Manchester City boss doesn’t rule out renewed attempt to land Alexis

Manchester City boss Pep Guardiola has left the door open over a renewed move to sign Arsenal man Alexis Sanchez. 

City saw a deadline day offer for the Chilean accepted, but the Gunners pulled the plug on the deal after they failed to sign a replacement for Alexis. 

Arsenal had been keen on signing Thomas Lemar from Monaco, yet the France international turned down a move to the Premier League side as he wanted to play Champions League football. 

Alexis is a free agent next summer after Arsenal’s best efforts to convince the 28-year-old to sign a new deal fell on deaf ears. 

Guardiola, whose City side face Arsenal on Sunday, was reluctant to discuss Alexis so close to the match, but admitted he will look to improve his squad where possible. 

”The strikers we have are going to stay next season, hopefully. Add another player? Maybe. We are going to decide that,” Guardiola is quoted as saying by the Daily Mail. 

“So I think next season we have to shake the team again a little. Not in terms like this season, where it was a lot because the average age was 28 or 29, now we are a young team. 

“But we'll buy players. We'll try to analyse well and buy the right players like we did last season and this season. 

“You know my opinion on the players I have. Alexis, you know my opinion but he's an Arsenal player so it's not correct to talk about that, especially before we play them. 

“The transfer window is closed, so it's not time to talk about that. I have respect for Arsenal and especially for my own players. 

“He (Sanchez) is an Arsenal player, his manager has to speak about him. You know the situation before when the transfer window was open, but now it's closed. Let's not talk about that. 

“He is such an important player for them, for the talent he has, and we have to try to control him. Let's just focus on that.” 

Alexis has struggled to find his best form for the north London outfit this season, but has been directly involved in three goals in his last three Premier League outings.