Arsenal insist Alexis Sanchez won't join Manchester City unless 'world class' replacement joins before deadline

Their two top targets are Thomas Lemar of Monaco, in whom they have been interested all summer, and Julian Draxler of PSG who is now surplus to requirements

Arsenal insist that Alexis Sanchez will remain an Arsenal player unless an adequate replacement can be found (Getty)

Arsenal have insisted that they have not yet given the green light for Alexis Sanchez to join Manchester City, and that they will not until they have signed a world class replacement for the Chilean international.

City returned to Arsenal with a fresh £60million bid for Sanchez this morning, hoping to complete this summer's longest transfer saga.

Arsenal have indicated that they are open to accepting that money for a player who can leave for free next season.

But only if they can sign an adequate replacement for Sanchez before the window closes at 11pm tonight.

Now Arsenal are in a frantic search to land a top quality replacement for Sanchez, at which point they would allow him to join City.

Their two top targets are Thomas Lemar of Monaco, in whom they have been interested all summer, and Julian Draxler of PSG who is now surplus to requirements after the arrivals of Neymar and Kylian Mbappe this summer.