Football
Mattias Karen, Arsenal correspondent 7y

PSG chasing Neymar because Alexis Sanchez not for sale - Arsene Wenger

BEIJING -- Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger believes Paris Saint-Germain have begun chasing Neymar because they know that Alexis Sanchez is not available.

Wenger dismissed the latest rumours in the ongoing Sanchez saga following Arsenal's friendly against Chelsea in Beijing, saying the forward will not be joining PSG this summer.

A source told ESPN FC that Sanchez and his representatives were in Paris on Friday to meet with PSG sporting director Antero Henrique about a possible transfer.

But as he prepared to return to London after his team's preseason tour of China, Wenger said: "They cannot get Sanchez so they go for Neymar.

"I read L'Equipe in the last three to four days and it has moved from Sanchez to Neymar. You know they are speaking about Neymar, a few days they were speaking about Sanchez. They need a subject to write about."

And Wenger insists Arsenal have no need to cash in on Sanchez to begin with, while reiterating his pledge that the Chilean will be at the Emirates next season.

The French manager is sticking to his stance that the club would rather hold Sanchez to the final year of his contract and lose him for free next summer than sell a player who could probably fetch more than £40 million.

"Sanchez has got one year to go and we have no need to make money. He will be part of the team next year and after that I can understand it [the speculation]," Wenger said.

"But you don't want to write that but that's a version I can give you. ... My mind has been made up for a while now.

"We are in a strong financial situation so we want to keep our best players. You can see there is a fight everywhere to get top players. Man United, Manchester City, all the big clubs. All the clubs have big money."

Arsenal broke their club transfer record by signing Alexandre Lacazette in a deal that could be worth more than £50m with add-ons, and have been trying to sign Monaco's Thomas Lemar as well for similar money.

While a handful of players are expected to leave the Emirates this summer, the club have so far only sold goalkeeper Wojciech Szczesny.

And Wenger said he thinks Olivier Giroud, who has been linked with a move away since Lacazette's arrival, will stay and fight for his place in the team.

"Giroud fancies the competition. As a manager, you have him on your back, wanting to play," Wenger said. "He fights hard. I like the way he responds to what's happening. He is focused and determined and showed that on this tour."

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