Why Arsenal's Alexis Sanchez Would Be a Great Signing for Bayern Munich

Typically, it's the press that creates transfer rumors, as reporters uncover what is going on behind the scenes at clubs. Last week, Arturo Vidal made a transfer rumor of his own as he urged Bayern Munich to sign his Chilean compatriot Alexis Sanchez from Arsenal.

The hard-nosed defensive midfielder is very familiar with Sanchez, and  Vidal told reporters, per the Daily Mail's Rohan Banerjee: "We've played together since the under-20 international team, so it would be nice to play with him." 

In all likelihood, Vidal is not informed as to whether Bayern have any interest in Sanchez at all. But the fact he did mention the Arsenal man is food for thought for many fans of the Bavarian club.

The former Barcelona winger has just two years left on his contract, and after another disappointing season from Arsenal in the Premier League and UEFA Champions League, he might be tempted to seek a change of scenery. In that case, Bayern would be a good fit for the player, and Sanchez could bring a lot to the club.

Right now, Bayern's long-term winger situation is still not 100 percent certain. Thomas Muller, perhaps expectedly, has reasserted himself this season as a central player behind Robert Lewandowski. Out wide, Franck Ribery is 33 years of age and Arjen Robben 32. Both are injury-prone and will need to be replaced sooner or later.

Douglas Costa has emerged this season as a suitable option to replace one of Bayern's talismanic wingers when the time comes: He's played consistently all season and has been excellent overall in place of Ribery and more recently Robben.

The other wing position is up in the air, and there are few options. Mario Gotze isn't a winger and could be headed for an exit in any case, with his contract just a year from its expiration.

Kingsley Coman is the most obvious choice, and in fairness, the Frenchman has exceeded expectations in his first season in Munich.

As a 19-year-old, he's proved he's absolutely on his level in the Bayern team. However, no teenager is ever in the midst of his peak, and while Coman might be one of the world's best wingers in a few years, Bayern may not want to depend on him just yet. He also won't be expecting a full-time starting role, so signing Sanchez might not be particularly threatening.

In any case, a club with riches like Bayern's can afford to invest heavily in a deep squad in order to avoid leaving success to chance.

Injuries are a lottery that a club can work to avoid but ultimately cannot prevent. Especially after a summer that will include the UEFA European Championship (in which Coman may participate) and the Copa America (in which Costa and Sanchez will surely participate if fit), depth could make all the difference between success and failure.

Whereas Coman is still young, raw and lacking experience, Sanchez would come to Bayern as an experienced player at the peak of his career. He's succeeded in Italy, Spain and England, and he is great at both scoring and assisting goals.

The Chile international's versatility in being able to create and finish are welcome given Costa's apparent preference for playmaking. And at 27 years of age, Sanchez is in the very midst of his prime: His best three years or so should be his next. 

Accordingly, Sanchez would be a great signing for Bayern if the German giants were to bring him in this summer. He'd be expensive, without doubt, but he'd be a ready-made superstar who could have an immediate impact.

If Bayern are looking to maintain their level or even improve in the immediate future, he could be the right man to target in the summer transfer window.

@Mr_Bundesliga