Arsenal news: Alexis Sanchez future thrown into doubt after he stormed out of Emirates having been substituted

Alexis Sanchez stormed out of the Emirates Stadium last weekend after being substituted by Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger, with doubts arising over the forward’s proposed contract extension after infuriating both his manager and his teammates.

According to a report in The Telegraph, Sanchez was furious with being taken off in the 84th minute by Wenger with Arsenal leading Norwich 1-0. Not only did the Chile international storm down the tunnel without acknowledging his manager, he immediately left the stadium before the rest of the squad.

While Wenger played down the incident on Friday morning when he faced the media, the Frenchman was said to be unhappy with Sanchez’s reaction. The clash raises further tensions between the 27-year-old and the rest of the Arsenal players, who have already been annoyed by Sanchez after he criticised their desire earlier in the season for falling away in the battle for the Premier League title.

With Bayern Munich believed to be interested in signing Sanchez and incoming manager Pep Guardiola also keen to bring the former Barcelona star to Manchester City, Sanchez could become the latest Arsenal player to come under intense transfer interest in the summer. The forward still has two years left to run on his contract and has been in talks to extend his deal while raising his wages to £160,000-a-week, but that agreement could now be in doubt.

Sanchez has struggled this season compared to his brilliant display last year, although a recent run of five goals in four matches showed glimpses of him getting back to best as he took his Premier League tally to 12 for the season with two matches remaining. That said, Sanchez scored 25 goals in all competitions last season with his tally of 16 this campaign falling well short of that mark.

Speaking at the start of March following Arsenal’s back-to-back defeats by Manchester United and Swansea, Sanchez criticised the level of desire being shown by the Arsenal squad.

“If we go out on to the pitch with hunger to become champions, to win the Premier League or the Champions League, we can achieve it, to win big things,” he said. “There are great players. I train with them daily and they have got the mentality and the desire to win but we lack hunger, the mentality that we are [already] winning 1-0 when we go out on to the pitch.”

The situation adds to Wenger’s current problems after he faced a protest from some supporters at the Emirates last weekend, although the support for the manager appeared to drown out those who have grown unhappy with his management of the team and the club’s 12-year title drought. Club record signing Mesut Özil criticised Arsenal’s form earlier in the season after admitting to the German media that they had “screwed up” their chances of silverware, with Wenger having to address the World Cup winner’s remarks and admit they were “not welcome”.

With one year remaining on his current contract and the chance on any silverware this season gone, Wenger appears to be entering the most important 12 months of his career is he has any desire to remain at the club beyond 2017. Arsenal face Manchester City on Sunday knowing a victory will guarantee them a top three finish and automatic qualification for the Champions League group stage next season, but there is a desperate clamour for the Gunners to win the Premier League and progress beyond the last-16 in Europe, with the two conditions likely to decide if the club offer Wenger a new deal.