Alexis Sanchez does not travel with Arsenal squad amid transfer speculation

The 29-year-old has been heavily linked with a move to Manchester City, with his contract due to expire in the summer.

But reports this week suggested that Manchester United are attempting to trump their local rivals with a £25million bid and a wage offer of £400,000 a week.

Arsenal face Bournemouth at the Vitality Stadium on Sunday afternoon, but Sanchez has not travelled with the squad despite no reported fitness issues.

Fellow Arsenal attacking midfielder Mesut Ozil is also out of contract in the summer and has also been linked with a move to Old Trafford.

Manager Arsene Wenger admitted earlier this week that Sanchez is unlikely to stay at Arsenal due to a desire to win major trophies:

And former Manchester United full-back Paul Parker, in his Eurosport column, said that he completely understood Sanchez's desire to leave Arsenal.

"You might think his behaviour this season has been petulant, selfish, arrogant; but to me that suggests he’s a frustrated winner who is desperate for trophies," Parker said. "It’s not just about money for him.

"Sanchez appears to have two possible destinations: Manchester City and Manchester United. At the former he’s guaranteed quick success; at the latter he has the chance to be the game-changer and hero. Until he became a contract rebel at Arsenal, it looked like he thrived as the star man – working extra hard to get the ball and make things happen.

"Maybe he’s had enough of that. Sanchez wants to be around players who are as good as him, maybe even some that he believes are better than him. As good as it is being Superman, it’s time he fitted into a team with a few Supermen already there."