Don't Miss

Arsenal transfer news: Wenger gives go-ahead to £10m deal | £45m bid rejected

By mac14 on August 16, 2017

It’s been another busy day of transfer rumours so here are a couple of stories doing the rounds in the papers this evening….

Gabriel to Valencia

According to the Mirror, Arsene Wenger is ready to sell Gabriel after agreeing a £10m deal with Valencia in a move that will see the centre-back move back to Spain this summer.

Gabriel joined Arsenal from Villarreal two-and-a-half years ago but after an encouraging start to life in England he struggled to hold down a regular starting place.

The emergence of Rob Holding last season saw Gabriel fall further down the pecking order with Laurent Koscielny and Shkodran Mustafi also established in the first team.

Per Mertesacker is fit again, Nacho Monreal has adapted well to playing in a back three while Calum Chambers is also still on the books so it looks like Wenger has decided to sacrifice Gabriel.

The Mirror claim a £10m deal with Valencia is almost done and the Spaniard’s are confident it will go through despite Gabriel still recovering from a knee ligament injury that he suffered on the final day of last season.

Sanchez bid rejected

Next and the Express are carrying a report from Chile that claims Arsenal have rejected a £45m bid from Manchester City for Alexis Sanchez.

The 28-year-old’s future at the Emirates is in serious doubt as he’s in the final year of his contract and is yet to sign an extension so understandably there has been plenty of speculation this summer.

City have emerged as front-runners with Pep Guardiola desperate to be reunited with Sanchez having previously managed him during their time together at Barcelona.

Arsene Wenger once again reiterated today that Arsenal will resist all offers for Sanchez and will allow him to see-out the final year of his contract even if he doesn’t agree a new deal.

It seems City were keen to test that theory as Sanchez’s agent Fernando Felicevich has been quoted in Chilean outlet El Mercurio [via the Express] as saying Arsenal have knocked back a £45m bid from the Citizens.

Felicevich went on to say that he expects City to return with an improved offer in the hope of finally persuading Arsenal to cash-in rather than lose Alexis for nothing in 12 months time.

However, I don’t see how Arsenal can back down after Wenger has been so open about our determination to keep Sanchez for the final year of his deal so I don’t think we’ll see our star man leave before the close of the window.