Alexis Sanchez has just a year to run on his Arsenal contract (Picture: Getty)

Alexis Sanchez is signalling that he may be ready to leave Arsenal on a free transfer at the end of next season as Manchester City and Bayern Munich struggle to meet the club’s demands for him.

The Chile international has stalled on signing a new contract at the Emirates Stadium, leaving Arsenal in a tricky situation in the transfer market this summer.

While Arsene Wenger has publicly stated that he won’t be forced into selling Sanchez, it has been reported that privately the club don’t want to miss out on a potential £50million transfer fee for him this year by letting him see out his contract.

According to Chilean daily La Tercera, Sanchez is now ready to test Arsenal’s hand by supposedly accepting that he’ll have to wait until next summer to get the move he wants.

The 28-year-old is currently deemed too expensive by both City and Bayern, with the latter publicly making it clear that they cannot currently consider him a realistic target.

Sanchez was a vital performer for Arsenal last season (Picture: Getty)
Will these two be reunited at Man City? (Picture: Getty)

With fellow contract rebel Mesut Ozil not attracting a great deal of interest and also set to be available on a Bosman in a year’s time, Arsenal are under even more pressure to cash in on Sanchez as they face the risk of losing two world class players – signed for a combined £78million – for nothing.

While it may be that Sanchez is simply happy to see out his contract in north London, it seems more likely that these are tactics to put pressure on his club, with the player himself signalling for much of the summer that he wants to go.

Asked last week if he’d decided his future, Sanchez replied: ‘Yes, it’s clear. But I can’t tell you.’

Sanchez has been linked with Man City and Bayern Munich (Picture: Getty)

When pressed further on whether or not he’d stay at Arsenal, he added: ‘I don’t know, my friend. I don’t know.’

It has also been reported that Sanchez himself had agreed personal terms with City, who have elsewhere been reported as being confident of winning the race for his signature.

The South American forward played under City manager Pep Guardiola at previous club Barcelona and is supposedly keen on a reunion at the Etihad Stadium.

MORE : Arsenal training pictures as pre-season begins, with Sead Kolasinac joining Theo Walcott and Danny Welbeck