In what might yet be the rumour of the year, Antonio Conte’s Chelsea are reportedly looking to snap up the unsettled Chilean, Alexis Sanchez from Arsenal in a blockbuster move this summer. Recent reports have revealed that the 27-year old is yet to sign a new contract with the club and that he is demanding record wages to put pen to paper.
If the figures in the reports are to be believed, Sanchez wants a pay rise that would see him earn more than Wenger himself and this would be a strict red flag for the manager who will have to rethink his strategy. If the sage continues into the summer, with Sanchez, entering his final year of the contract, the versatile attacker may be moving out of the Emirates next summer.
Though it is a long shot, Antonio Conte has been repeatedly linked with a move for him, even in his days at Juventus, and if he does run his contract into the final year, there will not be too many managers who would want him as badly as Conte. Having scored at better than a goal every two games, the 27-year old has quickly grown on to become one of the best attackers in the league and is also having a glorious time with his country. He won the Copa America recently and is now helping Arsene Wenger’s side to yet another title challenge with some impressive performances.
He has been used as a false-9 by Wenger, who failed to sign a top class striker in the summer, and Sanchez has excelled in that role this season. He has 13 goals and 10 assists this season in all competitions for Arsenal in just 20 appearances and is the highest goal scorer in the league alongside Diego Costa, 14 games into the season.
He took no time to adjust to the Challenges of the Premier League and is slowly growing into one of the best players in Europe. He is yet to reach his prime as a footballer and if Wenger is unable to pin him down, Chelsea might yet be able to get the best of his services.
Conte has some of the best attackers in the league already with the likes of Diego Costa, Eden Hazard and Pedro, scoring for fun in recent games. He has the likes of Willian, Oscar and Batshuayi waiting in the ranks making the attack of the side one of the strongest in the league. And the 27-year old playing at the other end of London will make this lineup all the more stronger.
Sanchez’ work rate and his attitude will fit right into the philosophy of the manager at the Bridge and his high-intensity game may bring out the best in the former Barcelona man. A front three of Diego Costa, Eden Hazard and Alexis Sanchez, all at their best, can destroy teams not just in England but also in Europe and if Conte can get this deal done, it has the potential to remain as one of the most effective transfers in the history.