Waching daily Aug 1 2017

Arsenal boss Arsene Wenger bizarrely saying it is 'ideal' to have players in last year of contracts was just born out of frustration

ARSENE WENGER raised a few eyebrows by claiming that having players going into the last year of their contracts is ideal. But the bizarre comment seems to be born out of frustration.

Arsene Wengers bizarre comments about players contracts running out being ideal were born out of frustration.

Arsene Wenger is adamant Alexis Sanchez will stay at Arsenal. The Arsenal manager has been persistently questioned on the future of Alexis Sanchez, and whether he will stay and sign a new contract.

The boss responses have been resolute – he is staying. But this hasnt stopped the question.

So in his most recent take he has come out and tried to put a positive spin on it – suggesting that players have to perform even better in the last year of their contracts in order to secure their futures.

And this is true, to some extent. In 2012, Theo Walcott scored 15 goals in the lead up to Christmas ahead of signing a new deal in his final year.

However to suggest that having six players in the final year of their contracts – including four first-team players – as being ideal is a little far-fetched.

Arsene Wenger has had to answer questions on his players contracts again and again.

Arsene Wenger is fed up of answering questions on Alexis Sanchezs future.   Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger talks about Alexis Sanchezs return and Arsenals pre-season.

Sanchez, Mesut Ozil, Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain and Jack Wilshere all have contracts expiring in 12 months, meaning the club are at risk of losing a number of key assets without recouping any money for them.

There is an expectation that Oxlade-Chamberlain and Ozil will put pen to paper in the coming weeks, however the cases of Wilshere and Sanchez are more complex. Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain is expected to sign a new Arsenal contract.

Arsenal star Mesut Ozil is also expected to stay put at the Emirates next season. In an ideal world, and I think Wenger would agree, all of his key players would be signed up to new long-term deals by now.

But thats not the case and the non-ideal cloud of uncertainty continues to hover over the start of Arsenals season.

  Arsenal boss Arsene Wenger insists stars such as Alexis Sanchez and Mesut Ozil playing with just a year left on contracts is 'ideal'.