Arsene Wenger has again insisted Alexis Sanchez will not leave Arsenal in this transfer window and believes his is a very different situation to Diego Costa's at Chelsea - because the Gunners want to keep their star man.
Both Sanchez and Costa missed their respective sides' first Premier League games of the season at the weekend, but while the Chelsea forward seemingly has no future at Stamford Bridge, Wenger is determined not to let his own player leave.
With the Chile international's contract up next year, Arsenal would lose Sanchez for free at the end of the season if they cannot agree a new contract - but Wenger remains hopeful.
"Of course [Sanchez will stay]," he told beIN Sports. "[The Costa scenario] is a little bit of a different situation.
"We always wanted to keep Sanchez and we always hope - even now - that we can extend the contract of Sanchez, [Alex Oxlade-]Chamberlain and [Mesut] Ozil, so it's difficult for me to analyse the Chelsea situation with Costa."
This guy certainly enjoyed that August 6, 2017
Regardless of any renewed deal, though, Wenger expects Sanchez to respect his current contract and see out the season at Emirates Stadium.
"It looks unusual to the media sometimes that clubs want contracts to be respected," he said. "For me, it looks logical. I am amazed that you are amazed. It looks normal.
"If I sign a contract, I respect it. Of course, if a club releases me, it is normal that I can go somewhere else, but I know that, when I sign for two years with Arsenal, Arsenal have that contract and I have to respect it."
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