Reports that City have upped their alleged interest in Alexis Sanchez by tabling a firm offer ahead of tomorrow night’s transfer deadline are pretty much everywhere.
The Daily Telegraph lead with: “Manchester City are expected to make an improved bid for Alexis Sanchez on Wednesday after having an opening cash offer of £50 million for the Chile forward rejected by crisis-torn Arsenal.
“Sanchez has told friends he is desperate to leave Arsenal for City, although reports the striker requested permission on Tuesday to leave Chile’s training camp ahead of Thursday’s World Cup qualifier against Paraguay in Macul in order to settle his future have been disputed.
“City could send a team to Chile to conduct a medical if necessary and have already agreed the framework of personal terms worth around £325,000 a week.
“While Arsenal and City wrestle over Sanchez, it also emerged that Arsene Wenger is trying to muscle in on Pep Guardiola’s attempts to sign Jonny Evans from West Bromwich Albion, even though the Northern Ireland defender’s preference is to join City.”
RTE follow a similar thread: “Arsenal have rejected an approach for Alexis Sanchez from Manchester City as Pep Guardiola steps up his pursuit of the Chile forward.
“Press Association Sport understands that the Gunners are intent on keeping Sanchez despite strong interest from City, who are widely reported to have tabled a £50million offer.
“Sanchez has entered the final year of his contract at the Emirates Stadium and Arsenal’s resolve is being tested by their Premier League rivals ahead of Thursday’s transfer deadline.
“It is understood that West Brom have agreed a fee to take Arsenal left-back Kieran Gibbs to the Hawthorns, but it is the future of Sanchez and Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain that will really occupy the minds of Gunners fans.
“City continue to appear the likely destination should Sanchez depart, while England international Oxlade-Chamberlain is a target for Chelsea.
“With just two days remaining before the transfer deadline at 11pm BST on Thursday, the pair could yet complete their moves.”
Read Arsenal continue the Evans tussle line as they write: “West Brom defender Jonny Evans is set to reject the chance to play for Arsenal, in favour of a move to Manchester City.
“According to a report from the Daily Mail today, the Northern Ireland international has his heart set on a move to the Etihad Stadium, despite Arsenal’s apparent late efforts to land him.
“West Brom remain keen to keep hold of their captain but with interest mounting from a plethora of clubs, including Leicester City, whose £21m bid for the defender was rejected, it looks as though they face an uphill battle to keep him.”
One deal that was settled on Monday was Patrick Roberts’ season-long loan with Celtic.
The City winger claims he persuaded Pep Guardiola to agree to the move as he looks to continue his development with regular game time.
Sky Sports quote Roberts: “”Celtic wanted to sign me permanently but City being my parent club didn’t want to sell so from my point of view it was important that Pep (Guardiola) wanted to keep me.
“Letting me come here to carry on my development with Brendan (Rodgers) and the team is good for me personally.
“It’s my development, it’s my game and I’ve got to be the one who plays it, so I had to express how much I wanted to come here for myself to improve as a player.”
That’s it for today – tomorrow id deadline day so expect plenty more speculation between now and 11pm Thursday evening…
