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Alexis Sanchez is dropping hints about leaving Arsenal

By Rucker Haringey

LONDON, ENGLAND - MARCH 02 : Alexis Sanchez of Arsenal sits on the pitch during the Barclays Premier League match between Arsenal and Swansea City at the Emirates Stadium on March 02, 2016 in London, England. (Photo by Catherine Ivill - AMA/Getty Images)
LONDON, ENGLAND - MARCH 02 : Alexis Sanchez of Arsenal sits on the pitch during the Barclays Premier League match between Arsenal and Swansea City at the Emirates Stadium on March 02, 2016 in London, England. (Photo by Catherine Ivill - AMA/Getty Images) /
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Alexis Sanchez is acting and talking like a man set to move away from North London

Arsenal need to wake up and see the hand writing on the wall relating to star attacker Alexis Sanchez. He’s dropping hints that he could be ready to move away from the club this summer.

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The Gunners certainly haven’t had the type of season they envisioned, and Alexis seems to be taking notice. His comments about the squad’s “lack of self-belief” after the 2-1 loss to Swansea were the latest in a series of words and actions that point to the Chilean exiting the club this summer.

Optimistic Arsenal fans might point to the comments as a ploy by Alexis to motivate his team to push on through a tough period. The more cynical view is that he is growing increasingly frustrated over the lack of silverware winning opportunities in North London. His recent comments coupled with his failure to sign a contract extension are cause for serious concern for those at the club.

Remember that Alexis isn’t used to being a part of a club that isn’t winning silverware on a regular basis. His three seasons at Barcelona showed him what extreme success felt like. It’s safe to say that his Arsenal experience has fallen short of those lofty standards to date.

The good news for Arsenal’s fans and the club, is that there is still time to change his mind. As bad as things seem at the moment, a win over rival Tottenham in this weekend’s North London Derby could launch the Gunners right back into the Premier League title race. It may take a title, or at the very least serious contention, to convince Alexis to commit his long-term future to Arsene Wenger’s side.

If he does decide to leave the Premier League giants, there will be no shortage of interest in the talented attacking midfielder. Big clubs all over the globe would love to add such a talented player in his prime to their squad. While the Gunners would likely block a sale to another Premier League side, there’d be a number of rich suitors from La Liga, Serie A and Ligue 1 just to name a few.

Arsenal don’t want to find out what the market interest is in Alexis though. He’s a crucial member of their squad and losing him in the summer would be potentially devastating to their long-term plans. If he bailed on the Gunners’ project, it wouldn’t surprise anyone to see teammate Mesut Ozil do the same. Lose those two talisman and Arsenal would find themselves starting over again from a roster construction standpoint.

Related Story: 5 reasons Arsenal can win the Premier League title

There’s still time for Arsenal to convince Alexis Sanchez that it’s a club with legitimate title intentions, but it’s going to take some hard work on the part of the Gunners. Failure to mount a serious title push this season may lead to a talent exodus from the Emirates.

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