Although he left Arsenal in a controversial manner, Alexis Sanchez was a popular figure during an electric three-and-a-half-year spell at the Emirates.
Arsene Wenger pulled off a coup when he signed Sanchez from Barcelona on July 10th, 2014, for a fee of around £35m, making him the second-most expensive player in Arsenal history at the time.
The Chile International was a world-renowned player, but the arrival of Luis Suarez at the Camp Nou made him surplus to requirements, but he became the main man at Arsenal.
Alexis scored an astonishing 80 goals in 166 appearances for Arsenal, whilst also providing 43 assists, and also netted in two victorious FA Cup finals.
Eight quotes about Alexis Sanchez
Alexis Sanchez burned his bridges at the club when he moved to Manchester United in an ill-fated swap deal with Henrikh Mkhitaryan, and he eventually moved on to Inter Milan, but at his best, he was a player admired by everyone, including some former Barcelona and Arsenal teammates.
Arsene Wenger
“Alexis Sanchez has a killer instinct,” former Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger stated of Sanchez after he netted a stunning hattrick at West Ham in December 2016.
“He has all the ingredients to be a top-class striker. He is quick to close down. He can dribble. He has good movement. He is sharp.”
Mesut Ozil
Mesut Ozil struck up a deadly partnership with Alexis as the two best players in the squad, and they became almost unstoppable as a duo.
“[My partnership with Alexis is] progressing really well, and you can see that in our matches,” Ozil stated in March 2015.
“He’s really important for the team and that shows with the goals – he’s scored a lot of goals this season.”
“You can see it in training too – I look for him when I have the ball because he makes those runs. For that reason, we’re happy to have a player like that in our ranks.”
Pep Guardiola
Pep Guardiola managed Alexis at Barcelona before facing him at Manchester City, and the Spaniard highlighted his qualities before a clash between the two sides in December 2016.
“Alexis has played in Chile and in Italy with Udinese and played really well in Barcelona,” Guardiola stated.
“It is normal when you play with Messi that people think that he is not at his level, as the highlight is always Leo.
“But Alexis helped us a lot and played well. I think the position that he is in now, as a striker, is perfect for him, it suits him perfectly.
“He is a fighter with character and spirit, and he is a winner. He is a class, class player but now I think he is playing really well. With Chile he has won two South American cups, that shows what a good player he is.”
Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain
Alex Oxlade Chamberlain played alongside Alexis for most of the Chilean’s time at Arsenal, and the Englishman once compared him to Luis Suarez.
“He’s a world-class player — everyone saw that at the World Cup,” Oxlade-Chamberlain stated in October 2014.
“He reminds me of Luis Suarez when he chases everything down and he makes nothing into something. He’s done that for us twice, and he’s scored goals at important times for us.”
Neymar Jr
Brazil superstar Neymar played alongside Alexis for one season at Barcelona, and the winger praised his former teammate after their National sides faced each other at the Emirates Stadium in March 2015.
“Alexis is a big friend and someone who I had the privilege of playing with at Barcelona,” Neymar stated.
“We used to get along very well on and off the field, so I’m very happy to see him so well at Arsenal.”
Mathieu Flamini
Mathieu Flamini returned to Arsenal just one year before Alexis joined, and the former AC Milan midfielder reserved special praise for him.
“Sanchez is a breath of fresh air to play with,” Flamini told The Telegraph in October 2014.
“He gives so much for the team, and not just in an attacking sense. I didn’t realise he works so hard off the ball, not just creating space for others but also helping out defensively.”
Aaron Ramsey
Aaron Ramsey and Alexis sometimes did not see eye to eye on the pitch, but in the attacker’s early days at the club he drew praise from the Welsh midfielder.
“Sanchez is up for the fight as well, he’s not just there when he’s got the ball,” Ramsey stated in October 2014.
“Defensively, he wants to work hard for the team and realises that’s important.
“That’s a great quality to have as an attacking player to realise there is work to be done defensively when we haven’t got the ball.”
READ MORE: Aaron Ramsey’s best-ever Arsenal teammate
Santi Cazorla
Cazorla is one of the most popular players of the Emirates era, and he showed how humble he was when he denied Wenger’s suggestion that he was the 2014-15 Arsenal player of the season, instead pointing to Alexis.
“I would have to say that unfortunately I don’t agree with Mr Wenger, for me the player of the season is Alexis. He’s really shone and proven himself every day, always wanting to be better every time he’s on the pitch,” Cazorla stated.
“He’s just somebody who is never satisfied, every day he’s looking to better himself. I’m delighted to hear those words but I would probably have to disagree.”
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