Arsene Wenger says Alexis Sanchez looks “absolutely ready” to get back in action for Arsenal, as he considers whether to start him away to Liverpool on Sunday after such a long absence. The French manager also noted how hard the Chilean has been working in training, and said all the uncertainty over his future will not affect his mindset. Sanchez has not played since the Confederations Cup final with his national team, with his summer further complicated by the fact he is in the last year of his contract, and Manchester City are so interested in him and set to make a final bid in the last week of the window. Wenger again insisted the 28-year-old would stay, and said he has been impressed with his work in training.

“He works very hard, focused and gives absolutely everything,” Wenger said. “He loves to play so much that is is sometimes difficult to stop him but he looks absolutely ready. He has not played for a long time so I will have to decide what i do with him but he looks ready to play.

“He has always been focused on his job, he loves to play football and I don’t think he is too disturbed by all the [external] noises that happen. Players at that level are used to it now, some deal better with it than others but I don’t think he is too bothered by that.”

Asked whether Sanchez will start on Sunday, Wenger said: “I will have to make that decision. It is Thursday today and we play on Sunday and he looks in good shape, he has worked very hard.

Wenger did not rule out the possibility that Sanchez could yet sign a new deal.

“He is very focused, very happy and as I told you before, the fact that he goes into the last year of his contract does not mean we have no chance to extend it. At the moment we have not managed to do it, but we just want to focus as a team and not look too much at the individual conditions of the contracts of everybody because what is important is what you want to achieve forever.”

Wenger said Sanchez would be allowed travel for his country’s World Cup qualifiers home to Paraguay and away to Bolivia next week.

“Yes, of course. Chile are at an important part of their qualifiers, they are not through yet and he is available to travel to Chile.”