Arsenal star Alexis Sanchez ready to take pay cut to force through Manchester City transfer

Alexis Sanchez is so willing to join Pep Guardiola and Manchester City this summer that he is prepared to take a lower weekly wage off them than rival clubs in for his signature.

With just one year remaining on his Arsenal contract, the 28-year-old Chilean international is still refusing to renew as he also seeks to leave before the end of this transfer window. Bayern Munich, Paris Saint-Germain and Juventus have been interested in making a move but The Independent understands that Sanchez favours City, even though they would offer a lower wage than all of those European rivals.

Bayern have actually already been put off by the size of the terms quoted to them to get the Chilean - believed to be over £250,000 a week - and one feeling expressed by those close to the German club is that it is because he so wants to go to the Etihad to reunite with former Barca manager Guardiola.

Arsenal would similarly be able to go to £300,000 a week in any new contract for the star striker - in what would be the club's biggest ever deal - but he has no willingness to agree to a new deal.

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Those who know the player say he is conscious of the fact he turns 29 in December and has not actually won that many trophies in his club career - only one European league title, with Barca - so his next move is genuinely all about trophies and where he believes will offer the best opportunity to win them.

It is also why he wants his future resolved in this window, and it is understood he would accept an offer of lower than £300,000 a week to go there.

Arsene Wenger however remains resolute in his absolute refusal to countenance the sale of the player.