Arsenal Uncovered: Arsene Wenger won't make signings but Alexis Sanchez could really stay

Emerging from between the lines of Arsene Wenger’s regular weekly press conference was the strongest indication yet that Arsenal will not be bowing to any sort of player power from the injured Chile international.

Wenger admits no progress has been made on renewing a contract that allows the £50million-rated player to walk away for nothing next summer – but that may just be a price that the club are willing to pay.

“At the moment he is a player who goes into the final year of his contract and prepares for the season - we have not made any progress on the other front,” Wenger said.

“So am I really willing to let Alexis leave for free next summer? That is a consequence of what I say, yes, unfortunately.

“We have to make a choice between efficiency on the field and financial interest and most of the time if you can find a good compromise, it’s better. But in this case, I think I prioritise the fact that he will be useful on the sporting side."

Likewise, he is keen for Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain to remain for the final year of his own deal despite renewed interest from Chelsea.

“He will be here at the end of the season because, personally, I rate him highly and he’s one of the players who is on his way up,” Wenger said. 

“In the last year, he has made huge progress and personally I want him to stay here for a long time.

“I’m convinced he will be one of the English players that everybody will look at in the next two years.”

However, Arsene Wenger was much less forthright when asked about any incomings potentially making him a busy man in the build-up to the close of the transfer window at 11pm on August 31.

“Getting players out keeps you as busy as getting players in,” Wenger said. “I think I will be busy, yes.”

The focus seems to be very much on trimming the chaff that Wenger no longer wants – Lucas Perez, Kieran Gibbs, Calum Chambers, Mathieu Debuchy, Carl Jenkinson – rather than adding to his relatively meagre acquisitions so far.

Alexandre Lacazette has joined for a club-record £52m along with Sead Kolasinac coming in on a free transfer.

Surely he needs one more, though? Wenger, a big advocate of the plan to close the window before the season kicks off, will continue to keep his cards close to his chest as long as possible this season though.