Arsenal: Arsene Wenger Alexis Sanchez defiance undermined by history

Arsene Wenger has stated that Alexis Sanchez will stay at Arsenal. Unfortunately, he has a history of getting these things wrong and it undermines his defiance.

Arsene Wenger is remaining defiant about the future of Alexis Sanchez. The Chilean, who has just one year to run on his current contract, has been incessantly linked with an Arsenal exit this summer, with the belief that his quality and calibre is above of what the Gunners could command, especially given the lack of Champions League football on offer for the first time in over 20 years.

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Wenger, though, has claimed that his star will not be leaving this summer, with or without a new contract. In fact, he has said that on a number of occasions, the most recent of which being on Monday morning as he and his side prepare to return from their tour of China:

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"“Has he asked to leave? No. PSG can’t get Sanchez, so they are going for Neymar. My mind has been made up for a while now. I think I’ve made it clear a few times; that this is my stance. We are in a strong financial position. Sanchez has got one year to go on his contract and we have no need to make money. He will be part of the team next year and after that I can understand it.”"

Such defiance is nice to hear, especially from a manager who has seen many of his established, prominent players sold thanks to a lack of financial clout over the past decade. However, it is difficult to believe, exactly because of that checkered history.

In June 2007, Wenger stated: ‘Thierry Henry will be here next year. Can I guarantee that? Yes, of course.’ Just a month later, the Frenchman had joined Barcelona. In June 2009, of Emmanuel Adebayor, Wenger claimed: ‘I think that he will still be at Arsenal this season.’ In July, he signed for Manchester City.

Fast forward two years, Wenger made the same, defiant statement on two separate occasions. First, of Samir Nasri, he stated: ‘Will [Nasri] be at the club next season? I say yes.’ In the same summer, he proclaimed that Cesc Fabregas would be with the club for a long time: ‘For me, Fabregas is with Arsenal for a long time and he will stay with Arsenal.’ Both Fabregas and Nasri departed by the start of the next season.

There have also been major departures including Robin van Persie, Gael Clichy and Bacary Sagna, during which Wenger insisted that his intention was to keep the player and that he thought it possible to do so. As we all know, none of them are now in North London.

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What this goes to show is that Wenger’s defiance is untrustworthy. It is difficult to accept and believe. Whether Alexis Sanchez will stay or not, it is difficult to say. But the proof will be in the pudding, not what Wenger says the pudding is.