With contract extensions to be negotiated and exit strategies put in place, the transfer rumour mill is once again whirring into action. First, there were reports of Real Madrid considering moves for Chelsea's Thibaut Courtois and Eden Hazard. Now the latest high-profile mutterings concern a possible pursuit of Arsenal's Alexis Sanchez by Chelsea manager Antonio Conte.

As always, the level of truth behind the story is hard to discern, though it is not difficult to see why the Chelsea manager would want to bring him to Stamford Bridge. The Chilean has all the attributes that Conte likes in a player. His work rate is exemplary, coupling his desire to chase lost causes with being sufficiently gifted to turn them into goal-scoring opportunities. His sheer ability is abundant with perhaps only Hazard possessing greater natural talent among all his peers in English football. Capable of both creating chances from nothing or scoring from out of nowhere, Sanchez can be utterly devastating on his day. But it is his winning mentality, something that sets him apart from the majority of his Arsenal teammates, which will be most attractive to Conte.

The Italian doesn't do draws, or at least they are never the objective of his team, with Chelsea having drawn just three of their 28 league games. Even when playing away against testing opposition such as Liverpool, Burnley and Stoke City, Conte has never shied away from making positive substitutions and formation shifts to make a bid for victory despite risking defeat. A point is rarely satisfactory.

Conte, therefore, will surely have noted Sanchez's reaction to Arsenal equalising late on at Bournemouth in January, having been 3-0 down with 20 minutes to play. While goalscorer Olivier Giroud cavorted in front of the Arsenal fans with many of his teammates, it was only Sanchez who was aware that a point was inadequate considering their ambitions for the season. Eschewing the celebrations, he instead urged his team back to their own half so that they could strive for a winner, a possibility that had escaped his colleagues.

That brief incident perfectly encapsulated why he now appears to see his future away from Arsenal and exactly why any Premier League manager would love to have him in his team. A game-changer, a tireless runner, a born winner and able to play anywhere across the front of Chelsea's favoured 3-4-3 formation, he certainly fits the description of a Conte player.

Whether the transfer will actually occur is another matter entirely. There has never been any love lost between Chelsea and Arsenal with Jose Mourinho and Arsene Wenger's naked enmity over the past decade or so deepening the battle lines between the clubs. Two institutions with diametrically opposed philosophies and starkly different recent histories, the chance of Arsenal willingly selling their best player to one of their very biggest rivals is nearly non-existent.

But that doesn't mean it won't happen. If Sanchez were to dig his heels in and demand a move across London, and Chelsea were to submit a suitably ludicrous offer, one over and above those of his other suitors, then pure pragmatism would see the deal concluded. There is history in this regard, remember. Ashley Cole's transfer from Arsenal to Chelsea in 2006 was one of the most acrimonious in living memory, at least in England, and came about due to the player himself being so determined to push the transfer through that it became virtually inevitable.

In the intervening years, no other player has moved directly from Arsenal to Chelsea, though some have gone the other way. William Gallas was included as a makeweight in the Cole transfer, having himself agitated for a move, while Arsenal bought Lassana Diarra from Chelsea in 2007 and, rather curiously, loaned Yossi Benayoun from them in 2011. Petr Cech also made a notable £10 million switch in 2015.

Given that backdrop, the materialisation of a Sanchez to Chelsea transfer would be seismic not least in the expected reaction from the Arsenal faithful who have latterly become more vocal in their discontent. Such a move would not only see a major rival hugely strengthened but would present yet another opportunity for Chelsea fans to rub Arsenal supporters' noses in it.

Who would make way for Sanchez at Chelsea is another point to consider, though not for too long. Ideally, he could play in a nominal wide position in a front three with Hazard and Diego Costa even if that would be highly unfortunate for the reborn Pedro Rodriguez. Equally, if Hazard were to move to the Santiago Bernabeu or Costa were to depart then Sanchez could ably fill either of their roles. With a broader, improved squad required for next season's assault on the Champions League, retaining all their current assets while signing the Chilean would clearly be the best result for Conte.

From a playing perspective, the case for Chelsea signing Sanchez is absolutely clear. The path that might take the player from Arsenal all the way to holding up a royal blue shirt with his name on the back, however, is riddled with obstacles.

Source:
courtesy of ESPNFC

by PHIL LYTHELL

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