Sanchez not for sale, insists Wenger
LONDON: Arsene Wenger has reiterated his determination to hold onto Alexis Sanchez and slammed claims the unsettled Arsenal star’s dose of the flu was part of his plan to engineer a transfer.
Sanchez has just one year left on his Arsenal contract after refusing to sign the club’s offer of a new deal and it is believed the Chile forward wants to move to a team in the Champions League.
Manchester City, Paris SaintGermain, Bayern Munich and Juventus are all interested in the 28-year-old, who has yet to return to pre-season training with Arsenal as he recovers after playing for Chile at the Confederations Cup.
Sanchez was due back at Arsenal on Sunday, but his return to England has been delayed by at least 48 hours after he caught the flu, revealing the illness with an social media picture of himself huddled under a blanket with the caption ‘sick’.
Some cynical Arsenal fans fear Sanchez’s failure to report on time is part of his plan to leave the Premier League club.
But Gunners boss Wenger, speaking after his side’s 52 thrashing of Benfica in the Emirates Cup on Saturday, made it clear Sanchez will not be sold.
“No development, always the same, He is staying, of course,” Wenger said.
Asked how he read Sanchez’s delayed arrival, Wenger refused to criticise his player.
“He has flu. He texted me to say he will come back as soon as possible. We are in touch with him and his doctor,” he said.
“Your job is to be suspicious, your job is built on mi s t rus t and mine is built on trust, that is why I prefer my side. — AFP