Arsene Wenger Warns Contract Rebel Sanchez That He Is Under No Pressure From the Board to Sell

Arsene Wenger has warned contract rebel Alexis Sanchez that he is under no pressure from the club's hierarchy to sell the Chilean ace this summer, even if it means letting him go for free next year.

Wenger - speaking in an interview via Mirror - insists that the board have given him a full vote of confidence in allowing him to have full power over 'technical' matters, responsibilities which apparently entails the transfer policies at the north Londoners.

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Sanchez has made it clear in recent weeks that he wants to leave the Gunners and force a move to Manchester City, although 'Le Prof' is understandably reluctant to sell to a Premier League rival, and will stand firm in his desire to keep the £80m-rated attacker at the club for the imminent 2017-18 campaign.

“Yes, the board back me to make the decisions on the technical front. Is that comings and goings? That is technical,” the French boss said.

Mesut Ozil, Kieran Gibbs, Jack Wilshere and Mohamed Elneny all find themselves in a similar position to Sanchez regarding their respective contract renewals, but Wenger proceeded to state that they could also find themselves in the same stalemate as the 28-year-old if they too play hard-ball.

“I warn you that you are going to see that more and more,” he proclaimed. “It will become common for one single reason: the inflation rate is so high on wages and the agent will speculate on high wages three or four years before the end of a contract.

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“The clubs are not in a position where they can afford to do it. Will clubs be interested in running down contracts? Yes.

“With the amount of transfers, you buy just normal players for £50m. The clubs do not want to pay this for normal players. They will want to wait until the player is free.”