Pep Guardiola has been offered fresh encouragement Alex Sanchez will try to force his way to Manchester City, with the Chilean continuing to price himself out of a move overseas.
Paris St Germain are the latest to baulk at the Arsenal striker’s personal demands.
Sources in France claim they have cooled their interest after refusing to pay wages of £500,000-a-week.
Bayern Munich also pulled out of the race to sign Sanchez earlier this summer, with club president Uli Hoeness citing the ‘crazy money’ it would take to land the 28-year-old.
There is a growing feeling Sanchez is deliberately pricing himself out of move abroad in a bid to ensure Arsenal accept City’s £50m offer.
Arsene Wenger remains adamant he will not sell his prize asset – even as he enters the final 12 months of his contract.
But as the transfer window draws to a close next month, the strength of Arsenal’s resolve will be put to the ultimate test.
It is believed Sanchez has set his heart set on a reunion with Guardiola, who he worked with at Barcelona.
While that hasn’t been enough to smooth the way for his departure, Arsenal face the prospect of losing him for nothing next summer.
Given his valuation and current salary of around £9m-a-year – the Londoners stand lose in the region of £60m if they stick to their current stance.
City always expected their move for Sanchez to be among the most protracted of a summer when they will spend £300m.
They have been left to rely on him holding his nerve in the face of Arsenal’s attempts to tie him down to a new deal.
Wenger is determined not to sell him to a Premier League rival – and in recent days has insisted the same applies to clubs on the Continent.
But City have been encouraged enough to continue their pursuit, while also maintaining interest in Monaco’s Kylian Mbappe.
The 18-year-old’s outstanding performances in the Champions League last season – including against City – have only strengthened his resolve to make him part of his revolution.
But there has been no great confidence within the club that they could pursuade Mbappe to make the move – particularly given Real Madrid’s determination to take him to the Bernabeu.
Sanchez was always seen as a more attainable target – even if Arsenal have proved stubborn negotiators so far.
The hope is that as the transfer window draws to a close, Wenger will come under pressure from above to cash in, rather than lose him for nothing. Manchester Evening News
