Neville and Carragher argue about Sanchez money

Arsenal's Chilean striker Alexis Sanchez watches the ball during the English Premier League football match between West Bromwich Albion and Arsenal at The Hawthorns stadium in West Bromwich, central England, on December 31, 2017. / AFP PHOTO / Paul ELLIS / RESTRICTED TO EDITORIAL USE. No use with unauthorized audio, video, data, fixture lists, club/league logos or 'live' services. Online in-match use limited to 75 images, no video emulation. No use in betting, games or single club/league/player publications. / (Photo credit should read PAUL ELLIS/AFP/Getty Images)

Gary Neville and Jamie Carragher had a heated exchange about Alexis Sanchez on Monday night on Sky Sports.

Neville could not comprehend why Manchester City had walked away from the Sanchez deal, while Carragher insisted that it was about principle rather than money.

“If Sanchez had two years left on his contract you’d have to pay Arsenal £75m to £80m and him £200,000 to £250,000 a week. It would cost you £100m,” said Neville.

“He’s going to cost £100m anyway so I’m not quite sure what City’s economics are, particularly when they’ve spent £50m on Kyle Walker and the package of his wages over five years might cost £80m.

“They’re willing to put more into Walker than they are Sanchez. I’m struggling to see why it doesn’t make sense for City to pay more to get Sanchez because ultimately it seems to me City think they can get him cheaper than the market would be offering for a player of that quality. That’s what doesn’t make sense to me.”

Carragher replied: “It’s not about money. It might be for Sanchez but not for City. They’re not bothered about an extra £30m, what’s that to City? It’s absolutely nothing. It’s the fact the man, I would say, has given his word that he’s going to go to City.

“He’s probably shook hands on a deal. They tried to get him in the summer but Arsenal pulled out of it. I’m sure they’ve been talking all the way through, saying we’ll get you when the window re-opens. Manchester United have come from nowhere and offered more money.

“That’s not a criticism of United, maybe they have to pay more money at this moment in time than City to get players.”

Carragher even suggested that Sanchez could refuse to go to Manchester United, forcing Arsenal to sell him to City for a lower price.

“When you are Manchester United you spend £95m on Paul Pogba, you spend £80m on Romelu Lukaku and with the wages you’ve got £120m and even £150m invested in both of them,” said Neville.

“Sanchez becomes quite cheap at £100m. if you think about Neymar at £200m and Philippe Coutinho at £140m, I get the point on the morals, but I’m not sure why City won’t match them financially.”

Carragher continued to argue that it was about principles, saying: “They’ve had a deal, they’ve shook on a deal and someone’s come in at the last minute and offered more money.

“That’s the problem. You can’t talk about City not offering big money. The figures being bandied about, it’s big money. It’s all about the player backing out of a deal.”

Neville was not for budging, saying: “I find it very difficult to think that City can offer less money to a football club, less money to an agent and less money to a player and all of a sudden the player’s going to take £3m less, the agent is going to take £5m less and the Arsenal are going to take £15m less because everyone wants to go and play for Pep Guardiola.”

But Carragher said: “If you’re an attacking player you’d sign for Guardiola, if you’re a defender you’d sign for Jose Mourinho.”