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Wenger - Alexis can be award winner

Alexis Sanchez
Alexis Sanchez

Arsene Wenger believes Alexis Sanchez is an early contender for the Footballer of the Year award.

The Chile international has already scored 14 goals in a scintillating start to his Arsenal career, and has topped the club's Player of the Month poll three times.

Wenger has plenty of attacking options at his disposal and tends to play Alexis on the left - but he believes the 26-year-old can be effective through the middle as well.

"I was a tall guy but I didn’t like to play against a smaller guy who is very mobile and turns very quickly"

Arsene Wenger

"In England he would certainly be very high [in the Footballer of the Year running]," said Wenger.

"He has less stature to play centrally but even centrally he can be an interesting option even though the physical part doesn’t work, because he is more mobile.

"When I played football I played at the back. I was a tall guy but I didn’t like to play against a smaller guy who is very mobile and turns very quickly, so sometimes [Alexis] can be a different solution [centrally].

Alexis has eight more goals than the next most prolific Arsenal players - Aaron Ramsey and Danny Welbeck - but Wenger believes a number of players will contribute this season.

"It’s always the case," he said. "I don’t worry to much about that because I have many options offensively.

"Giroud can score goals, Welbeck can score goals, Oxlade-Chamberlain can score goals, Ramsey can score goals and Walcott can score goals. I don’t worry too much about that."