Arsene Wenger has revealed that the problems with negotiations over a new deal for Alexis Sanchez are purely contractual and the forward wants to stay at Arsenal.

• Wenger ‘deeply’ believes Alexis wants Arsenal stay
• New deal issues contractual, not to do with desire
• Would rather allow Chilean to leave for free next year than sell to Premier League club
• Contract negotiations for all players will restart in summer

Wenger stands by his belief that Alexis wants to stay at Arsenal.

Although he does acknowledge that there are issues regarding money, both parties apparently want to agree upon a new deal.

“The problem as well that you have to analyse, always, firstly, is: can you find better and for what kind of money? The inflation is so big that sometimes today even mathematically there can be advantages to keep a player until the end of a contract,” the boss explained.

“But I personally think he will sign and stay here. First of all he is happy here. His desire is as well to stay. That is what I deeply believe. The disagreements are more purely contractual. Not on the desire. Both parties have the desire to find an agreement, so I think it will happen.”

The Frenchman also revealed, as he has in the past, that if the Chilean does refuse to sign a new deal, Arsenal will hold onto him for the final year of his contract rather than sell to Manchester City or Chelsea, who have both been linked with a move for the 28-year-old.

‘Yes. I don’t think that we would sell him to any Premier League club, that is for sure,” the manager replied when asked if he would keep Alexis despite not putting pen to paper on a new deal.

“Why not? The question is more: why would you sell him to another Premier League club? 

“You want to be as strong as you can be, and not strengthen the other team.”

Speaking about his controversial decision to let Robin van Persie sign for Manchester United back in 2012, Wenger explained, “I let Van Persie go in the last year of his contract because Van Persie was 29, going on 30, and he was signing a long-term contract,

“That is not the case with Alexis. Alexis is 28. So that is a bit different.”

This, I’m sure, will be fine with Alexis, who also claimed recently that he wants to at least see out the rest of his contract with the Gunners.

Wenger has already confirmed that contract negotiations over new deals will take place in the summer once the season has come to an end. This goes for all players.