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One to Watch – Alexis Sanchez

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Name: Alexis Sanchez

Date of Birth: 19/12/1988

Nationality: Chile

Former Clubs: Cobreloa, Udinese, Colo-Colo, River Plate, Barcelona

League Appearances (Goals): 309 (89)

International Appearances (Goals): 77 (26)

Stat of the Day: In his first 30 games for Arsenal, Alexis Sanchez created 74 chances, at a rate of almost two and half a game. In his last 7, he has averaged only one and a half a game.

Player Profile: The fickle nature of Arsenals` fans has grown wearisome this season, but one stance shared in unison is the praise for electric summer signing Alexis Sanchez. Arsenal caved in to the pressure from fans to spend big, but the £35 million spent on the Chilean looks to have reignited a faltering Arsene Wenger era. Sanchez amassed a total of 18 goals and 9 assists in his first 30 appearances in an Arsenal shirt and adapted to life in the Premier League with consummate ease. The physicality and work rate the English game loves to commend has not gone unnoticed and Sanchez`s desire to work and make things happen has endeared him to not only the Arsenal fans but many other pundits and Premier League managers.

Sanchez`s combination of pace and ruthlessness along with Arsenal`s woeful medical department has seen the 26-year-old`s impetus falter in recent matches, however; Wenger described Sanchez as playing ‘in the red zone` over the Christmas period but yet still wasn`t rested. Injuries, fatigue and the return of Mesut Ozil occupying the attacking midfielder`s free role has seen Sanchez waver in his explosive early season form, but despite this setback the Chilean still possesses the ability to unlock defences with effortlessness and can light up any match with his infectious love for the game.

Player History:

Alexis Sanchez was born in Northern Chile and started his career at top flight side Cobreloa. He made his debut in the Chilean Primera Division at the age of just 16 and had already been dubbed ‘the wonder boy` both by his club and national youth squad. His talent caught the attention of Italian side Udinese who signed Sanchez for a fee of £1.7 million in 2006.

He was loaned back to South America where he joined Colo Colo and then River Plate, where he won two Chilean Championships and an Argentinean title, respectively. Having gained valuable first team experience he returned to Italy and played his first Serie A game in a 1-0 loss to Juventus. Sanchez formed a formidable partnership with Italian striker Antonio Di Natale as the pair went on to become one of the best scoring duos in Serie A.

The striker spent a successful three years in Italy, netting 20 league goals, before signing for Spanish giants Barcelona in 2011 for a fee of £25 million. Despite his first season in Spain hampered by injuries, the first Chilean to play for Barcelona scored a total of 15 goals in all competitions. He helped his side to a record 100-point haul in his second season and three years after arriving at the Camp Nou joined Arsenal for a reported £35 million with a lengthy list of accolades to his name.

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