Alexis Sanchez has provided Arsenal with a major boost ahead of Saturday’s Premier League clash with Stoke City by returning to full training.
The 28-year-old was handed an extended break following his exploits at the Confederations Cup during the summer and his return to full training was delayed first by a bout of flu and then an abdominal strain which ruled him out of last Friday’s opening game of the season against Leicester.
Sanchez’s future has been the subject of intense speculation all summer with Manchester City and Paris Saint-Germain heavily linked with the former Barcelona star who has less than 12 months remaining on his current contract.
Arsene Wenger reiterated earlier this week that he had the full backing of the board following his recommendation to allow Sanchez the chance to run down his current deal and potentially seek a free transfer next summer.
Speaking about his rehabilitation from injury, Wenger said on Wednesday: ‘For Sanchez it looks a little early but he works hard in training.’
On Sanchez’s future, he added: ‘It’s my decision, but after the board has to of course agree with me,” he said. “If they don’t agree, we will accept it.
‘It is a financial sacrifice. It is a sacrifice that you have to calculate, how much it costs. If you let the player go and you buy somebody, you spend maybe more than you lose.
‘Also, if you extend the contract, it costs you maybe more than you lose when you keep the player. So you have to consider the length of the contract as well that the players want. So when all that is into consideration, the financial sacrifice is not as heavy as it looks.
‘I am a football manager, I want Sanchez to stay, and that’s it. After that, all the financial implications is less important.
‘At the end of the day you have to afford it as well, you must afford it. But I want Sanchez to stay, I want Sanchez to extend his contract.’
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