Liverpool boss Brendan Rodgers has already admitted he tried unsuccessfully to bring the Chilean to Anfield, and the Gunners boss reveals there were more suitors
Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger has revealed Alexis Sanchez spurned the advances of several clubs before making the move to the Emirates Stadium last summer.
Alexis has played a major role for the Gunners this season, scoring 12 times in 22 Premier League outings, since leaving Barcelona for around €47.4 million in July.
Brendan Rodgers has already admitted that he failed to bring the Chilean to Liverpool, and Wenger believes his latest big-money recruit has settled in well because of his previous transfers and a desire to play for the Londoners.
"Alexis has played in Italy, in Spain and he moved clubs - that of course helps," Wenger told Arsenal Magazine.
"The second part is that the move is a reward for what he really wanted. Alexis had a few options and he chose us because he felt that's where he wanted to go. Sometimes a player moves somewhere and it's not the choice that he deeply wanted. In his case, I think he really wanted to join us.
"On the pitch, the player has his needs. I felt that he came into a team that plays in an [attacking] way, where he can express his talent with freedom. It works out well for him. That helps.
"After, another step is that a team welcomes you with the values that you rate, and that in some parts of the team, you can feel at home when you need it sometimes.
"That means there are people inside the squad with a similar culture. For example we have plenty of Spanish-speaking people and I believe that helps to integrate people well."
