For a short while, the Alexis Sanchez and Thomas Lemar transfer love triangle threatened to make today arguably the greatest and certainly the most expensive Deadline Day of all time.
But just as things were heating up, Mirror Football’s John Cross soon poured cold water over both deals, declaring Arsenal had decided not to sell their talismanic attacker to Manchester City and that a swoop for the France international would be practically impossible to complete before 11pm.
Since then, news outlets and fans alike have come to terms with the idea that neither player will move ahead of tonight’s transfer deadline, and Sky Sports have now confirmed that scenario as well.
While Arsenal will have Sanchez at their disposal until January at the very least, it remains unclear what shape he’ll be in – whether he’ll still be committed to the Gunners’ cause or considerably more sulky – and the north London club now appear certain to lose him for free in a year’s time.
Here’s how Arsenal fans have reacted to the news on Twitter…
