Manchester City have sent a delegation to Chile in anticipation of finalising a deal for Alexis Sanchez, in the event they can first persuade Arsenal to sell the wantaway striker before the close of a frenetic transfer window on Thursday night.

However, City’s hopes of signing Jonny Evans from West Brom were hanging in the balance as of Wednesday night with their misfit defender Eliaquim Mangala wavering over a move to the Hawthorns and Arsenal hoping to exploit the impasse after having a £25 million bid rejected for the Northern Ireland centre-half.

City are understood to have a team on the ground in Macul, Santiago - where Chile are due to play Paraguay in a World Cup qualifier at 11.30pm UK time on Thursday, half an hour after the close of the window - that are positioned to conduct a medical and finalise terms should Arsenal sanction Sanchez’s sale.

There were indications on Wednesday night that City had raised their opening offer of £50 million, which was rejected on Tuesday, in the belief a straight cash deal closer to £70 million could clinch a deal given that Arsenal risk losing Sanchez for nothing next summer.

Arsenal have asked about taking Raheem Sterling, in addition to a substantial fee, in return for Sanchez. Yet with City increasingly opposed to allowing the England forward to leave, Arsenal could seek to reinvest the proceeds from a cash sale in a last-gasp dash for Paris Saint-Germain and Germany winger Julian Draxler.