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What's the story?
Alexis Sanchez seems like he has consciously chosen to live out the last few months of his Arsenal career with the demeanour of a surly child, unhappy with the state of affairs he is in. His body language on and off the field has been sullen, and his disapproval of his Arsenal team-mates has been apparent.
Fortunately for the Chilean, the end is nearly in sight, and lately it has become more a question of when and not if he will leave. Manchester City have shown an interest in the Arsenal winger, and according to reports from the Express, Real Madrid have joined the race for Sanchez.
In case you didn't know...
Sanchez is on the last year of his contract, and could leave Arsenal on a free transfer at the end of the season. The winger has reportedly grown frustrated with Arsenal's inability to challenge for the Premier League and the Champions League and is looking to move to a club with whom he can win more trophies.
The Chilean has become one of Arsenal's star players, often bailing them out of difficult positions with stellar individual performances. He has scored 75 goals in 155 matches for Arsenal and has won two FA Cups and a Community Shield.
The heart of the matter
Real Madrid find themselves in an entirely different position than they were just half a year ago. Madrid began the season poorly and a run of bad performances in the league means that they currently sit in third place, ten points behind rivals and league-leaders Barcelona. Zidane will want to strengthen the Real Madrid attack, and Alexis Sanchez could be a cheaper replacement for Bale, who appears to be on his way out.
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Author's Take
Alexis Sanchez will probably be leaving Arsenal imminently unless the Gunners can mount a serious title challenge or win the Europa League. Real Madrid is as good a destination as any for the Chilean, but Arsenal are still holding on to the hope of getting Raheem Sterling in a swap deal, which would make Manchester City favourites in the race to sign Sanchez.
