UNDER-FIRE boss Arsene Wenger is facing a fresh headache with Arsenal battling to convince Alexis Sanchez to sign an extension at the Emirates.
The news is sure to put Bayern Munich – who have been heavily linked with Sanchez in recent weeks – on high alert, while there have been suggestions that Pep Guardiola could try to take him to Manchester City.
Sanchez’s feelings boiled over last week in the victory over Norwich, when he was replaced by Francis Coquelin in the 84th minute, with the Chile star not only heading straight down the tunnel without acknowledging Wenger, but then storming out of the stadium.
The incident was the culmination of weeks of tension surrounding Sanchez, who has struggled to consistently reproduce the brilliant form of his first season with the Gunners after signing from Barcelona for £35 million.
He was further upset when Wenger suggested he was not tracking back enough as Arsenal attempted to protect their lead against Norwich, prompting an angry reaction from the 27-year-old.
Wenger tried to gloss over Sanchez’s reaction, insisting he was simply demonstrating his desire to play.
But, privately, the Frenchman is understood to be unimpressed, with the atmosphere between the pair remaining frosty in training this week.
The Telegraph reports: “Sanchez has admitted in the past that he argues with Wenger over the amount of playing time he is given and Arsenal will hope the latest episode blows over quickly.
“It is not the first time that Sánchez has made it clear he is not entirely happy, and that does not gone down well with some team-mates.
After back-to-back league defeats by Manchester United and Swansea, Sanchez questioned the desire of the Arsenal players to win silverware, saying: ‘If we go out on to the pitch with hunger to become champions, to win the Premier League or the Champions League, we can achieve it, to win big things.
‘There are great players. I train with them daily and they have got the mentality and the desire to win but we lack hunger, the mentality that we are (already) winning 1-0 when we go out on to the pitch’.”
Will Sanchez be at Arsenal next season?
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