Arsenal transfer news: Alexis Sanchez 'wanted by Bayern Munich' as Bundesliga club make initial enquiry

Arsenal are hopeful Sanchez will sign a new contract extension but Bayern are believed to be interested in the winger

Arsenal's Alexis Sanchez is a transfer target for Bayern Muncich (Getty)

Arsenal could face the possibility of trying to fend off yet another European heavyweight in the transfer market after Bayern Munich made enquiries over the availability of star winger Alexis Sanchez, it has been reported.

Bayern face Spanish side Atletico Madrid on Wednesday night in their Champions League semi-final first-leg, a match that represents the German club’s fifth consecutive appearance in the last four of the competition. But despite a league, cup and European treble still available this season, Bayern are already planning for the next campaign under Carlo Ancelotti, with the Italian set to replace Manchester City-bound Pep Guardiola at the end of the season.

That much has been made clear by Bayern chairman Karl Heinz Rummenigge, who confirmed on Tuesday that the club are in talks with Borussia Dortmund over signing Germany defender Mats Hummels from their rivals.

But The Mirror claims that Bayern have also contacted Arsenal to discuss Sanchez’s future, although the Gunners have made it clear they do not wish to sell the Chile international and have not received a formal approach.

Sanchez enjoyed a spectacular debut season in the Premier League after completing a £35m move to Arsenal from Barcelona in 2014, but he suffered with both poor form and injury this season and his drop-off coincided with Arsenal’s seasonal slump that has cost them any chance of winning the Premier League as well as retaining the FA Cup for a third year.

Despite the 27-year-old’s difficult season, Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger has confirmed that he hopes to tie Sanchez down to a new contract extension along with Mesut Özil, with the two widely regarded as Arsenal’s best players along with goalkeeper Petr Cech.

Sanchez still has two years left to run on his current deal, meaning Arsenal will not be pressed into selling the Chilean this summer even if he prefers a move to Bayern, but Wenger admitted he was “confident” that both Sanchez and Özil would sign new deals – with the former’s believed to be worth around £160,000-a-week, £30,000 more than his current contract is worth.

After last year’s quiet summer in which Arsenal only signed Cech, a busy transfer window is expected at the Emirates in the coming months with a number of first-team squad members heading for the exit.


 Sanchez has struggled with injury this season 
 (Getty)

Midfielders Tomas Rosicky, Mathieu Flamini and club captain Mikel Arteta are all out of contract and expected to leave, while back-up goalkeeper David Ospina ins attracting attention with interest coming from France as well as Turkish club Besiktas, though reported interest from Everton depends largely on whether Roberto Martinez holds onto his job.