Arsenal waiting to see if Alexis Sanchez will return as planned as Thomas Lemar chase continues

Arsenal remain uncertain whether their star striker Alexis Sanchez will report as planned for his first day of pre-season training following a bizarre Instagram post in which he said he was sick.


Sanchez’s message was accompanied by a photograph of him ­wearing a jumper and scarf, with his arm around his dog and his bottom lip, drooping and protruding, in apparent sadness. The picture is accompanied by the word enfermo, which translates simply as sick.

The photograph was posted hours after a story was published on the official Arsenal website in which Arsene Wenger, the manager, outlined his expectation that Sanchez would report for training tomorrow. Manchester City and Paris St-Germain are both expected to submit formal bids for Sanchez, potentially as early as next week.

Sanchez has indicated a desire to leave this summer amid an ongoing refusal to extend his contract and, while Arsenal were confident that he would return and train properly in preparation for the start of the new season, they have been left seeking clarification about his health.

 

As of yesterday afternoon, the club were still awaiting further ­updates before knowing whether Sanchez would still arrive tomorrow as expected at the club’s London Colney base. The Sanchez saga has been hovering over the club all summer but has now been brought into even sharper focus as his ­holiday nears its end.

It is understood that talks with Sanchez and his representatives over a proposed new contract worth around £280,000 a week have already broken down and that he wants to leave.
Paris St-Germain and Manchester City are both ­interested and, although Arsenal remain adamant that he will not be sold, their preference ultimately would be to a club outside the ­Premier League.


Their stance would only be ­reconsidered if there was a huge ­offer in excess of £50 million.
Sanchez has made clear his desire for Champions League football but Wenger has, in turn, told him to stay and inspire the club’s return to the competition. It is understood that the proposed new contract is heavily incentivised for Sanchez if Arsenal were to reclaim their place in Europe’s elite club tournament.