Arsenal Transfer News: Alexis Sanchez 'Unhappy,' Arsene Wenger Blamed for Injury

Alexis Sanchez is reportedly "unhappy" with the attention Santi Cazorla is receiving at Arsenal, reported by Mundo Deportivo (via Hannah Duncan of the Metro).

In Barry Glendenning's translation of the Spanish article for The Guardian, it's even suggested the Gunners star is looking to inch his way out of the club:

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If you’re an Arsenal fan, steer a wide berth of the Spanish news outlet Mundo Deportivo, who report Alexis Sanchez is miffed at being usurped by Santi Cazorla as top dog at the Emirates and may agitate for a move elsewhere during the summer.

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Such a story certainly appears unlikely, especially considering the nature of Sanchez's work. He is a team player—someone who runs to the very last for the club's cause—an attitude which has pushed him to be one of the Premier League's best performers during his debut season.

Indeed, an injury-ridden Sanchez didn't show any ill-faith toward Cazorla when the Spaniard thrust Arsenal to victory over Aston Villa on Feb. 1:

The Chilean has netted 16 and provided eight assists in 29 appearances across all competitions this campaign, per WhoScored.com. He has rarely been afforded a rest and recently suffered a hamstring strain which kept him out of the Villa win.

If Mundo Deportivo's report turns out to be true, Sanchez may not be the only player at odds with the club, noted by B/R UK's James McNicholas:

Sanchez is expected to miss Saturday's north London derby against Tottenham, reported by Ed Malyon of the Mirror, but isn't the type of individual to let pain stop him from performing. Kevin Palmer of the Sunday World provided comments from Arsene Wenger which suggest Sanchez will force himself into the Gunners lineup at White Hart Lane:

Malyon believes Wenger is the root cause of Sanchez's problem after failing to heed his own warning:

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[Sanchez's injury]...shouldn't really surprise the Arsenal boss though, with Wenger having played the forward for 815 out of a possible 900 minutes since declaring Sanchez was "in the red zone" on December 5. That's 94% of the maximum possible game-time when he steps onto the pitch.

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Arsenal continue to suffer injury problems, with individuals such as Mathieu Debuchy, Olivier Giroud and Mikel Arteta missing a large chunk of the season. Sanchez's importance to the side is obvious—he is a regular match-winner who often drags his team to victory—so Arsenal cannot afford to be without him for too long.

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Wenger rarely takes the opportunity to substitute the former Barcelona man, even when victory is all but confirmed. Sanchez recently played 90 minutes during the 3-0 whooping of Stoke, while he was afforded just a three-minute rest when the side beat Newcastle 4-1.

The manager previously suggested Sanchez "needed a little breather" before Christmas, per ESPN, so he must take greater responsibility when maintaining the player's fitness. Sanchez's willingness to play no matter what is admirable, but he can help his manager out by remaining honest about his condition.

Whether or not he appears against Spurs remains to be seen. Sanchez would likely have a major say in the game if he was at 100 percent, but it's a major risk to throw him in ahead of schedule. Arsenal's quest for silverware and a Champions League place will be derailed if he's ruled out for a lengthy period, so the player's well-being needs to be put before his desire to score goals.