Alexis Sanchez is reportedly demanding £400k-per-week to remain at Arsenal beyond next season.

• Alexis’ demand is £125k per week more than what Arsenal offered
• It’d comfortably make him the highest paid player in the league
• His earnings would be up there with Messi and Ronaldo

If you were wondering why Arsenal are struggling to tie Alexis down to a new contract, this could well be the answer.

The Mirror revealed yesterday that the Chilean is asking for £400k-per-week to stay Arsenal – a whopping £125k-per-week more than what Arsenal reportedly offered him.

This is notably more than figure the papers were reporting last month. Back then, everyone believed his demand was £300k-per-week.

The news is also surprising, as there had been positive reports from Chile suggesting that Alexis was willing to stay at Arsenal. There was a suggestion that some progress had been made.

But if this demand is true, it’d be a huge blow for the Gunners. They surely wouldn’t be willing to pay one player that much money. That shouldn’t be an indictment on their ambition, either.

£400k per week is the sort of money Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo earn. The only other place a player can earn that amount is in China.

Some may see this as a ploy to force Arsenal to sell, particularly to Manchester City, who would probably be more willing to pay such wages.

Yet, as always, Arsenal do not want to sell. At the moment, it’s looking like Alexis will stay whether he signs a new contract or not.