Arsenal Manager, Arsene Wenger says he expects Alexis Sanchez to leave Arsenal in the “next 48 hours,” with Manchester United have emerged as the forward’s preferred destination.

The manager omitted Sanchez from the squad he took to Bournemouth for Sunday’s 2-1 defeat, although he remained a major talking point.

Wenger explained he did not select Sanchez because of the knife-edged nature of his situation, suggesting his transfer could even have happened during the build-up to the Bournemouth game – a distraction that he could not have tolerated.

Wenger described Sanchez as having been on standby and he did not travel to with the rest of the Arsenal squad on Saturday.

United have indicated a readiness to outbid Manchester City for Sanchez and to offer him more lucrative personal terms – and they have turned the 29-year-old’s head.

He had looked certain to join City and enjoy a reunion with Pep Guardiola, the manager under whom he previously played for one season at Barcelona.

City almost got him for £60 million last summer and they have indicated a willingness to pay £20 million for him this month.

But United have moved ahead of their crosstown rivals and there is a confidence at Old Trafford that they are poised to pull off a coup.

City also are not willing to up their offer. Sanchez’s agent, Fernando Felicevich, is due to England for negotiations and Wenger made it clear that the saga had entered its end game.

So, we are looking into the best possible transfer that suits Alexis Sanchez’s footballing style and his ambitions.

Who should Arsenal sell to?