Alexis Sanchez to be rested, could miss start of 2015/16 season for Arsenal

Alexis Sanchez will be rested by Arsene Wenger as the EPL season starts earlier than usual

Arsenal forward Alexis Sanchez looks set to miss the start of the 2015/16 season after Arsene Wenger gave extra time off to the Copa America winner, according to The Telegraph. Chile completed a successful campaign at the recently concluded Copa America where they defeated Argentina in a penalty shootout in the final and Sanchez was fundamental in their pursuit of winning the coveted trophy.

Sanchez has not been given a summer break in the last two years due to his commitments for the national squad, thus prompting Arsenal to hand him extra time off to rest ahead of the upcoming season. The Chilean played all of the six matches leading to Chile’s historic win in 99 years.

Wenger wants to rest Alexis before new season

It is reported that the forward will be given three weeks time off and will join the Gunners only on July 27, less than a week before they face Chelsea in the season's curtain raiser Community Sheild at Wembley, Independent reports.

Arsene Wenger had envisaged this situation earlier and when he was asked about what would be the impact on Arsenal if Chile were to go deep into the tournament, he had said: “That is not good news (for Arsenal) because they (Chile) finish very late and if they go very far, he will miss the start of the season."

Sanchez scored 25 goals in 52 appearances for Arsenal last season after his £35-million move from Barcelona. He was prolific last season for the Gunners and was fundamental to their FA Cup win. He had scored a brace in the semi-final against Reading and scored a stunner in the final against Aston Villa as Arsenal successfully defended the title.

He also featured in Chile’s knockout phase of the World Cup, and Wenger is no mood to rush his players back into training after a substantial amount of exertion. In total Sanchez has featured in 76 matches since last April.

Arsenal’s German trio were also rested after World Cup win

Wenger made the same decision for the German World Cup winning players in his squad which included Per Mertesacker, Mesut Ozil and Lukas Podolski. The trio did not feature until the end of August for the Gunners.

With several new deals up his sleeve, the gaffer has to turn his attention to possible departures which includes Joel Campbell, Mathieu Flamini, David Ospina and Carl Jenkinson, and contract extensions of Theo Walcott and Mikel Arteta.