Liverpool end 'Alexis Sanchez pursuit' as Arsenal close in on Chile international

Reds boss Brendan Rodgers had been keen on adding the quicksilver forward to his free-moving frontline but now faces seeing him line up in London next season Liverpool have admitted defeat in their attempts to sign Barcelona striker Alexis Sanchez. The Redshierarchy had held talks with the Chilean international star,hoping that he would be keen on a move to Anfield as a makeweight in the Luis Suarez deal. However, according to the Liverpool Echo,the Reds have been unable to convince the 25-year-old that his future is best served on Merseyside. And now Liverpool face the prospect of coming up against the forward in the Premier League next season, as he closes in on a £30million move to Arsenal. Both clubs have been willing to match the Spanish club's valuation of the former Udinese man, who struck 21 times for Los Culeslast season, while Juventus also have a long-standing interest. However, Sanchez prefers a move to the Emirates Stadium, and his representatives have informed Liverpool that he is likely to join Arsene Wenger's men. Missing out on Sanchez is a blow for Liverpool. With Suarez set to depart, Brendan Rodgers believed the Chilean's pace and ability to feature anywhere across the front would be a perfect addition to the club’s attacking armoury. Additionally, it also means that the deal for Suarezis set to be a straight cash transaction with Barcelona having already agreed to pay the release clause in his contract of around £75million. Keep up with all today's transfer news on our LIVE blog Culled from: mirror