Arsenal Transfer News: Alexis Sanchez 'Committed,' Jonny Evans Talks Rumours

Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger has insisted wantaway winger Alexis Sanchez remains "100 per cent committed" to the club after a deadline-day move to Manchester City didn't materialise. Meanwhile, Gunners target Jonny Evans has opened up on a speculation-filled summer transfer window.

Sky Sports detailed how Arsenal rejected City's last-ditch approaches on Thursday despite receiving a £60 million offer for Sanchez, providing quotes from Wenger, who told beIN Sports Sanchez is loyal to the Gunners cause:

"Your interest is always to perform and he is 100 per cent committed, I have no doubt about that. 

"It's very difficult for me to speak about what happened because what I want the player to do now is focus on his career, on his season and on Arsenal Football Club.

"I spoke before about integrity and values and I always make sure my commitment is at the level expected from the people who pay me and have confidence in me."

Some Arsenal fans will take it as a positive that their club fended off the approaches of a Premier League rival to keep an essential star, but BBC writer Ravin Sampat questioned whether it could prove a costly decision:

Indeed, it may have been preferable for the club to sell the Chile international earlier in the summer transfer window and reinvest those funds in a replacement, rather than risk losing the player for nothing next year.

City speedster Raheem Sterling was linked as the player who could move in the opposite direction to Sanchez as part of a swap deal, and ESPN's Mark Ogden questioned why the Citizens didn't push for that exchange:

Wenger may hold out hope of Sanchez signing a new contract at the Emirates Stadium before his current deal expires in June 2018, or else their last chance of securing a sale will be to cash in on the player in January.

Another failed summer mover, Evans, has stamped his loyalty to West Bromwich Albion after both Arsenal and City were associated with a move for the defender, per the Birmingham Mail's Paul Suart:

"I'm a West Brom player and I'm the captain.

"I don't really know much of what went on because I've been away on international duty. You try to focus on that when you're in a hotel but when I get back I'm sure I will have a chat with the chairman and the manager.

"Before I left we'd said, 'If something happens or it doesn't we'll just get on with it'. As a player you don't really know what's going on a lot of the time and a lot of things are word of mouth."

While the Gunners and Leicester City were also reportedly in the hunt for Evans, the Etihad Stadium always looked the most likely destination, and Match of the Day pundit Trevor Sinclair suggested City may regret their miss:

Evans has come into his own since joining the Baggies from Manchester United in 2015, boosting his reputation as a starting star after settling for fringe status for some time at Old Trafford.

The 29-year-old will remain at the Hawthorns for the time being but didn't explicitly rule out a move in future, giving Arsenal hope for cutting a future deal should they retain their interest in the centre-back.