Alexis Sanchez: Arsene Wenger's style of play key to Arsenal move

Posted Saturday, July 12, 2014 by BBC.com

Alexis Sanchez says Arsenal's style of play under Arsene Wenger was a key factor in his £35m move from Barcelona.

The Chile international, 25, has penned a long-term deal at Emirates Stadium and will join up with his new team-mates at the end of July.

"Arsenal plays very well, which fits my style. That is why I moved here," he said.

"Arsene Wenger's style of play is the sort of style the Chilean national team has, so therefore I am used to it."

He added: "I know this club has a manager that looks after his players and takes care of them as well. He wants to achieve great things in football and that helped me make the decision to sign for Arsenal."

Sanchez has scored 24 goals in 71 appearances for Chile, two of those strikes coming as he helped his country reach the World Cup last 16, where they lost on penalties to Brazil.

He had been tipped to join Liverpool as part of the transfer taking Luis Suarez to the Spanish side, but no agreement was reached and Arsenal were able to wrap up a deal that sees Sanchez become the first Chilean to play for the club.

"I am certainly glad to be the first Chilean ever playing for Arsenal," he added on Arsenal.com. "The team not only plays really good football, but the squad is really good and we can win silverware."

"We have a great squad and we are a big club. We can achieve big things."

Sanchez is likely to make his first outing when Arsenal host Benfica, Valencia and Monaco in the Emirates Cup on August 2-3.

The FA Cup winners' first competitive match of the new campaign is the FA Community Shield against Manchester City on August 10.