Rio questions stepping stone club Arsenal’s fans
Date published: Wednesday 8th March 2017 10:25
Rio Ferdinand believes that Alexis Sanchez will follow in the footsteps of Cesc Fabregas and Robin van Persie as the latest star to leave Arsenal in the search of major trophies.
Sanchez’s contract at the Emirates Stadium expires in summer 2018, and with the club’s embarrassing 10-2 aggregate defeat to Bayern Munich in the Champions League last-16, his exit appears more likely with each passing day.
Speaking to BT Sport, Ferdinand explained that this is not an unfamiliar situation for the club to find itself in.
“I think we’re at a place where Arsenal football club and Arsenal fans are used to being, where their star player wants to leave for pastures new to win trophies,” he said.
“We’ve seen it with Cesc Fabregas, with [Bacary] Sagna, with Robin van Persie, with [Gael] Clichy with [Samir] Nasri, they were all integral parts of this football club left to go win trophies and we’re here again with Sanchez.”
When asked whether he thought there was a chance that Sanchez could stay, Ferdinand replied: “No, I don’t.”
He added: “He’s someone who’s winning with Chile – he wants to do it with club football and he doesn’t see that happening here.
“I do think in players’ lifespans at football clubs there are moments that makes a player make his mind up, the Bayern game was a huge moment for Sanchez – that he thought ‘I am so far away from winning this elite trophy’ because they’ve been beaten out of sight.”
Ferdinand then turned his attention to the fans who protested outside the Emirates Stadium before the game.
Some 200 supporters called for Wenger’s sacking ahead of the match, chanting that the Frenchman was “killing out club”.
“I think they need to be careful with what they wish for,” Ferdinand said.
“They’re used to winning leagues, it’s gone badly recently but they’re in the Champions League every year.”
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