Arteta delivers verdict on Arsenal's win over Tottenham
Arsenal have, in the past week or so, been linked with Alexis Sanchez again. Out of all the players to turn out for the club over the past decade, the Chile international is arguably the best of the lot. And while he’s struggled in recent years, he could end up being the Gunners’ own Cristiano Ronaldo if he’s to make a blockbuster return to the Emirates Stadium.
Arsenal have struggled ever since they won the Premier League title back in 2004.
And the start to this season was no different, with the Gunners losing their opening three matches to Brentford, Chelsea and Manchester City.
In recent weeks, however, their faith in Arteta is starting to be rewarded.
Arsenal have won their last three matches on the trot, beating Burnley and Norwich by a single goal before running riot against Tottenham at the weekend.
And, in recent weeks, there’s been talk of a possible return to the Emirates for Sanchez.
When the Chile international departed north London in January 2018, joining Manchester United, many thought the Red Devils had struck gold.
Arsenal missed out on Cristiano Ronaldo back in 2004 (Image: GETTY)
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Arsenal had no choice but to let the current Inter Milan star leave the club due to his contract, which was due to expire at the end of the year.
And many expected Sanchez to electrify Old Trafford in the same way he did the Emirates Stadium.
Except that didn’t happen.
Instead, Sanchez scored just five goals for United before leaving for Inter Milan. Everybody at his old club were happy to see the back of him.
However, Arsenal were always in his heart. And, when speaking in 2019, he revealed he’d wanted to return to the Gunners after just a single training session.
“I want to tell you about my period at United, about many things that were said and that made me look bad,” he said in a since-deleted Instagram post last year.
Arsenal saw the best of Alexis Sanchez during his time in the Premier League (Image: GETTY)
“They start laughing and I told them that something did not sit right with me. It had already been signed.”
Yet if Arsenal were to get Sanchez back, and comfortable, they’d be onto a winner.
Perhaps Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang aside, the 32-year-old has been the best player to turn out for the club over the past decade.
In the summer of 2014, when he signed, the talk was whether he’d be able to upstage Angel Di Maria - who joined United at the same time.
And by the end of his maiden campaign, there was no debate.
Arsenal have been linked with Alexis Sanchez amid uncertainty over his Inter Milan future (Image: GETTY)
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With 25 goals across all competitions, Sanchez upstaged his fellow South American as he fired the club to FA Cup glory.
He’d then go on to notch 47 times in the two full seasons that followed, while netting eight from 22 appearances prior to his move to United.
And he’s the closest thing the Premier League has seen to a Ronaldo since the man himself rocked the flanks at Old Trafford, prior to Mohamed Salah’s move to Liverpool.
With Inter willing to let Sanchez go in January for free, Arsenal would be wise to ponder it.
Because there’s nothing like a homecoming to make you feel good again. And if that happens, they could yet coax more from one of their best-ever wingers.