Alexis Sanchez ‘has flu’, says Arsene Wenger – as Arsenal boss declares Chilean is ‘staying here’
ARSENE WENGER has confirmed that Alexis Sanchez does have the flu - and declared that the Arsenal contract rebel is 'staying here'.
Sanchez, 28, has been linked with a move away from the Gunners all summer.
But, speaking after the 5-2 Emirates Cup win over Benfica, Wenger said he has no interest in getting rid of his star man.
The French boss said: "He has flu. I had a text from him yesterday and he will come back as soon as possible.
"We were in touch with him and his doctor and there is no basic problem apart from the fact that he should come back on Sunday and he now comes back on Tuesday instead.
"He is flying back from Chile as soon as he in a position to do that. He has the flu. That is normally a question of four or five days.
"You might be suspicious because your job is built on mistrust but mine is built on trust and that is why I prefer to be on my side."
Arsenal fear that Sanchez, who has only a year left on his current deal and has been linked with Manchester City, Juventus and Paris Saint-Germain, could go on STRIKE to force his way out of north London.
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Alexis Sanchez factfile
- Born in Tocopilla, Chile on December 19, 1988
- Began his career in Chilean club Cobreloa, breaking into the first-team after one year in 2005
- Signed for Italian club Udinese in 2006 and spent one season on loan at Colo-Colo in his home country, then another at Argentine club River Plate
- Signed for Barcleona in 2011 in a £23million deal
- Won La Liga, the Copa del Rey, Supercopa, Uefa Super Cup and Fifa Club World Cup during three seasons at the Nou Camp
- Signed for Arsenal in 2014 for £35million
- Won the FA Cup in 2015 and 2017, as well as the Community Shield in 2014 and 2015
- Claimed the Cop America Cup in 2015 and 2016
- Named PFA Fans' Player of the Year in 2015
Sanchez returned to London on earlier this week after an extended break following the Confederations Cup.
But the Chilean star did not attend his first training session back, instead posting an Instagram selfie where he claimed to be "sick".
Sanchez has already rejected a £275,000-a-week salary to stay at Arsenal and appears desperate to leave.
But Wenger declared confidently that Sanchez is "staying".
"There is no new development," he added, "It’s always the same. Of course he is staying.
"I cannot always reveal what he says to me and I don’t want to talk about secret conversations, but it is a different situation to the one we had with my contract last season.
"The players who have one year left have to respect their contract and play it out.
"It’s a bit different for a manager because it concerns more the future of the club and what is going on.
"With the manager it creates uncertainty because I am responsible for the policy of the club."
Gunners legend Alan Smith believes Arsenal have to cash in on Sanchez now - rather than letting him walk away for nothing next summer.
Smith told talkSPORT: "It’s a no-brainer. You’ve got to let him go, get the money and move on.
"At Arsenal it’s happened time and time again when players are allowed to run their contracts down.
"What the owners think about keeping a player you could get £60m for and then letting him go for nothing in 12 months’ time, I don’t know."
Wenger was involved in a bust-up with a fan at the Emirates, after a pitch invader made a beeline for him.
The pair reportedly shouted at each other before the man was led away by stewards.
