Alexis Sanchez could miss the beginning of next season, Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger has revealed.
The 26-year-old will play for Chile in this summer's Copa America and, depending on how far his team gets in the tournament, Sanchez could be unavailable for the start of the 2015-16 campaign.
The South American competition gets underway on 11 June and finishes in 4 July - just 11 days before Arsenal kick off their pre-season preparations in Asia.
"If they [Chile] go very far, he will miss the start of the season," said Wenger.
Arsenal have an arrangement with the Chile national team which means they can't call Sanchez up before the FA Cup final on 30 May.
The attacker has starred for Wenger's side since joining from Barcelona for £32m last summer.
He has netted 18 goals for the club this season and was shortlisted for the PFA Player of the Year award - a prize eventually won by Eden Hazard.
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