Arsenal defender Bacary Sagna has been linked with a move to Manchester City, but Arsene Wenger has said that any offer from Manuel Pellegrini’s side for his want-away right back Bacary Sagna would be “illegal.”
The 31-year-old full-back remains locked in contractual stand-off with Arsenal, the club he joined in 2007, and his current terms are set to expire in June, making him a free agent. It has been reported that there is an offer of a new two-year contract at the Emirates Stadium ready for Sagna to sign, but he is holding out for three.
Apart from Man City, Serie A side Inter Milan and Turkish club Galatasaray are also interested in the defender.
Ahead of the Saturday evening game between City and Arsenal, Arsene Wenger has claimed that Sagna will accept new terms at the club.
The Gunners boss said, as quoted in The Mirror: “He has an offer, he has not come back to us yet. That (City offer) cannot be right because it’s illegal.
“I’m confident he will stay but we will accept his decision. No matter what his decision will be, we will accept it and go on with it.”
Wenger also said Arsenal will bend on longer deals for 30-somethings. Until recently, the club only gave one year deals to players over 30.
“Look not for the defenders no. It depends. It’s a general law in our club yes. But after it’s not a stupid law, we look at individual cases and we adapt it to the individuals.”
Despite his advancing age, Sagna continues to provide excellence in his position and it is clear Wenger wants to keep him.
But the right-back knows that City will give him what he wants, not to mention a significant increase on his £50,000-a-week salary. Sagna can talk to foreign clubs but he cannot sign a pre-contract with English clubs yet. And if Sagna decides to move, it highlights wider issues at the Gunners.
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