THE FA COMMUNITY SHIELD YOU’RE GUNNER PUSH US ALL THE WAY...
Sanchez is staying put Conte tips Arsenal as title contenders
ARSENE WENGER has the total backing of the Arsenal hierarchy in his stand over Alexis Sanchez.
The Chile striker is in the last year of his contract and has declined a new one.
Manchester City want Sanchez but Wenger does not want to sell him – especially to a Premier League rival.
He is determined to keep him for the coming season and that could mean allowing the £80million-rated front man to go for free next summer.
But Wenger made it clear the transfer policy is in his hands and there is no pressure from the board to sell.
He said: “The board back me to make the decisions on the technical front. Is that comings and goings? That is technical.”
Wenger is aware Sanchez will be committed with the World Cup next year.
“And because of his character as well,” said the Arsenal boss, who has Mesut Ozil, Kieran Gibbs, Jack Wilshere and Mohamed Elneny in the same contractual position as Sanchez.
“I warn you that you are going to see that more and more,” said Wenger. “It will become common for one single reason. The inflation rate is so high on wages and the agent will speculate on high wages three or four years before the end of a contract.
“The clubs are not in a position where they can afford to do it. Will clubs be interested in running down contracts? Yes.
“You buy just normal players for £50m. The clubs do not want to pay this. They will want to wait until the player is free.” ANTONIO CONTE believes Arsenal will be Premier League title contenders.
The Chelsea boss has named the Gunners as one of six teams capable of lifting the Premier League crown this season.
As he goes on a revenge mission this afternoon, the Italian has said Arsenal can mount a realistic charge for the league title due to the improvements to their squad.
Conte said: “Arsenal is a potential rival this season. I consider them one of the six teams who will be fighting for the title.
“Arsene has put together a very good squad. Last season they were prepared to play the Premier League, Champions League and the FA Cup.
“They haven’t lost any players and now, at this moment, they have bought Alexandre Lacazette as well.
“They have improved because they have kept the same squad as last season, players such as Alexis Sanchez and Mesut Ozil.
Expectations
“They have a really good team and a really good squad.”
After Chelsea were defeated in the FA Cup Final by the Gunners three months ago, there were still doubts about Wenger’s future.
But Conte said he had little doubt his rival would remain in his post – and claimed that the fit between manager and club was a good one.
He added: “I wasn’t surprised that he stayed at Arsenal.
“They are one of the best teams in the world – and the link between the club and the manager is the right one. Wenger is also one of the best coaches in the world, so it’s right for them.
“He has taken a long time to build his squad. He is definitely the right choice for them.”
Conte’s press briefing ahead of this Community Shield curtainraiser was decidedly low-key.
And he dampened expectations ahead of Chelsea’s title defence with another veiled barb about squad strengthening.
When quizzed about t he comparison after he won Serie A with Juventus, the 48-year-old said: “We are talking about two different situations.
“At Juventus, when we won our first title, at the same time we disrupted two or three other teams. After we won, Juventus increased their quality and other teams dropped theirs, there was a lot of change.
“Milan sold Zlatan Ibrahimovic and Thiago Silva – they sold their best players.
“Juventus got better every season and stayed at the top. In England, if you win the title, the others prepare to fight you with everything they have got.
“It’s very difficult to repeat a win. For that reason, I have to work hard to improve our team and squad.
“It’s normal to be a bit afraid of repeating a title season with a worse one.
“The same happened to Leicester after winning the title.
“And we all know what happened two seasons ago here at Chelsea.
“For this reason it will be very important to avoid a bad one.”