Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger has reiterated his desire to keep Alexis Sanchez and confirmed that he is very much interested in Monaco star Kylian Mbappe.

Sanchez is yet to sign a new deal at Arsenal, and now has less than 12-months left on his current deal at The Emirates.

Bayern Munich, Paris Saint Germain and Juventus have all baulked at Sanchez’s contract demands which are reported to be around £400,000-a-week – which has left Manchester City clear favourites to land the Chilean.

City are known to be confident of landing the South American – as we confirmed last month – and sources have stated that they are prepared to be patient in their pursuit, but Wenger has suggested that Arsenal are happy for him to go into the season with signing a new deal.

“The players have contracts and we expect them to respect their contracts. That’s what we want,” Wenger said as his squad arrived in Australia for their pre-season tour.

“I think the easiest way to manage a player is in the final year of his contract. It is in his interest to do as well as he can.

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

“So it is not necessarily the last year of his contract at Arsenal Football Club.”

Kylian Mbappé & Thomas Lemar are both back in training with AS Monaco. Mbappé: "I feel good. I always feel good." pic.twitter.com/umrURJxE5c

— Get French Football (@GFFN) July 10, 2017

Wenger also confirmed Arsenal’s interest in Kylian Mbappe – a story TheGamblingTimes.com brought to you earlier this year and his Monaco team-mate Thomas Lemar.

When quizzed on Mbappe he admitted: “He’s a player who, when he gets up in the morning, can choose where he wants to go,” said Wenger, shortly after arriving in Sydney for the first leg of Arsenal’s pre-season tour.

“He’s a player who, when he gets up in the morning, can choose where he wants to go”

Arsene Wenger on Kylian Mbappe

“There are not many players with that kind of luck, because he’s only 18 years of age and has the whole of Europe rolling out a red carpet for him.”

“Nobody can say they are not interested in a player of that calibre, because he has such immense quality at 18 years of age.”All the clubs are open and interested in him.”

Bookmakers are still of the belief that Arsenal could struggle to both keep Sanchez and land Mbappe.

Sanchez is 5/6 with PaddyPower to make the move to Manchester City, and 11/8 to stay with Arsenal whilst Mbappe is priced 6/4 to join Real Madrid, 7/5 to still be with Monaco and 4/1 to sign with Arsenal.

Spokesman Paddy Power said: “Arsene Wenger is busy adding to his Arsenal, with Gunners fans excitingly asking how he’ll manage to fit Lacazette, Sanchez, Mbappe and Mahrez into the same side.

“We’re pretty sure he won’t, but he could well have three of them – with Mahrez leading the betting to be leading their line next season.”

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