The one player each top 6 Premier League club can't afford to lose to injury

Arsenal

Alexis Sanchez

It says much that manager Arsene Wenger turned down numerous approaches for Alexis Sanchez last summer, despite the fact that the attacker is free to leave the club in July should he not pen a new deal.

The Gunners could have made a healthy profit on the Chile star, despite the fact he had only 12 months left to run on his deal, yet they felt that the gamble of keeping him for another season would be worth forgoing around €50 million if he were to be sold.

Nevertheless, the ongoing uncertainty over the former Barcelona player is understandably a cause of great consternation for Arsenal fans, who correctly see the 28-year-old as the key hub in their side.

He has not been quite so spectacular this season, with only two goals and three assists to his name in nine outings, yet the creativity and pace he brings to the Emirates side undoubtedly elevates their level above the normal.

Indeed, the presence of such a talented player in a team that is almost wholly without any consistent offensive threat cannot be underestimated. He is, quite simply, a priceless commodity to a team that is otherwise plagued by inconsistency.

The Gunners have other stars, of course, but the likes of Mesut Ozil, Alexandre Lacazette and Laurent Koscielny have not proven themselves as consistently as the forward.

Things are tough in north London at the moment, and spending an extended period of time without Alexis does not bear thinking about. It is a reality that they may need to face up to come 2018, though.