Manchester City Transfer News: Latest Rumours on Alexis Sanchez, Joe Hart

The rumours linking Arsenal star Alexis Sanchez with a move to Manchester City received another boost on Saturday, with reports saying Gunners manager Arsene Wenger has identified Borussia Dortmund's Marco Reus as a contingency plan should the Chilean not sign a new deal.

Elsewhere, Torino are reportedly hopeful of making Joe Hart's loan deal permanent.

According to the Daily Mirror's John Cross, Wenger is growing less confident Sanchez will put pen to paper on a new contract and stay with Arsenal beyond the 2017-18 season, when his current deal is set to run out.

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With City and Juventus both said to be keeping an eye on the situation, Wenger will reportedly once again turn to Reus, a favourite of his who has been linked with the Gunners for years.

The 27-year-old is still working himself back to full health after the latest in a long line of injuries, but in between stints on the sidelines, he's always impressed in a wide or central role. At his best, he's widely regarded as one of the top attacking options in the Bundesliga and beyond.

Here's a look at some of his highlights:

Reus is a player Arsenal fans would no doubt welcome to the Emirates Stadium with open arms, and as reported by Cross, he's been linked with the club for a long time. Those reports usually don't identify him as a replacement for Sanchez, however.

The Gunners are still hopeful they can lock the former Barcelona man and Mesut Ozil to long-term deals, but while the latter is expected to agree to a new contract, the same might not apply to Sanchez, per Cross.

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The avalanche of rumours that have surfaced in recent weeks point in the same direction―Steve Stammers of the Sunday Mirror previously reported negotiations between the two parties are going nowhere. Per Cross, Sanchez wants a deal worth £200,000 per week, including―most worringly―a buy-out clause.

Sanchez is Arsenal's top attacking talent, and as shared by SofaScore, he does more than just score goals:

He would be a fantastic addition for City or Juventus, but Arsenal will fight tooth and nail to keep him at the Emirates Stadium. For all of the rumours and the lack of a new deal, both the Gunners and Sanchez have yet to give an indication that a split is on the horizon.

If he does end up leaving Arsenal, the Gunners will likely do whatever they can to sell to a foreign club, knowing full well the decision to move Sanchez to the Citizens could backfire in a major way.

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Elsewhere, Turin-based daily Tuttosport (h/t Calciomercato) report Torino are hoping to make Hart's stay with the club permanent, with plans to make an official offer to City before the end of the season.

Per the report, Hart's substantial wages would be spread over the course of four years. In case City decide against the move, Sampdoria's Emiliano Viviano will become the Granata's primary target.

Hart has played a big role in Torino's solid form in the 2016-17 season, overcoming a shaky start to his Serie A career to show why he's still one of the favourites to start for England.

Here's a look at some of his best saves in Italy:

While their attempt is ambitious, Torino face an uphill challenge. As shared by Squawka News, Hart recently revealed he only picked the Granata because no one else wanted him:

His strong form means that should no longer be the case by the end of the season, and plenty of Premier League clubs―with bigger wallets than Torino―are expected to make a push to sign the longtime City star.