Arsenal do not believe Alexis will leave this summer

Silence is golden. Except when you’re trying to figure out someone’s intention, then silence is frustrating and annoying. Unless you’re the person who is trying to figure things out, then silence is a negotiating tactic. ANYWAY

We haven’t heard much from Alexis this summer about his plans. He has said he wants to play in the Champions League, from which we infer that he may want to leave since Arsenal aren’t in the Champions League this season, but he has never actually said he wants to leave.

Well, today, Jeremy Wilson at the Telegraph says that Alexis may actually want to stay for the last season of his contract. The club feels like Alexis will not want to adjust to a new club in a World Cup year, and also that if Arsenal get off to a strong start, the club might be able to use that as leverage to re-sign him during the season.

If a Manchester City or PSG-level team comes to Arsenal with a higher-than-expected valuation, of course, they would probably sell if Alexis and Arsenal haven’t agreed a new contract, but I’m not sure that’s going to happen at this point, particularly with PSG seemingly working on a mind-exploding €222 million deal for Neymar.

Alexis staying for one more year is a great outcome; even if he leaves at the end of that year, Arsenal will have gotten his age 25-29 seasons, and if they let a 29 year old walk for free, having given Arsenal four of his prime seasons, that’s not the worst thing in the world, is it?