Arsenal Transfer News: Latest Rumours on Alexis Sanchez and Olivier Giroud

Alexis Sanchez and Olivier Giroud are among a host of Arsenal players set to attract interest during the January transfer window, according to Charles Watts of Football.London.

Watts also named Mesut Ozil, Jack Wilshere, Theo Walcott and Mathieu Debuchy as Gunners expected to be on clubs' wanted lists this winter. Yet the most concrete inquiries could be made for Sanchez and Giroud, with Watts noting Manchester City could bid £50 million for the former and that Everton may renew their interest in the latter.

A £50 million bid for Sanchez would surely be tough for Arsenal to resist since the Chile international is out of contract next summer. It's not often a club gets to cash in to this extent on a player with just six months left on his deal.

The potential financial reward for selling Sanchez in January has to be judged against the impact of the Gunners losing their most talented attacker midseason.

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Sanchez is a world-class forward whose versatility, pace, technique and shooting power can decide matches against any opposition. Arsenal boss Arsene Wenger has wisely built his team around Sanchez's creativity and flair.

The South American also offers the Gunners a level of tactical flexibility. He can operate on either flank, as a centre-forward or as a No. 10.

Sanchez has most often been deployed in the latter role recently as a supporting act for Alexandre Lacazette. The former Olympique Lyonnais frontman, who cost Arsenal an initial £46.5 million this summer, recently told Arsenal Player what it's like to play alongside Sanchez (h/t Goal's Chris Burton): "He always wants to go further, be stronger and rise higher. As well as being very fast, he always wants go even further."

Lacazette and Wenger need Sanchez to stay, but City's interest doesn't appear to be waning. The Independent's Miguel Delaney reported on Tuesday that the Premier League leaders will bid again to land manager Pep Guardiola's top target.

Sanchez's future will likely determine what happens with the other Arsenal players rumoured to be in the shop window. Among them, Giroud has an important role thanks to his height and aerial power, qualities no other striker in the squad can offer.

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Giroud admitted in an October interview with Canal+ he came close to signing for the Toffees during the summer transfer window (h/t Sky Sports News). The towering Frenchman stayed with the Gunners, but has yet to start a league game in 2017/18.

Wenger recently indicated he doesn't want to sell first-team players in January, per Jeremy Wilson of the Daily Telegraph. With his squad competing in three cup competitions and chasing a top-four finish in the league, the manager must stick to that stance, no matter what offers Arsenal receive.