When does Alexis Sanchez's contract expire and which club will he sign for?

Oliver Platt

When does Alexis Sanchez's contract expire and which club will he sign for? image

Arsenal fans are facing an anxious wait this summer as Alexis Sanchez decides whether or not to extend his contract at the Emirates Stadium.

The Chilean has entered the final 12 months of his deal in north London and with no new agreement signed, the Gunners currently face the prospect of losing him for nothing next summer when he becomes a free agent.

The latest Arsenal transfer rumours

That may force them to consider bids for their star man over the coming weeks and months and a number of clubs have been credited with an interest.

Goal has your complete guide to Alexis' situation, his chances of staying in north London and his potential destinations should he decide his time at Arsenal is up.


WHEN DOES ALEXIS' CONTRACT EXPIRE?


Alexis Sanchez Arsenal

Alexis' contract expires on June 30, 2018.

That means he has now entered the final 12 months of the four-year deal he signed when he joined Arsenal from Barcelona in 2014. The Gunners have been trying to tie him down to new terms for a while now, but no agreement has been reached.

The fact that Alexis has not been in London this summer as he represents Chile at the Confederations Cup has probably not helped to progress his situation during an offseason period in which Arsenal will have hoped to sit down for talks.

Before the season ended, of course, the Gunners were preoccupied with trying to qualify for the Champions League - which they failed to do - and win the FA Cup.

Alexis is not the only prominent Arsenal player out of contract next summer - Mesut Ozil, Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain, Jack Wilshere, Kieran Gibbs and Santi Cazorla are also facing an uncertain future.


HOW MUCH DOES ALEXIS EARN?


Alexis Sanchez Arsenal

Alexis earns in the region of £130,000 a week at the moment and is said to be demanding a substantial pay rise if he is to consider extending his Arsenal deal.

Most reports have placed the 28-year-old's demands somewhere around £250,000 to £300,000 a week, which would make him one of the Premier League's best-paid players should he secure it.

The concern the Gunners have is that a figure in that region would smash their salary structure, with Alexis and Ozil currently their top earners but bringing home significantly less than the players on the most lucrative deals at Manchester United, Manchester City and Chelsea.

That would then have a knock-on effect when it comes to negotiations with players such as Oxlade-Chamberlain and potential new signings.


WILL ALEXIS STAY AT ARSENAL?


Arsene Wenger Arsenal

At the moment, Arsenal's chances of keeping their best player do not look particularly good.

There seems to have been little to no movement on a new deal for months now, and Arsenal's failure to qualify for the Champions League in 2017-18 will not have helped their cause as the Chilean enters the prime of his career.

Alexis did not win the Champions League during his time at Barcelona and would surely like a shot at that competition while he remains at the top of his game. The Gunners, at present, do not look much like offering him that opportunity.

Arsenal seem to be loathe to sell to a Premier League rival and if no bids from abroad meet their demands it is possible they will choose to roll the dice and keep Alexis while he remains under contract.

That would be a huge risk, however, given the amount of money they could bank this summer by agreeing to sell him while there is still a year remaining on his deal.

Given most Gunners fans seem to have accepted that they have seen the last of Alexis in an Arsenal shirt, the best way to keep them happy might be to sell to the highest bidder and pump the cash straight back into the squad.

On that front, Arsenal look set to sign Alexandre Lacazette and have also been linked with Thomas Lemar, both of whom would represent exciting signings that might ease the pain of seeing Alexis leave.


WHICH CLUBS COULD ALEXIS JOIN?


Pep Guardiola Manchester City

Goal understands Alexis is considered a 'priority' signing of Man City's and Pep Guardiola is confident he will land him.

While Arsenal are reluctant to sell to a Premier League rival, if they hope to recoup a large transfer fee before Alexis is able to walk for free they may not have any other choice.

'Alexis must leave to win CL'

Bayern Munich have also been credited with a strong interest in the forward but that seems to have cooled due to the daunting cost of convincing Arsenal to sell and putting together a wage package that meets Alexis demands.

In the past, Juventus have also been linked with Chile's all-time top goalscorer but at this moment they do not appear to be in the market for a marquee forward as they are likely to hold on to Paulo Dybala. The Old Lady have instead been heavily linked with a younger, cheaper option in Fiorentina's Federico Bernardeschi.

Chelsea and Paris Saint-Germain have also been credited with an interest in Alexis, but at the moment they appear to be outsiders in the race to sign him.

At this moment, then, City look like the frontrunners, but with Alexis still under contract the ball - for this summer, at least - remains in Arsenal's court.

Oliver Platt