Arsene Wenger believes Alexis Sanchez and Luis Suarez are of a similar quality, and says Arsenal will continue to target players who are looking to leave elite clubs such as Barcelona and Real Madrid.

Sanchez, 26, left Barcelona for Arsenal in a £35 million deal on July 10 last summer, with the Spanish giants going on to sign Suarez from Liverpool for £75m a day later.

Wenger missed out on Suarez in 2013 after seeing Liverpool reject a bid -- £1 over the Anfield club's reported £40m asking price -- but the Gunners boss believes he got a good deal for "spectacular" Chile international Sanchez.

"Sanchez and Suarez are at the same level," he told reporters. "Suarez is a central striker and Sanchez is more a wide player who likes to go up and down and is involved in dribbling, but they have similarities.

"Sanchez has that desire to go forward and provoke, he is a guy who provokes chaos in the defences because he has a go at them. He does not go across, he goes straight. His desire to go forward, to provoke opponents, to run at people, creates danger.

"And he plays to win in every single game. I have had players like that before, players who want to win so much, but he has the style as well.

"What Sanchez has is that, in the first two yards, he is lightning-quick. He has that explosive attitude linked with his spirit and that makes him even more spectacular."

Arsene Wenger has compared Arsenal star Alexis Sanchez to Barcelona forward Luis Suarez. Getty Images

Wenger admits that he feared Liverpool would land Sanchez in an exchange deal involving Suarez -- who went on to win the Treble with Barca last season -- and feels fortunate that the Copa America winner was even available to sign from the Blaugrana.

"At the start, when I saw Suarez went to Barcelona, I thought that is the obvious deal, one going one way and the other, the other way," he continued. "So I had not much hope. But I met Sanchez's agent in Brazil at the World Cup, I had a few meetings with them, and I could see [there was an interest in Arsenal].

"He is already better than he was when he arrived. In his final finishing there is room for improvement, in his final ball he is already much better, his vision is quite good and incisive."