Arsenal manager will not risk dressing room anarchy for Alexis Sanchez

Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger has revealed he will not jeopardise the dressing room harmony and break the bank to meet Alexis Sanchez’s contract demands.

Sanchez will only have 12 months left to run on his existing deal at the end of the season and could leave the club in the summer if he fails to agree terms to a new deal before then.

Reports had emerged claiming Arsenal had made a sensational u-turn on their stance and offered Sanchez a club record £300,000-a-week deal to keep hold of their best player but Wenger insists the club will not be held to ransom in contract negotiations.

“Some people tell me ‘just give him what he wants’,” The Daily Mirror quote Wenger as saying ahead of their clash with Middlesbrough on Monday. “But then you cannot respect anymore the wage structure and you put the club in trouble as well. Always, the club has to be the priority.

“I understand as well that top players is a big priority, but at the end of the day even for important players you can only pay as much as you can afford.”

Chelsea and Manchester City have both earmarked Sanchez as a potential summer target and both clubs will be pleased by Wenger’s latest comments, particularly given the fact the Chile international has been one of the best players in the league this season, emphasised by the fact he is one of six players up for the PFA Player of the Year award.

In fact, only Romelu Lukaku (29) has scored or assisted more goals in the Premier League this season than Sanchez (27).

For more stats on Alexis Sanchez, click here to visit his WhoScored player page