Arsene Wenger has made his position very clear in recent weeks: Alexis will stay at the club, “it is as simple as that”.
The Arsenal manager is determined to keep hold of the Chile international and is convinced that he will give his all this season.
“Of course [he will]. Why not?” Wenger said. “If you look at it, it's always in your interests, even if you have a short contract, to do well.
“And the kind of character he is [also convinces me]. He is a winner. When he goes on the football pitch, he wants to win.
“He is a guy who loves football. He has advantages and disadvantages on both sides going into a situation like that.”
This season will be our first in the Europa League, but Wenger has never felt that the winners of the competition should enter the Champions League.
“You cannot go into the season and think that [is going to be your route into the Champions League],” he said.
“I was always not in favour of that, because I think at some stage it can influence the championship, because if a team is in April in a position where they have more chance to win the Europa League they can let some games go in the championship, and not completely focus on that.”
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