With contract talks dragging along between Arsenal and two of their highest profile players (Hector Bellerin being the other), is it time to cash in on them in this transfer window 18 months before their deals expire? If yes, who should Arsenal target to be possible replacements?
Despite claims to the contrary, Arsène Wenger would be wise to capitalize on prices he can get for his two superstars now. If Wenger doesn’t think Arsenal will be able to re-sign Alexis Sanchez and Mesut Ozil, rather than let the deals run down and walk away with eighteen months with plenty of distractions and no trophies, he should look to sell them, maximize any return he can get and sink that into the next generation of player willing to battle for fourth place every season.
To read more about five potential Replacements for Özil, please click here.
Finding a replacement of equal value for Alexis Sanchez would be next to impossible for this season, as he and Sergio Aguero are the most talented strikers playing in England. A defender’s nightmare, Sanchez is the best combination of speed, work rate, dribbling and finishing playing in an advanced position outside of La Liga.
The back-to-back Copa America champion is likely to stay as he has been central to any success the Gunners have had this year but crazy offers coming from the Chinese Super League, PSG and Juventus with their Paul Pogba money might entice Sanchez to hold out and break the Arsenal wage structure. Could the time be now to find a replacement should the worst happen for Arsenal fans?
Any replacement that Arsene Wenger looks for should be younger than Sanchez (Age: 28) with potential to have an impact in the present and in the future. Arsenal does have the right idea looking at a 22-year-old striker in Andrea Bellotti. While his age is right, if Arsenal is going to spend 56 million pounds on a striker, they need to look at more established targets than Bellotti.
Five of the following targets have been tied to Arsenal but like so many attacking players that the Gunners have been linked to in the past and come up $5-10 million short in their evaluation , it is difficult to imagine any of these strikers moving mid-season. These rankings follow from never going to happen in January 2017 to the most likely (but still probably not). Of course, this could all change if Sanchez is moved for a giant fee in the next couple of weeks.