining the club himself from Wolfsburg in January.
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Draxler has completed 90 minutes on only three occasions in Ligue 1 this season. He has started just seven of 12 games, and one of four in the Champions League. But Bayern Munich may provide competition for the Gunners, who have tracked the player since his Schalke days.
Depending on the timing of Sanchez's departure, Draxler may not prove attainable, but there is also a rumour linking Arsenal with a move for another oft-rumoured target: Lyon's Nabil Fekir.
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Gossip originating from Spain suggests that Barcelona are interested in the Lyon captain, who has already scored 12 goals in all competitions this season, but that Wenger is keeping tabs on the highly rated forward as well.
If Sanchez remains at Arsenal until June and then leaves, that would be the Gunners' opportunity to bring in Fekir, promising a reunion with Alexandre Lacazette.
