Arsenal have been dealt a blow in their pursuit to tie down Alexis Sanchez on a long-term deal with China willing to pay the forward a staggering £400,000-a-week, according to The Daily Mail.
The Gunners have been locked in contract talks with Sanchez about extending his stay all season with just 18 months remaining on his existing deal, but wage demands have proved a stumbling block so far.
Sanchez, 27, currently earns £130,000-a-week but is reportedly looking to become the club’s best-paid player on £200,000-a-week and is using an astonishing offer from China to bully the north London club into submission.
It remains to be seen whether Arsenal will buckle under the pressure and call Sanchez’s bluff, unless the Chile international is seriously considering leaving Europe in the peak of his career to cash in on the riches in China.
Arsene Wenger’s side have reportedly already earmarked Borussia Dortmund star Marco Reus as a possible replacement for Sanchez if a breakthrough in talks cannot be made and a sale is forced.
Sanchez has been in sensational form for Arsenal this season and is leading their title challenge. Only Diego Costa has scored as many goals in the Premier League this season as Sanchez (11), while only Eden Hazard (7.99) has a higher rating than the Arsenal No.7 (7.98).
For more stats on Alexis Sanchez, click here to visit his WhoScored player page
