Of Marseille’s recent summer signings, none have been as immediately transformative as Alexis Sánchez, with the forward’s 12 goals in Ligue 1 this season helping the club lead the way in the race for the final automatic Champions League spot.
The Chilean, who signed a one-year deal on arriving from Inter on a free transfer, has been deployed by manager Igor Tudor in a lone striker role that sees him often isolated, but dynamic enough to make the difference and lead his team’s pressing efforts.
According to L’Équipe, the 34-year-old would like to stay at the club should they return to the Champions League next season, but would also like a better contract. The former Barcelona and Arsenal man has a one-year extension clause in his current deal, and while the intention on the part of the Marseille management is to keep him, they also want to avoid spending too much on the veteran.
In the wake of the Coupe de France defeat to Annecy, and an ensuing Classique loss against Paris Saint-Germain, Sánchez had reiterated his high ambitions, and that his future depended on European football. The feeling at the club, in any case, is that the striker’s high demands in training have raised the bar amongst the squad, and that losing such a valuable asset would be a negative sign.
GFFN | Raphaël Jucobin
