Sports
Arsene Wenger admits Alexis Sanchez transfer has been “destabilising” – but Arsenal have “best possible solution” in Henrikh Mkhitaryan
The rebuild at Arsenal will be long and bumpy but at least they can finally start thinking about the future.
In truth, it feels as if Arsenal have been stuck in limbo all season, not knowing whether their star player is coming or going or if he is going to bother trying from one game to the next.
Arsene Wenger admits the whole Alexis Sanchez saga has been “destabilising” for the club and the other players have been weighed down by “uncertainty.”
It almost felt as if the shackles came off against Crystal Palace, Arsenal played with freedom and they were determined to prove there is life after Sanchez.
Sanchez was always a difficult character, most world-class players have an ego to match and he divided the dressing room because he is a brilliant talent but was also a diva with his strops and sulks.
Wenger admitted the atmosphere had suffered because Sanchez overshadowed everything and the players had been affected. When asked whether the uncertainty has destabilised some of the players, Wenger replied bluntly: “Yes. Not the other players, just the team.
“You work in a newspaper and there are periods when the atmosphere is less enjoyable than others. It is the lack of clarity.
“It is not losing players, teams are used to that. But it is fact you have uncertainty in the group – that they don’t know if he will be here or not. Once it is clear, the team gets used to it.
“There is always life. Arsenal Football Club is 130 years old and many big players have left. Will it go a bit less good? We will see.”
Arsenal have sold some big players in recent times with Robin van Persie, Cesc Fabregas and Samir Nasri going on controversial deals which left the fans in uproar for different reasons. Van Persie because he went to Manchester United, Fabregas because it was a long, painful goodbye and Nasri jumped ship to join Manchester City for a big pay day.
This time, Wenger believes Arsenal can come out of the other side stronger because Henrikh Mkhitaryan is coming in the other direction with Arsenal convinced they can do a deal for Borussia Dortmund star Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang.
Wenger said: “We have a strong squad that does not depend on one player. Let’s not forget that if Alexis Sanchez goes, somebody else will come in who has quality as well.
“It is not that we are only losing a player, we are gaining one as well. And we are still active in the transfer market and trying to bring players in.
“We have tried to find the best possible solution and that is we lose a world class player but we did not lose him without getting somebody after.”
Arsenal have known they were heading for this for a long time as it was clear Sanchez did not want to re-sign and the fear was the immediate fall-out from the sale.
Lose to Palace or suffer a setback and it would have turned toxic at the Emirates.
The fact they blitzed Palace with four goals in the opening 22 minutes was a dream for Wenger.
Nacho Monreal, Alex Iwobi, Laurent Koscielny and Alexandre Lacazette were on target. Monreal also provided two assists and was outstanding before hobbling off, as a precaution, after just 33 minutes. Mesut Ozil and Jack Wilshere were sublime in midfield.
Palace midfielder Luka Milivojevic got a late consolation but it was a good day for Arsenal and they really needed it.
It has been a painful time, the uncertainty has been difficult and the fans have been fed up.
But Wenger embracing Arsenal’s new behind-the-scenes set-up, led by ex-Dortmund scout Sven Mislintat as their head of recruitment, has been interesting to watch.
Wenger has no intention of leaving this summer and it would need for him to be pushed and Arsenal have never done that.
He is changing to survive and that will mean rebuilding the team and the club’s structure.
He was so dismissive of a director of football and yet that role has been split and Wenger is not complaining.
Mislintat also wants to go against the grain for Wenger by bring in Aubameyang despite his bad-boy reputation.
But the one area of doubt is Ozil who is out of contract in the summer and Arsenal have not given up on re-signing him.
However, Wenger insists Ozil’s uncertainty is different to Sanchez. Wenger was less optimistic than recently about Ozil but added: “He will be here until the end of the season, for sure. Afterwards it depends if we find an agreement or not.”
Captain of the Super Falcons, Rasheedat Ajibade, has said the team is determined to become the best women’s football team in the world.
Ajibade spoke yesterday at the Presidential Villa, Abuja, during a reception hosted by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu in honour of the Falcons following their victory at the 2024 Women’s Africa Cup of Nations (WAFCON) in Morocco.
The Nigerian ladies clinched their 10th continental title after a hard-fought campaign, further cementing their status as Africa’s most successful women’s team.
Ajibade, in an emotional speech, said the team’s goal goes beyond continental glory.
“We’re not content to rest on our laurels. Our vision is bold. We want to become the best women’s football team in the world,” the Atletico Madrid star said.
She described herself as “a proud daughter of Nigeria” and paid tribute to the dreams of young girls across the country who look up to the team.
“This victory is not just a trophy. It is a testament to the unyielding spirit of Nigeria. It is a celebration of every young girl in our villages, towns, and cities who dares to dream,” she said.
Ajibade, who spoke on behalf of the team, coaches, and technical crew, thanked the Federal Government for its support and appealed for continued investment in women’s football.
President Tinubu, in his address, conferred national honours of Officer of the Order of the Niger (OON) on all 24 players and the 11-member technical crew.
The President also approved the allocation of three-bedroom apartments to each team member under the Renewed Hope Housing Scheme and a cash reward of the naira equivalent of $100,000 for each player, while members of the technical team received $50,000 each.
He praised the Falcons for lifting the nation’s spirit and inspiring unity through their performance.
“You have inspired millions, especially young girls who now see proof that their dreams are valid and achievable,” Tinubu said.
“You have inspired me too. You represent the hope of today, tomorrow, and the day after. You ignited that hope. And we will continue to encourage you and the next generation.”
The President said the Falcons’ WAFCON victory was not just a sporting feat but a symbol of the courage, discipline and resilience that define Nigerians.
“Your victory represents more than a sporting accomplishment. It is a triumph of courage, determination, discipline, and consistency,” he said.
The reception was attended by top government officials, sports administrators, and stakeholders in the football community.
A member of the House of Representatives, Hon. Aderemi Oseni, has congratulated the Super Falcons on their historic 3-2 comeback victory over hosts Morocco in the final of the 2025 Women’s Africa Cup of Nations on Saturday.
The Falcons, who came from two goals down to seal the win in Rabat, clinched their 10th WAFCON title—further cementing their status as the most successful team in the history of the competition. Reacting to the victory, Oseni described the performance as “a warrior’s triumph that speaks volumes about the indomitable Nigerian spirit.”
In a statement issued by his media aide, Idowu Ayodele in Ibadan, the lawmaker representing Ibarapa East/Ido Federal Constituency said the team’s resilience should serve as a symbol of hope and unity for the entire nation. “They refused to surrender. That comeback from two goals down defines who we are as Nigerians—strong, focused, and unstoppable when united,” he said.
The Falcons had gone behind in the 13th minute when Morocco’s Ghizlane Chebbak capitalised on a loose ball to fire past goalkeeper Chiamaka Nnadozie. The hosts doubled their lead through Sanaâ Mssoudy before halftime, putting Nigeria on the back foot before the break.
However, second-half goals from Esther Okoronkwo, Folashade Ijamilusi, and Jennifer Echegini turned the game on its head, securing victory for Coach Justin Madugu’s side and avenging their 2024 semi-final loss to the North Africans. Oseni also hailed Madugu’s tactical brilliance, describing him as “the architect of a new chapter in women’s football in Nigeria.”
The lawmaker who also chairs the House Committee on Federal Roads Maintenance Agency (FERMA) joined other national figures, including President Bola Tinubu and First Lady Oluremi Tinubu, in celebrating the Falcons. The President had earlier taken to his verified social media accounts to praise the team’s performance, declaring, “Mission X: Complete!” while Sanwo-Olu, Governor of Lagos, described it as a flawless display of Nigerian spirit.
Oseni urged the Falcons not to rest on their laurels but to build on the momentum ahead of their title defence and the 2027 FIFA Women’s World Cup. “This is just the beginning. You have inspired millions of girls across the continent. Keep flying the flag and keep making Nigeria proud,” he added.
He also called on sports authorities and private stakeholders to invest more in women’s football, noting that the team’s success was proof of the untapped potential in the sector. “We have global stars in the making. Now is the time to give them the platform and support they truly deserve,” the lawmaker submitted.
Nigeria’s Super Falcons produced a thrilling comeback to defeat hosts Morocco 3-2 in the final of the 2025 Women’s Africa Cup of Nations (WAFCON) on Saturday, clinching their record-extending 10th continental title.
The win was sweet revenge for Justin Madugu’s side, who were eliminated by the Atlas Lionesses in the semi-finals of the previous edition.
Despite a bright start by the Falcons, it was the Moroccans who struck first in the 13th minute. A loose ball fell kindly to tournament top scorer, Ghizlane Chebbak, who rifled her effort past Chiamaka Nnadozie to hand the hosts an early lead.
Nigeria tried to respond through Ijamilusi Folashade, but her tame effort was easily gathered by Moroccan goalkeeper, Khadija Er-Rmichi.
The hosts doubled their lead in the 28th minute when Fatima Tagnaout released Sanaâ Mssoudy, who drove into the box and fired a low, left-footed strike beyond Nnadozie to make it 2-0.
Morocco maintained their advantage into the break as both sides went into the dressing room with the scoreline firmly in the hosts’ favour.
The Super Falcons returned with renewed purpose in the second half, stepping up their intensity and putting the Moroccan defence under sustained pressure.
Nigeria nearly pulled one back when a collision between Er-Rmichi and defender Nesryne El Chad almost gifted the Falcons a goal, but the Moroccan defence cleared their lines in time.
The pressure eventually paid off in the 63rd minute when a ball hooked back into the area by Ijamilusi struck the arm of defender Nouhaila Benzina, resulting in a penalty. Esther Okoronkwo stepped up and calmly converted from the spot to halve the deficit.
Eight minutes later, Okoronkwo turned provider, sprinting down the right flank before cutting back a well-timed pass for Ijamilusi, who made no mistake from close range to level the tie at 2-2.
The Falcons completed their sensational comeback in the 88th minute when Jennifer Echegini reacted quickest to a deep free-kick, stabbing home from close range to spark wild celebrations on the Nigerian bench.
The victory sees Nigeria reinforce their dominance in African women’s football, securing their 10th WAFCON title and reasserting their status as the queens of the continent.
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