Manchester City are continuing to push for Alexis Sanchez’s signature in the January transfer window, after failing to land the Chilean in the summer.

According to the Guardian, City will bid for the 29-year-old this month. They expect Alexis to cost around £30m. Some of the forward’s teammates reportedly think selling would be the best thing for dressing room morale.

Meanwhile, Di Marzio are reporting the ex-Barcelona forward has reached an agreement with Manchester City and will receive £470,000-per-week, as well as £30m bonuses. But this doesn’t mean the Gunners agreed to sell, just that the personal terms are sorted if they do.

Arsene Wenger then claimed in his pre-match press conference on Tuesday that City haven’t contacted them. If that’s true, then agreeing terms with Alexis would be ‘tapping up’. You can only speak to a player belonging to another side if you have permission from the selling club

So either Di Marzio’s report is wrong or City are breaching the rules. Of course, it wouldn’t be the first time a Premier League club ignored the rules on transfers.

Arsene Wenger said there was no clubs having come in for Alexis yet. When asked if any side had contacted Arsenal about the Chilean, he replied: “No”. And when asked if the 29-year-old would stay this month, the Gunners manager said: “I expect nothing.

“I am focused on tomorrow’s game. When solicitations happen, you respond to it. At the moment, it’s very quiet.”

City’s long-standing interest in Alexis

City have been all over Alexis since the start of the summer transfer window, but their appreciation for the forward started well before then. It was back in 2011 when the Sky Blues tried to sign the then-Udinese player before he moved to Barcelona.

“I have spoken to Sanchez,” said manager Roberto Mancini, as reported by the Telegraph. “He said he was open to the idea of coming to City but then we have pulled out (of negotiations). After our last offer, we are out of the race to acquire the Chilean player.”

Alexis would join Barcelona and see his stock rise for the La Liga giants. Eventually, he would become available again in 2014 as Barcelona wanted to make room for the big signing of Neymar.

After a stellar World Cup that summer, Alexis made the move to Arsenal. Yet, if not for Financial Fair Play, he might have finally ended up at City. That was according to then-boss Manuel Pellegrini, who said he didn’t have the room in his squad to sign him.

“He was one of the best in the world and showed it every day,” he said, as reported by the Independent in 2016. “We could not take him before he signed for Arsenal – it was because the club was punished for Financial Fair Play. I did not have the space in the squad for him.

“Alexis is a complete winner and hopefully he will remain a force for years.” Now in 2018, Alexis could soon be joining the run-away league leaders at the age of 29. Kolo Toure, Emmanuel Adebayor, Gael Clichy, and Samir Nasri have all made the switch between the two clubs.

If City finally get their way this month, Alexis will join them.