Arsene Wenger Denies Alexis Sanchez Has Asked to Exit Arsenal Amid Man City Talk

Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger has denied speculation talisman Alexis Sanchez has requested to leave the club following rumours of Manchester City's interest in his services. 

Sources in Sanchez's native Chile said the forward had asked to leave the Emirates Stadium, but Wenger gave a prompt "no" when quizzed on whether that was the case and added, per AAP (h/t ESPN FC):

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

"So it's not necessarily the last year of his contract at Arsenal Football Club."

Sanchez has now entered the final year of his Gunners contract, with the club facing the prospect of selling their star this summer or letting him wind down the last year of his deal before a potential free transfer departure next summer.

There's little doubting alleged suitors Manchester City would be willing to pay Sanchez the wages he desires, and Goal's Sam Lee recently referred to the Citizens' financial allure as a factor in his fate:

But title ambitions will undoubtedly be another major factor for Sanchez, meaning Alexandre Lacazette's move to north London from Lyon may have helped convince him the club is on the right trajectory.

Steve Stammers and Simon Mullock of the Mirror recently reported City were preparing a £50 million offer for the South American winger, but Arsenal are set to hold out for £80 million, last year of his deal or not.

The risk in running down Sanchez's contract is the club may not see the same product in 2017-18 that they enjoyed so much last season, but ex-Gunner Martin Keown has said that behaviour isn't in his character, per PA's Jim van Wijk (h/t the Evening Standard):

"Sanchez will be the one now which everyone talks about—and let's see how Arsene Wenger handles that. He (Wenger) has his contract (extension), and I don't think Wenger will be in any rush, he will want to keep the player.

"I think he (Sanchez) is going to play, wherever he is, I don't think he is the sort of lad who will down tools. Wenger has two years to go now on his contract at Arsenal, and he will want that time spent with the best possible players—Sanchez is one of Europe's best players."

It's easy to see why some suggest pulling out all the stops to extend Sanchez's deal is a must for Arsenal, owing to the fact he's given them a world-class presence in attack since arriving in 2014:

But despite Wenger's insistence the player could pen a new deal during the 2017-18 campaign, the club could easily be forced to face up to the reality of losing their £35 million recruit for nothing next July.

Sanchez will be free to discuss his future and sign a pre-contract agreement with clubs as of January 2018 in any case, meaning the onus is on Arsenal to make a decision on their stance and stand by it.