Alexis Sanchez has been down in the dumps about failing to seal a deadline day move from Arsenal to Manchester City, and who can blame him? Instead of forming the country’s most devastating three-pronged attack with Sergio Aguero and Gabriel Jesus in the Champions League, he has to spend the season hoping for an assist from Granit Xhaka in the Europa League. It’s not fair.

But if Alexis stops sulking and thinks about it, this could all actually turn out rather well. Because the closer he gets to the end of his contract, the lower his price tag falls, and the more ridiculous his salary demands can be.

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For instance, Manchester United are reportedly willing to pay £25m – and that’s just for his signing-on fee.

The Sun says Red Devils boss Jose Mourinho has entered the race to sign the Chilean and wants to “snatch him from the clutches of Pep Guardiola”, perhaps literally.

Sanchez’s looming free agent status could make him – on paper – one of the Premier League’s best ever bargains. But there’s no such thing as a free world class player, and it seems the transfer fee that Arsenal missed out on will go directly to Alexis instead. Which is nice for him.

Neymar and Cavani relationship ‘impossible’

And anyway, devastating three-pronged attacks aren’t always as fun as they sound, as Paris Saint-Germain are currently discovering to their cost.

The Mail reports that £200m man Neymar has demanded the club sell rival forward Edinson Cavani after the two players had a row over who should take a penalty in last weekend’s match against Lyon.

The Brazilian allegedly views his relationship with the 30-year-old Uruguayan as “impossible” after Cavani took the spot-kick in question, and then missed it. What does it matter? They won 2-0 anyway, just like every week.

Any Arsenal fans mourning the imminent departure of Alexis may be pleased – if not surprised – to hear that the Gunners could sign a ready-made replacement in Karim Benzema.

The Star reports – for the 12,453rd time – that the Frenchman is bound for the Emirates, with Real Madrid “plotting” to sell him to Arsenal for £44m. The Gunners are “unwilling to spend in excess of that figure”. Although they said the same thing about Thomas Lemar.

Elsewhere, Man Utd and Man City are battling to sign 22-year-old Lazio midfielder Sergej Milinkovic-Savic (Mirror), Barcelona failed with a £124m move for Red Devils target Antoine Griezmann in the summer (Mundo Deportivo) and Tottenham are considering a January bid for £17.5m-rated Besiktas striker Cenk Tosun, “according to reports in Turkey” (Talksport). Or in other words, they aren’t really.

@darlingkevin