Arsène Wenger has told the media the Alexis Sanchez situation is not similar to Robin van Persie’s exit from Arsenal, albeit while giving incorrect details of the player to make his point.
When Van Persie left Arsenal for Manchester United, he had a year left on his contract, which is the same situation Alexis finds himself in now. However, there were other factors at play at the time.
Van Persie’s complaints about Arsenal were about their ambition in the transfer market. During that period the club were focused on repaying their stadium debt and couldn’t afford to be any more ambitious in the market. As well as this, the Dutchman left for a club managed by one of the great English managers.
Alexis can’t make the same complaints or claim to have the same opportunity. Arsenal have just broken their transfer record to buy Lacazette and no manager out there at the moment is on Sir Alex Ferguson’s level.
Wenger told the media: “Every case is different, Van Persie was going from 30 to 31, when he left he had one year on his contract. Sanchez is younger,” reports the Metro.
Sanchez is younger, although Arsène seems to have got mixed up on the specifics, as Van Persie was 29 when he left Arsenal, not 30. Regardless, it is true that the situations aren’t the same, and hopefully the outcome will not be the same either.