The Gunners’ hunt for another Alexis Sanchez underlines both the Chilean's legacy and the challenges of today's talent market.
Arsenal's head scout admits challenge in finding new Alexis Sanchez originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
are still trying to unearth a player capable of matching the influence of Alexis Sanchez, according to the club's lead scout in South America.
Jonathan Vidalle, who has been responsible for monitoring talent across the continent for several years, says Chile faces a long road to producing a player of the same calibre again.
Alexis, who joined from in 2014, became one of Arsenal's most dynamic forwards of the Emirates era.
He scored 80 goals in three-and-a-half seasons and played a key role in winning two FA Cups, earning a reputation for his relentless energy, skill and professionalism.
His departure in 2018 left a gap the club has struggled to fill. Nearly a decade on, the Gunners continue to look towards South America for emerging stars.
But Vidalle admits the flow of Chilean exports to Europe has slowed and that the domestic game is no longer producing the kind of players who once thrived in England's top flight.
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"Chile is one of the countries I cover, and I'd love to bring another Alexis Sanchez to Arsenal, but they have to improve a lot," Vidalle told ADN Deportes.
"The quality of material coming through is not what it used to be."
Vidalle's connection to Chilean football is long-standing after he discovered Marcelo Allende as a 17-year-old and brought him to London for a trial with Arsenal, where he was mentored by Sanchez himself.
"Marcelo grew a lot. He's a very intelligent player. When I found him, he reminded me of Santi Cazorla, especially because of his size and technical ability," he recalled.
But he also pointed out that the physical demands of modern football have made it more difficult for smaller players to succeed.
"In that position today, players are beasts. We have someone like Martin Zubimendi who's not that tall, but it depends on the team and the coach. In clubs like Arsenal or , where you always have possession, a player like Allende could fit."
Vidalle reserved particular praise for Sanchez, whose influence remains the benchmark for Arsenal's scouts.
"The best, he always delivered. A great player and an excellent professional. I didn't deal much with him personally, but at Arsenal, he performed very well and won titles. I regretted when he lost that final with against in 2019," he said.
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