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Wenger: Sanchez Available For FA Cup, May Miss Start Of Next Season

By on May 2, 2015
Alexis Sanchez

Image: Mirror

Arsene Wenger has confirmed that Alexis Sanchez will be available to play in the FA Cup final but fears he may be forced to miss the start of next season.

Chile host the 2015 Copa America this summer and the competition starts on June 11 – which is less than two weeks after Arsenal will face Aston Villa in the FA Cup final.

As per FIFA rules, clubs are required to release their players 14 days before the start of an international tournament, so Chile are within their rights to demand Sanchez links-up with them and misses the FA Cup final.

However, Arsene has confirmed the club have already come to an agreement with Chile that they won’t exercise this rule, and even if they did, the boss joked that Sanchez would refuse to go.

Wenger told reporters:

“We got an agreement they won’t call him,” said Wenger. “They could call him up. Anyway, I am sure he would not go!”

Obviously this is great news as it would have been devastating had Sanchez been forced to miss the FA Cup final on May 30.

However, the bad news is that if Chile do well in the Copa America and make it to the final stages of the tournament, then Sanchez will miss the start of next season.

“It’s not good news because they finish very late and if Chile go very far he will miss the start of the season,” said Wenger.

The final of the Copa America takes place on July 4, just over a month before the start of the 2015/15 Premier League season. Wenger has promised to give all his players a full month off before they even begin pre-season training, so Sanchez will be well behind in his preparation if Chile do well.

Here’s hoping Chile crash out early. Soz Alexis!

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