5 ideal replacements for Alexis Sanchez at Arsenal

There is no smoke without fire and with every passing day, rumours about Alexis Sanchez's exit from Arsenal continues to gather pace. The Chilean is out of contract in the summer and is open to agreeing a pre-contract agreement this month with any of his foreign suitors.

Despite the undoubted quality he offers to the Gunners, it is believed that Arsene Wenger will look to cash-in on their star man in January instead of letting him leave on a free transfer in the summer.

It is as clear as daylight that replacing a player of Sanchez's ability is a herculean task in itself, but the Gunners are left with no choice after contract renewal talks with player broke down in the past.

Without further delay, let's take a look at 5 ideal players who can replace the winger at Arsenal:

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#5 Lorenzo Insigne (SSC Napoli)

Insigne has been in scintillating form for Napoli

Estimated value: €70M, Possibility - 1/5

Insigne is having a stellar season under Maurizio Sarri in Naples and is one of the driving forces behind Napoli's excellent results in the Serie A. The winger is now considered among the elite class in Europe and is part of one of the most potent attacking trios in world football alongside Dries Mertens and Jose Callejon.

The Italian is well and truly capable of playing anywhere in the front three and offers the cutting edge inside the opposition's final third. The 26-year-old is currently in the best form of his career, having scored 9 goals and registered 4 assists in 25 appearances across all competitions for Napoli.

Insigne will certainly offer a lot going forward for Arsenal and could become a like-for-like replacement for Sanchez, given his abilities that include running at defenders and creating chances at will, while also offering a goal threat.

#4 Thomas Lemar (AS Monaco)

Arsenal will look to continue their pursuit for Lemar

Estimated value: €90M, Possibility - 2/5

The Frenchman is probably a high priority signing for a lot of the Arsenal fans who believe that they can pull off the signing despite interest from rivals Chelsea and Liverpool. Lemar is being courted by a number of clubs including Arsenal and it seems like only a matter of time until he leaves Ligue 1 in search of a bigger challenge.

Arsenal were the front-runners to acquire the services of the winger in the summer but a deal failed to materialise after Monaco refused to sell their prized asset following the departures of Kylian M'bappe, Bernardo Silva and Tiemoue Bakayoko. However, the race for his signature has gathered pace over the last few months and Lemar now faces a plethora of options in front of him.

Lemar is a world-class player and his situation at Monaco is sure to initiate a bidding war among some of the biggest names in English football. Arsenal desperately need him but it could easily come down to his desire of moving to Liverpool (according to reports) or Roman Abramovich's infamous spending power.

#3 Hirving Lozano (PSV)

Lozano has impressed everyone with his debut season in the Eredivisie

Estimated value: €40M, Possibility - 3/5

Perhaps this inclusion comes as a surprise to many, but Hirving Lozano is quietly earning the plaudits for his performances for PSV Eindhoven in the Eredivisie. The Mexican joined the club from Pachuca in the summer and has hit the ground running ever since, making him one of the breakout stars in Europe this year.

The 22-year-old is currently the Eredivisie's top-scorer and has already scored 12 goals in 22 appearances across all competitions this term. Lozano's goal tally is impressive for a winger and PSV have tied the player down to a six-year-contract to try and keep away interest from both Arsenal and Liverpool.

Lozano is considered to be a cheaper alternative compared to the other potential replacements for Sanchez and the fact that he is showing a lot of ability for his age could tempt Wenger to act quickly before someone else does.

#2 Julian Draxler (Paris Saint-Germain)

Draxler has fallen down the pecking order at PSG

Estimated value: €45M, Possibility - 3/5

Julian Draxler is no stranger to Arsenal and it almost feels like it is the right time for the Gunners to offer him an escape route from the nightmare at PSG. The winger joined the Ligue 1 giants from Wolfsburg in the summer but has only featured 10 times under Unai Emery in the league this term.

Arsenal have been admirers of the German's ability for quite some time now and an opportunity of finally making the switch beckons, thanks to contract rebel Sanchez. Draxler will be looking for regular playing time in a bid to secure his spot in the German national team ahead of the World Cup in Russia and the Gunners will look to capitalise on the same.

Draxler finds himself playing second fiddle to Neymar and Angel Di Maria in the French capital and the grass at the Emirates will certainly look greener at this point of time.

#1 Riyad Mahrez (Leicester City)

Mahrez is no stranger to the Premier League

Estimated value: €45M, Possibility - 4/5

The Algerian was the creator-in-chief behind Leicester City's historic run to the Premier League title in 2015/16 and has already established himself as a household name in the English game at this point in time. Mahrez did not enjoy the greatest of starts to the season but the winger has recaptured his form in recent months under Claude Puel.

The 26-year-old has been directly involved in 14 goals in the Premier League this season, putting a number of clubs including Arsenal on alert due to his impressive performances. Mahrez will offer pace and dynamism on the flanks for the Gunners and is one of their more realistic targets for the January transfer window.

The winger's ability to run with the ball and nimble footwork makes him one of the trickiest players in the league. Leicester could be tempted with a fee around the region of €50 million and Mahrez could become a world-beater under the tutelage of Arsene Wenger.