Arsenal must break the bank to keep Alexis Sanchez but there’s no chance he’ll join Chelsea, says Sol Campbell

Sol Campbell does not believe Alexis Sanchez will join a rival club. (Picture: Getty)

Former Arsenal defender Sol Campbell has urged the club to break the bank in order to tie Alexis Sanchez to a new long-term contract

Sanchez, who is currently embroiled in negotiations with the club over a new deal, has been linked with a move away from the club as he enters the final 18 months of his current contract.

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With the likes of Manchester City, Chelsea, Juventus and host of clubs from the big-spending Chinese Super League all monitoring his current situation at the Emirates, Campbell has urged the club to do whatever it takes to secure the Chilean’s long-term future.

‘Hopefully he will, there’s a couple of contracts out there that need sorting out at the moment,’ Campbell exclusively told Metro.co.uk when asked if he thinks Sanchez will stay with Arsenal.

Sol Campbell won the Premier League title twice with Arsenal. (Picture: Getty)

‘There is always negotiations. A big contract like this one is always dragged on, no big contract is ‘Sign. Done. Finish’ – unless you’re in China!

‘People want you to fight for the contract and get a compromise and that takes time because both sides think they __have the best deal.

‘There is always a compromise or sometimes somebody has to give in and give a contract that maybe they don’t want right now but maybe in a year’s time it might feel cheap. It might feel expensive too but that’s the chance you __have to take when negotiating.’

Campbell has urged Wenger and Arsenal to secure Sanchez’s services. (Picture: Getty)

Despite growing speculation over the 28-year-old’s future at Arsenal, Campbell doesn’t believe Sanchez would join another Premier League club.

‘He won’t, he won’t,’ he said when asked about the Chelsea speculation. ‘It would be sad. Well, for him it would be sad to go because since he has touched down he has been unbelievable. Unbelievable.

‘He has been incredible and a force to be reckoned with and they [Arsenal] need to realise that.’

Sanchez is entering the final 18 months of his contract at Arsenal. (Picture: Getty)

Sanchez has become a fan favourite since arriving from Barcelona. (Picture: Getty)

If Sanchez decided to leave the club, his departure would have devastating effects on the club’s supporters, according to the former Gunners defender.

‘I think so because he’s old school,’ Campbell said when asked if selling Sanchez would leave the Arsenal fans heartbroken.

‘He’s old school in the sense that he’s not mucking around, he doesn’t pull out of things, he wants to play top football and 100% every time he plays.

‘He doesn’t even want to come off the pitch and that’s a great attitude, you’ve got to keep that sort of thing. Forget skill-wise, just his attitude.’

Sol Campbell was talking top Metro.co.uk at the Tennis Foundation, Sporting Equals and British Ethnic Diversity Awards morning at North London Muslim Community Centre.