Arsene Wenger hopes Alexis Sanchez and Mesut Ozil extend their stay at Arsenal (Picture: Getty)

Arsene Wenger has been criticised for ‘overindulging’ Arsenal contract rebels Alexis Sanchez and Mesut Ozil.

Both Sanchez and Ozil have entered the final year of their contracts at the Emirates and are still no nearer to putting pen to paper on new deals.

Sanchez, who was close to joining Manchester City on deadline day last summer, is expected to finally leave the club in January or next summer.

The Chile international has not enjoyed his most productive season with the Gunners and appeared to be snubbed by several Arsenal team-mates after he scored a brace in Thursday’s 3-2 win over Crystal Palace.

German playmaker Ozil, meanwhile, has been linked with Manchester United, Barcelona and Real Madrid – although Wenger hopes he extends his stay in north London.

Alexis Sanchez has been linked with Manchester City and Paris Saint-Germain (Picture: Getty)

Martin Keown insists both stars remain integral to Arsenal’s hopes of regaining their place in the Champions League but is critical of the way Wenger has treated the pair.

The Arsenal legend told the Daily Mail: ‘Arsene knows he needs Alexis Sanchez and Mesut Ozil until the end of the season to get Arsenal back in the Champions League.

‘There is little use selling them in January for a reduced fee only to strengthen a rival. But he has had to cajole performances from them while not upsetting the rest of the group.

‘Arsenal are only a point off the top four but you wonder where they would be had these two been fully committed for the whole season.

Sanchez and Ozil could both leave the Emirates in the next six months (Picture: Getty)

‘Wenger puts so much trust in his players but Sanchez and Ozil have been overindulged. Only once they leave can Arsenal draw a line under this issue.’

Speculation over Sanchez’s future intensified after several players appeared to refuse to join in with his celebrations at Selhurst Park on Thursday evening.

After the narrow victory, Wenger admitted his future is far from certain, although he remains hopeful that he will pen a new deal.

‘First of all nobody knows what will happen really,’ said Wenger. ‘It’s difficult to speculate.

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‘At the moment we are focused on short-term, that means the next game (against West Bromwich Albion on Sunday) with the players committed and ready to fight.

‘It’s not a guarantee of how long you stay somewhere. As long as you are somewhere, you give your best.

‘I felt he was very good tonight from the first minute on, focused on the game. This kind of Sanchez is a great football player, as we know. That’s the kind of performance we want from him.’

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