Arsene Wenger has insisted that Arsenal can survive without Alexis Sanchez and Mesut Ozil and says the club will look to bring in “top-quality” signings if they cannot persuade the duo to sign new contracts.
Both are out of contract in the summer, with Sanchez widely expected to leave on a free transfer if he is not sold this month.
“How do we cope with that? First of all we have not lost them yet, and secondly we will respond to that by bringing in players of top quality,” Wenger told a news conference on Tuesday.
“This club has lost many, many big players and has always responded very well. Massive players have left this club and the club will always be in a strong position on that front. But you want to keep your best players, yes.”
Wenger dismissed reports linking Arsenal with a move for Chelsea defender David Luiz, but made it clear he is looking to strengthen the team as Arsenal push to get back into the Premier League’s top four.
“We are out there, and look of course to do some things, yes. We will do, but when is very difficult to say because it doesn’t depend only on us,” Wenger said. “We are open in any position for the exceptional player who can give us a plus.
“Therefore it depends a little bit on the injuries as well. On the other hand I must say as well it depends on [if we] will manage to extend the contracts of the players who are at the end of their contracts in June.
It will depend on that as well, because we will have to take the consequences of these decisions and respond to it.”
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