PHOTO: Alexis Sanchez Offers Hint Over Possible Arsenal Stay in Latest Instagram Post

Alexis Sanchez seems to have offered a very vague hint at continuing his career at Arsenal after he described his current club as "home".

The striker took to Instagram after he returned to north London, following his international exploits with Chile, to post a not unusual image of himself in the Gunners' home kit.

What has whipped Arsenal fans into a slight frenzy, however, is the accompanying caption alongside the photograph, which simply reads: "Back home. Focus."

Naturally, supporters have been split down the middle with Sanchez's latest social media offering, with some calling on the 28-year-old to pen a new deal with the club and others taking his comment as fresh hope that he'll eventually stay.

Sanchez is in the final year of his current contract at the Emirates, and has been consistently linked with a switch away from the English capital since last September.

The ex-Barcelona star was a transfer deadline day target for Premier League rivals Manchester City, but the Citizens saw a £60m bid for his services rejected by Arsenal's board after they failed to find a replacement in time.

Monaco's Thomas Lemar was suggested as a prime candidate to take up the mantle left by Sanchez if he departed, but the 21-year-old forward opted to remain in France - a decision which prompted Arsenal to keep hold of their contract rebel.

Sanchez has struggled for form and fitness during the opening weeks of the 2017/18 campaign after he competed at the 2017 Confederations Cup with his national side in Russia over the summer.

An abdominal problem and the flu prevented him from starting either of Arsenal's opening three games of this term, but he was fit enough to feature in the club's 4-0 drubbing by Liverpool ahead of the September international break.

Sanchez's luck failed to turn a corner as Chile lost 3-0 and 1-0 to Paraguay and Bolivia in their World Cup qualifiers respectively, and the talismanic attacker will hope that Saturday's clash with Bournemouth will finally earn him his first victory of the season.