Manchester City Transfer News: Pep Guardiola Wants Alexis Sanchez, Top Rumours

Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola has advised former Barcelona star Alexis Sanchez to ignore Arsenal in order to force through a transfer to the Etihad Stadium.

Simon Mullock of the Mirror (h/t Metro's Coral Barry) reported the former Camp Nou pairing wish to re-establish their relationship at City, but the Gunners want to sell to a team on the continent rather than a Premier League rival. The 28-year-old has refused to sign a new contract under coach Arsene Wenger, and his days in north London appear to be coming to an end.

According to Mullock, the Sky Blues believe they are in "pole position" to purchase the attacker, but Bayern Munich and Paris Saint-Germain both covet Sanchez's talent. Wenger prefers to sell the £60 million rated player to a club outside of England after losing Emmanuel Adebayor, Samir Nasri, Gael Clichy and Bacary Sagna to City in recent times.

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Guardiola believes he can buy the player for £40 million with his contract ready to expire in 12 months, per Mullock.

Sam Wallace and Jason Burt of the Telegraph reported Bayern are lining up a €65 million (£55 million) offer for the diminutive player as they attempt to bring him to the Bundesliga to join countryman Arturo Vidal.

Sanchez recently told Sky Sports' Geoff Shreeves he plans to decide his future at the end of the campaign.

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He said:

"I don't think it has been a very good season for me because I came here to win trophies, to be competing in the Champions League semi-finals and to win the Premier League, and I feel disappointed that we aren't in a position to win the Premier League or the Champions League. [...]

"What I want to do now is to finish the season well, try to qualify for the Champions League, win the FA Cup and then I'll sit down with the club to decide what I'm going to do."

Despite a dip in his usual productivity, Sanchez has maintained his goals statistics at Arsenal, scoring 22 times in the Premier League and Champions League, per WhoScored.com.

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In other Sky Blues news, shock rumours have emerged that Manchester United wish to replace Zlatan Ibrahimovic with Sergio Aguero in the summer.

Rich Forrester of The Sun reported United manager Jose Mourinho is prepared to bid £55 million, as Aguero falls behind Gabriel Jesus in the pecking order. Aguero has smashed 120 goals in 178 appearances for City in the league and remains one of the greatest strikers on the planet when fit and ready. 

Mourinho is said to be prepared to "press ahead with other targets rather than waiting for Ibrahimovic," per Forrester.

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If the unthinkable happens and Aguero arrives at Old Trafford, Sanchez would be the perfect replacement in Guardiola's squad.

The Chile international is a prolific goalscorer playing behind a striker, and Jesus gives City a readymade replacement if Aguero moves.

Sanchez and Jesus could form one of the most lethal attacks in Europe to rival Real Madrid and Barca, allowing City to compete at the business end of Champions League competition.