Arsenal set to complete an amazing £30m Alexis Sánchez transfer from Barcelona

Chile striker’s agents finalizing personal terms on four-year contract.

 

Alexis Sánchez was a key member of the Chile side that shone en route to the last 16 of the World Cup. Photograph: Imago/Barcroft Media

Arsenal remain hopeful of signing Alexis Sánchez before the end of the week, although the deal may not be formally completed until Monday at the earliest due to Barcelona’s desire to wrap up their purchase of Luis Suárez before they allow the Chilean to depart for north London.

Both clubs have agreed a fee for Sánchez, believed to be in the region of £30m, with the 25-year-old’s representatives having arrived in England to finalise personal terms on a four-year contact with the FA Cup holders.

Sánchez himself, however, remains in Barcelona and will do so until the Catalan club have sealed the transfer of Suárez from Liverpool, which is expected to happen before the weekend.

Arsenal remain relaxed over the Sánchez deal, so much so that the manager Arsène Wenger has not contemplated returning early from Brazil, where he is commentating on the World Cup for French television, to push the signing through.

He will remain there for Sunday’s final in Rio and return on Monday, when the majority of his squad take part in pre-season training for the first time.

Sánchez, a key member of the Chile side that shone en route to the World Cup last-16 stage and who rejected the chance to move to both Liverpool and Juventus this summer, should join up with his new team-mates in time for Arsenal’s match against the New York Red Bulls on 26 July.

Also expected at Arsenal soon is Mathieu Debuchy, with an £11m deal for the Newcastle full-back expected to be completed in the next couple of days.

Debuchy, a regular for France at the World Cup, completed his medical at Arsenal’s London Colney training ground on Monday and is now waiting for the finer points of the deal between the clubs to be completed. He will replace Bacary Sagna in the Arsenal side, the 31-year-old having moved to Manchester City.

Arsenal also remain hopeful of completing a deal for Loïc Rémy from Queens Park Rangers and are interested in signing the Bayer Leverkusen and Germany midfielder Lars Bender.