Chuck the kitchen sink at Alexis if you must but make him sign

According to the Daily Mirror talks over a new deal for Alexis Sanchez have hit a stumbling block over the Chilean’s salary potentially sparking a bidding war between Manchester City and Juventus. With January on the horizon is there a threat Arsenal could cash in this season?

Alexis has ousted Olivier Giroud as first choice striker at Arsenal and made the lone-striker role his own with a combination of speed, tenacity and finishing. Arsenal are determined to tie both Sanchez and Mesut Özil down with new contracts but with both players seeking what will be the most lucrative contract of their careers do Arsenal have the cash to sate them both?

There is an argument that Arsenal are cash rich and more than capable of paying big for their two top stars but there is another argument that if we give them the reported £200k per week that each player is asking that it won’t be long before Mustafi, Ramsey, Walcott, Bellerin, Koscielny, Cech and Cazorla are on £150k and then Gibbs, Coquelin, Ox and Iwobi will be asking for £120k. Where does it stop some ask.

When it comes to Alexis and Mesut I think we just have to give them what they want. Alexis has been in superb form this season and is 3rd favourite with Sun Bets to win player of the year but with just a year left on his contract next summer the club will want him to commit as soon as possible.

My concern with Arsenal is that with just 18 months left on his contract that if Alexis hasn’t committed by the end of this year that they will listen to offers for him. He has 18 months left on his contract and once the January window closes he has all the cards and they’ll know that.

I want to believe that this Arsenal is different from previous years. We’ve shown the sort of intention in the transfer market that the fans have longed for and our match mentality has been excellent with Arsenal largely coming through matches they’d have struggled with in the past. That Arsenal will pay what is required to keep their best players. I want to believe that but I’ve been burned too many times.

Juventus or City could be attractive propositions for Alexis and the longer we hold back on giving him what he wants the greater the danger he could run his contract down or force a move. And if we lose Alexis what chance have we got at keeping Özil?

Whatever it takes it is absolutely vital that Arsenal keeps hold of their best players. We have no idea how many years Wenger has left with Arsenal but the unspoken promise is that when he does step down he will leave a title winning squad for the next manager. A squad bereft of two of the world’s leading talents doesn’t fulfil that promise.

Whatever it takes to keep Alexis and Mesut we should just pay it. If we have to overpay our other players to make it happen then so be it. It’s scarcely different from the “socialist” wage structure we had during the ‘Project Youth’ years that saw the likes of Denilson, Bendtner and Song earn £50-60k a week.

If they want big loyalty fees, give it to them. If they want £200k a week, give it to them. If they want Wenger to sign their cheques in the nude, then, well, boss, get your kit off and polish your Parker. Chuck everything you’ve got at them Arsenal, including the kitchen sink.

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