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31st Aug 2017

Arsenal fans rejoice as huge update arrives on Alexis Sanchez’s immediate future

The saga is over... apparently

Ben Kiely

It’s been a tough, tough transfer window for Arsenal fans.

While the arrivals of Alexandre Lacazette and Sead Kolasinac at the Emirates were greeted with joy, Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain going to Liverpool hit the Gunners hard.

Most Arsenal fans could have probably done without seeing Gabriel Paulista leave as well, but the one that was really getting their knickers in a twist was Manchester City’s much-publicised pursuit of Alexis Sanchez.

While the Chilean clearly wants out of the club and Arsenal were willing to grant him his wish for the right price, fans really wanted a replacement for a player of his stature.

City’s final bid, believed to be in the region of £55 million plus add-ons, seemingly hinged on Arsenal’s late attempts at replacing him with Thomas Lemar

The Monaco forward was the one they wanted and while they were prepared to meet his staggering £92m asking price on deadline day, it is being reported by several outlets that time simply ran out.

With Lemar off the table, Man City don’t have any intention of changing their bid for Sanchez. So it looks like he won’t be going to the Etihad in this window after all.

A disgruntled player is still a player. Arsenal fans don’t seem to mind too much that the man who’s staying put really wants to leave.

Messengers are so often shot nowadays but the bearer of good news, BBC’s David Ornstein, was given the hero’s treatment by relieved Arsenal fans after delivering a welcome update.