Arsenal boss Arsene Wenger has revealed wantaway star Alexis Sanchez will be sold during this transfer window after refusing to sign a contract extension – but is more hopeful of persuading Mesut Ozil to stay while believing Jack Wilshere will pen a new deal.

Ham & High: Arsenal forward Alexis Sanchez has failed to travel to Bournemouth. Picture Martin Rickett/PAArsenal forward Alexis Sanchez has failed to travel to Bournemouth. Picture Martin Rickett/PA (Image: PA Wire/PA Images)

Speaking ahead of the Premier League trip to the south coast to play Bournemouth at the Vitality Stadium on Sunday, Wenger has given-up all pretence the unsettled Chilean will still be a Gunners player by the time the transfer window slams shut at the end of January.

Frustrated by the constant questioning recently Wenger finally admitted the former Barcelona star will be leaving the Emirates this month.

He said: “It looks like Sanchez will not extend his contract.

“But we want to keep Jack and if we have an opportunity maybe to keep Ozil, the rebuild will be less deep than if all the three left.

“There is still an opportunity for him [Ozil] to stay. Very much so.

“These guys want to win, and they want to make money as well. Incidentally he’s won trophies with us. So he wants to fight as well for the Premier League.”

Arsenal have a raft of footballers, such as Aaron Ramsey and Danny Welbeck, who will be out of contract at the end of next season, even if Wenger is not in a rush to have them sign as soon as possible.

The Frenchman with a degree in economics believes players running their contracts down will become more prevalent.

Ham & High: Wenger is more confident of keeping Mesut Ozil but there is still a lot of hard work to be done. Picture John Walton/PAWenger is more confident of keeping Mesut Ozil but there is still a lot of hard work to be done. Picture John Walton/PA (Image: PA Archive/PA Images)

He added: “Honestly I believe, with inflation we have at the moment, players going to the end of the contract will happen more and more. For one simple reason, is that the transfers are too high.

“In the big clubs you are in a choice. You reduce the number of players or increase the wages trying to fight with massive clubs as the difference in wages between the big, big clubs financially, I speak, and us has become big. Massive.”