Real Madrid eye Arsenal forward Alexis Sanchez

Bengaluru, September 15: Spanish and European champions Real Madrid are reportedly lining up a January move for want-away Arsenal star Alexis Sanchez.

The Chilean's future at the Emirates was up in the air all summer, with Manchester City, Bayern Munich and Paris Saint-Germain all courting the forward but a move did not materialize.

Sanchez’s contract expires next summer and it is almost certain that the Chilean will not sign a new contract which means Arsenal will have to bid him goodbye next summer and will not get any compensation for losing their priced asset.

The former Barcelona forward is free to discuss terms with foreign clubs in January and Real Madrid president Florentino Perez has shortlisted Sanchez in an attempt to boost their firepower after selling Alavaro Morata and losing Karim Benzema through injury, according to reports in Spain.

We have to wait and see if Arsenal entertains any offer for Sanchez in January and settle with the fee while they can rather than losing him for free in the summer.

However, we can expect plenty of suitors for Sanchez in future when he becomes a free agent and Manchester City still seems like the most realistic option as the player clearly wants to work with Pep Guardiola again.

Real Madrid do need a number nine desperately with Benzema struggling for goals and Morata having left the club but Sanchez is not a traditional number nine at all. He is most comfortable as an inside forward on the left flank, the same position where Cristiano Ronaldo features. So, that is a major problem.

RB Leipzig's Timo Werner, Borussia Dortmund star Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang and Bayern Munich's Robert Lewandowski are also being considered by Perez as other options. Timo Werner, in particular, is being eyed as a long-term successor of Benzema in the number nine role.