Arsenal are pushing Manchester United to include a cash payment of up to £10million in addition to signing Henrikh Mkhitaryan before allowing Alexis Sanchez to move to Old Trafford.

Standard Sport understands that the final stumbling block in the deal is the Gunners’ reluctance to complete a straight swap deal as they believe Sanchez’s valuation is not mirrored by Mkhitaryan after a disappointing 18-month spell at United.

Negotiations are continuing and Arsenal boss Arsene Wenger this morning admitted a deal could be completed before Saturday’s Premier League home game against Crystal Palace.

“As you said - you’re well informed - it’s now in the next 24 to 48 hours that it will happen or not,” said Wenger.

In Pictures | Alexis Sanchez at Arsenal 27 show all In Pictures | Alexis Sanchez at Arsenal 1/27 22 January 2018 Arsenal's Alexis Sanchez celebrates scoring his team's second goal vs Burnley Arsenal FC via Getty Images 2/27 13 January 2018 Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger with Alexis Sanchez during a training session at London Colney Arsenal FC via Getty Images 3/27 10 January 2018 Arsenal's Alexis Sanchez passes the ball under pressure from N'Golo Kante of Chelsea during their Carabao Cup Semi-Final First Leg match at Stamford Bridge Arsenal FC via Getty Images 4/27 03 January 2018 Arsenal's Alexis Sanchez waves to the crowd at the Emirates Stadium before ther Premier League match vs Chelsea Getty Images 5/27 10 January 2018 Arsenal's Alexis Sanchez warms up before the Carabao Cup Semi-Final First Leg match vs Chelsea Catherine Ivill/Getty Images 6/27 26 December 2017 Arsenal's Alexis Sanchez celebrates after scoring the opening goal with a deflected free kick vs West Brom at Th eHawthorns AFP/Getty Images 7/27 26 December 2017 Arsenal's Alexis Sanchez controls the ball at Anfield vs Liverpool Getty Images 8/27 02 December 2017 Arsenal's Alexis Sanchez breaks past Man United's POaul Pogba at Emirates Stadium Stuart MacFarlane/Arsenal FC via Getty Images 9/27 26 November 2017 Arsenal's Alexis Sanchez celebrates scoring his side's first goal of the game during the Premier League match at Turf Moor, Burnley PA 10/27 4 March 2017 Arsenal's Alexis Sanchez reacts at Anfield v Liverpool Getty Images 11/27 11 February 2017 Arsenal's Alexis Sanchez celebrates scoring his team's second goal vs Hull Getty Images 12/27 03 December 2016 Arsenal's Alexis Sanchez celebrates after scoring the opening goal vs Everton at Goodison Park Getty Images 13/27 03 December 2016 Arsenal's Alexis Sanchez celebrates after scoring his team's second goal vs West Ham at London Stadium Getty Images 14/27 13 September 2016 Arsenal's Alexis Sanchez celebrates scoring his sides first goal with team mates during the UEFA Champions League Group A match vs Paris Saint-Germain at Parc des Princes Getty Images 15/27 4 March 2016 Arsenal's Alexis Sanchez celebrates scoring his team's second goal v Tottenham Hotspur Getty Images 16/27 21 November 2015 Arsenal's Alexis Sanchez reacts after missing a chance vs West Brom Getty Images 17/27 4 October 2015 Arsenal's Alexis Sanchez scoring his team's third goal vs Man United at the Emirates Stadium Getty Images 18/27 26 September 2015 Arsenal's Alexis Sanchez celebrates scoring his team's fourth and his hat trick goal Getty Images 19/27 26 September 2015 Arsenal's Alexis Sanchez celebrates scoring his team's second goal vs Leicester City Arsenal FC via Getty Images 20/27 26 September 2015 Arsenal's Alexis Sanchez celebrates scoring his team's fourth and his hat trick goal Getty Images 21/27 30 May 2015 Arsenal's Alexis Sanchez lifts the trophy in celebration after the FA Cup Final vs Aston Villa at Wembley Stadium Getty Images 22/27 18 April 2015 Arsenal's Alexis Sanchez celebrates scoring the the opening goal during the FA Cup Semi Final between Arsenal and Reading at Wembley Stadium Getty Images 23/27 11 January 2015 Arsenal's Alexis Sanchez scores his team's third goal vs Stoke at the Emirates Stadium Getty Images 24/27 26 September 2014 Arsenal's Alexis Sanchez celebrates after scoring his team's second goal during the UEFA Champions League Group D match vs Borussia Dortmund at the Emirates Stadium Getty Images 25/27 26 September 2014 Arsenal's Alexis Sanchez celebrates after scoring his team's second goal during the UEFA Champions League Group D match vs Borussia Dortmund at the Emirates Stadium Getty Images 26/27 01 August 2014 Arsenal's Alexis Sanchez during a training session at London Colney Arsenal FC via Getty Images 27/27 10 July 2014 Arsenal's Alexis Sanchez Arsenal FC via Getty Images 1/27 22 January 2018 Arsenal's Alexis Sanchez celebrates scoring his team's second goal vs Burnley Arsenal FC via Getty Images 2/27 13 January 2018 Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger with Alexis Sanchez during a training session at London Colney Arsenal FC via Getty Images 3/27 10 January 2018 Arsenal's Alexis Sanchez passes the ball under pressure from N'Golo Kante of Chelsea during their Carabao Cup Semi-Final First Leg match at Stamford Bridge Arsenal FC via Getty Images 4/27 03 January 2018 Arsenal's Alexis Sanchez waves to the crowd at the Emirates Stadium before ther Premier League match vs Chelsea Getty Images 5/27 10 January 2018 Arsenal's Alexis Sanchez warms up before the Carabao Cup Semi-Final First Leg match vs Chelsea Catherine Ivill/Getty Images 6/27 26 December 2017 Arsenal's Alexis Sanchez celebrates after scoring the opening goal with a deflected free kick vs West Brom at Th eHawthorns AFP/Getty Images 7/27 26 December 2017 Arsenal's Alexis Sanchez controls the ball at Anfield vs Liverpool Getty Images 8/27 02 December 2017 Arsenal's Alexis Sanchez breaks past Man United's POaul Pogba at Emirates Stadium Stuart MacFarlane/Arsenal FC via Getty Images 9/27 26 November 2017 Arsenal's Alexis Sanchez celebrates scoring his side's first goal of the game during the Premier League match at Turf Moor, Burnley PA 10/27 4 March 2017 Arsenal's Alexis Sanchez reacts at Anfield v Liverpool Getty Images 11/27 11 February 2017 Arsenal's Alexis Sanchez celebrates scoring his team's second goal vs Hull Getty Images 12/27 03 December 2016 Arsenal's Alexis Sanchez celebrates after scoring the opening goal vs Everton at Goodison Park Getty Images 13/27 03 December 2016 Arsenal's Alexis Sanchez celebrates after scoring his team's second goal vs West Ham at London Stadium Getty Images 14/27 13 September 2016 Arsenal's Alexis Sanchez celebrates scoring his sides first goal with team mates during the UEFA Champions League Group A match vs Paris Saint-Germain at Parc des Princes Getty Images 15/27 4 March 2016 Arsenal's Alexis Sanchez celebrates scoring his team's second goal v Tottenham Hotspur Getty Images 16/27 21 November 2015 Arsenal's Alexis Sanchez reacts after missing a chance vs West Brom Getty Images 17/27 4 October 2015 Arsenal's Alexis Sanchez scoring his team's third goal vs Man United at the Emirates Stadium Getty Images 18/27 26 September 2015 Arsenal's Alexis Sanchez celebrates scoring his team's fourth and his hat trick goal Getty Images 19/27 26 September 2015 Arsenal's Alexis Sanchez celebrates scoring his team's second goal vs Leicester City Arsenal FC via Getty Images 20/27 26 September 2015 Arsenal's Alexis Sanchez celebrates scoring his team's fourth and his hat trick goal Getty Images 21/27 30 May 2015 Arsenal's Alexis Sanchez lifts the trophy in celebration after the FA Cup Final vs Aston Villa at Wembley Stadium Getty Images 22/27 18 April 2015 Arsenal's Alexis Sanchez celebrates scoring the the opening goal during the FA Cup Semi Final between Arsenal and Reading at Wembley Stadium Getty Images 23/27 11 January 2015 Arsenal's Alexis Sanchez scores his team's third goal vs Stoke at the Emirates Stadium Getty Images 24/27 26 September 2014 Arsenal's Alexis Sanchez celebrates after scoring his team's second goal during the UEFA Champions League Group D match vs Borussia Dortmund at the Emirates Stadium Getty Images 25/27 26 September 2014 Arsenal's Alexis Sanchez celebrates after scoring his team's second goal during the UEFA Champions League Group D match vs Borussia Dortmund at the Emirates Stadium Getty Images 26/27 01 August 2014 Arsenal's Alexis Sanchez during a training session at London Colney Arsenal FC via Getty Images 27/27 10 July 2014 Arsenal's Alexis Sanchez Arsenal FC via Getty Images

“I’ve worked on transfers for 30 years, so it is likely to happen. But at any moment, at any minute, things can break down. That’s how the transfer market is. As long as it’s not over the line, you have to accept that it can as well not happen. These kind of things are never guaranteed. If it doesn’t happen, he will play on Saturday.”

Sanchez has agreed an initial financial package with United worth £350,000-a-week plus image rights and bonuses and it is understood that both the 29-year-old and his agent will receive an eight-figure signing on fee.

This newspaper revealed in April that Sanchez had been offered £300,000-a-week including image rights and Wenger admitted fans had to accept the club could still not compete with United and Manchester City in terms of wages.

“Yes, financially yes,” he said. “But that doesn’t mean that you cannot compete on the pitch. That will not be an excuse big enough to not compete on the pitch. Of course, there’s no mystery that United and City have bigger financial resources.

“Will be have to change the wage structure? That would need a longer explanation than just a short press conference. It’s debatable but not feasible. I do not want to come out with the numbers now because I feel it would not be the right moment. We did the maximum we could afford to do. One day maybe I will come out on that. Today’s not the moment.”

Asked whether he was disappointed Sanchez’s decision had seemingly been influenced by money, Wenger said: “No because they are professional players. I have no problem with Alexis Sanchez. His attitude has been outstanding with us. He was in training yesterday, fully committed and prepared 100 per cent.

“One thing you cannot question about Alexis Sanchez is his professionalism and his commitment. After that, he’s 29 years old and the next contract will of course be very important for him.”

Mkhitaryan is set to become Arsenal’s highest-paid player on around £175,000-a-week – the exact figure is yet to be finalised – and Wenger of the 28-year-old: “If it’s a possibility, it’s because I like the player.

“We played many times against him when he was at [Borussia] Dortmund. He certainly appreciated the quality of our game and the way we play football. That’s why certainly he loves the club as well.”

Arsenal were close to selling Sanchez to City for £60m last summer only for the deal to collapse as the Gunners failed to sign Monaco winger Thomas Lemar as a replacement.

Wenger insisted he had no regrets as Arsenal stand on the brink of accepting a valuation of around £35m, depending on the outcome of current talks, just five months later.

“Look, the problem was exactly similar to what it is today,” he said. “I only accept to let him go if somebody else comes in for him and it was not possible in the summer, I would have done it, because it was not possible as it happened very late on the last day of the transfer market and that’s why it didn’t happen. Overall, if it happens now it is because somebody else comes in for him.”