Chelsea manager Antonio Conte: Can't stop Man City from signing Alexis Sanchez

Arsenals Chilean midfielder Alexis Sanchez is likely to join Manchester City in a January transfer move. Pic/getty images

Chelsea manager Antonio Conte has reiterated his great admiration for Alexis Sanchez, but said he was not attempting to lure the Arsenal forward to Stamford Bridge when the two were pictured in conversation earlier this week. Sanchez has been linked with a move to Manchester City. Conte was asked what he had said to the player when the two spoke in the Stamford Bridge tunnel ahead of Wednesday's League Cup tie between Chelsea and Arsenal. "I said hello," replied Conte with a smile.

"He's a great player and he knows very well that in my first season at Juventus we tried to buy him from Udinese, and then he decided to go to Barcelona. "He knows very well my admiration for him - it was a good chance to say hello. [There were] no other conversations. "I have great admiration for great players, I think Alexis Sanchez is one of these players.

Asked whether other Premier League clubs have a responsibility to stop Pep Guardiola from adding Sanchez to his squad, Conte suggested Chelsea could do little to hijack any City move. "No, because if City want Sanchez, they buy Sanchez," said the Italian. "They don't have a problem about money or investment and I think it's a good investment because we are talking about a top player."

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