Wenger: Sanchez never told me he wants to leave

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Alexis Sanchez stabs the ball past Petr Cech

Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger denied reports that Alexis Sanchez had told him he wants to leave the Premier League giants.

Sanchez is heavily linked with a move in the off-season, with Manchester City and Bayern Munich reportedly interested in the Chile star.

Asked on Tuesday if the 28-year-old had informed him his desire was to leave Arsenal, Wenger replied: ‘No.’

Wenger was speaking at a news conference in Sydney as Arsenal prepare to begin their pre-season tour without Sanchez, who is on a break after the Confederations Cup.

Amid City’s reported interest, Wenger again said he was unwilling to sell to a Premier League rival.

‘It’s a continuity of what I said at the end of the season,’ the Frenchman said.

Sanchez is out of contract in mid-2018 and Wenger remains hopeful the star forward will extend his stay at the Emirates Stadium.

‘The easiest way to manage the players in the final year of their contracts is it’s in his interest to do as well as he can,’ he said.

‘Nobody knows today if Sanchez will be in the final year of his contract next season because he can as well extend his contract with us at the start of the season or during the season.

‘It’s not necessarily the last year of his contract at Arsenal Football Club.’

Sanchez has been at Arsenal for three seasons and scored 24 Premier League goals in 2016-17.