Chelsea have entered the race to sign Alexis Sanchez after Manchester City accepted defeat in their chase for the Arsenal forward.
Sanchez now seems to be in the middle of a tug of war between the champions and Manchester United who have already made it clear they are prepared to match Arsenal’s €40 million January price tag.
Chelsea are already believed to be talking to Sanchez’s representatives and Arsenal and the player could yet prefer to stay in London after he turned down Liverpool in 2014 for geographical reasons. Ironically, Jürgen Klopp’s side have also been linked with the 29-year-old this time around.
City may have been prepared to increase their €22.5 million valuation of Sanchez but it is understood they have balked at the signing-on fee wanted by a player who is out of contract in the summer and the payment expected by Fernando Felicevich, his representative.
On Monday, manager Pep Guardiola, sporting director Txiki Begiristain, chief executive Ferran Soriano and chairman Khaldoon al-Mubarak were to discuss the issue.
City have been in discussions with Sanchez and Felicevich since before last summer. Yet it is understood each upped their demands late last week. – Guardian service
