Wenger in no doubt Sanchez will shine

CONFIDENT: GUNNERS BOSS SAYS HE IS MENTALLY STRONG

London

Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger has voiced confidence that Alexis Sanchez will put his aborted transfer to Manchester City behind him “very quickly”.

Arsenal reportedly agreed a fee for Sanchez with City on transfer deadline day, only for the deal to collapse after Wenger was unable to complete a move for Monaco winger Thomas Lemar.

Sanchez looked miserable during Arsenal’s 4-0 thrashing at Liverpool prior to the international break and then suffered successive defeats with Chile in World Cup qualifying.

But Wenger said: “I have no doubt about Alexis’ mind and mentality.

“He needs to come back to full fitness, which he was not at against Liverpool. It was his first game and he has suffered a negative experience with Chile.

“But he is strong mentally and hopefully he will be back very quickly to his best.”

Despite reports Arsenal had agreed to sell Sanchez to City, Wenger would not go into detail about what had happened.

“The transfer market is over. There was a lot going on on that front,” the Frenchman told a press conference at Arsenal’s London Colney training base yesterday.

“It’s very difficult to speak about it because the most important thing now is our next game.”

Asked if Sanchez’s departure had been contingent on Lemar’s arrival, Wenger replied: “That’s what I read everywhere, yes.

“My view is that it is too difficult to speak about that because Lemar is now at Monaco and of course Sanchez is here.

“I believe you have to keep a certain confidentiality about transfer negotiations. Many things happen at the last second.”

But the Arsenal manager dismissed suggestions the move for Lemar had failed to materialise because the France international did not want to come to the Emirates Stadium.

“He decided to stay at Monaco and you have to respect that,” Wenger said.

“The player has a three-year contract to go, so overall you have to respect that.”

Arsenal host Bournemouth tomorrow and Wenger would not say whether midfielder Jack Wilshere, who spent last season on loan at the south-coast club, would be in his squad.

But he gave a positive update on the fitness of long-term injury victim Santi Cazorla.

The Spanish midfielder has not played since sustaining an ankle injury against Bulgarian side Ludogorets in the Champions League last October.

“Santi is having his first run today,” Wenger said. –