Alex Sanchez is due to become a free agent and so Manchester City are set to make a fresh bid for Alexis Sánchez, with the club believing the Chilean can be prised from Arsenal this month.

Gabriel Jesus’s knee injury has increased Pep Guardiola’s desire to sign Sánchez, the Brazilian sustained a medial collateral injury in the draw at Crystal Palace on New Year’s Eve and is expected to miss the next two months.

City came close to buying Sánchez in the summer before the prospective transfer fell down on the final day following a bid worth a total £60m.

Arsenal were intent they would first have to buy a replacement but were unable to sign Monaco’s Thomas Lemar, despite being willing to meet the £92m asking price.

Sánchez has become a divisive figure in the Arsenal dressing room and some of his team-mates think it would be best for the club to sell him this month