Arsene Wenger admits Arsenal were at fault for Alexis Sanchez missing drugs test amid move to Manchester United
- Alexis Sanchez joined Manchester United from Arsenal in a swap on Monday
- Spanish reports claim he was due for a drugs test at Arsenal's training ground
- However, the Chilean was in Manchester on Monday completing his United deal
- Arsene Wenger spoke about the situation with Sanchez on Friday morning
- It was a 'special day' for the Chilean according to the Arsenal manager
Arsene Wenger has claimed Arsenal are at fault for Alexis Sanchez missing a drugs test on the day of his move to Manchester United but insisted they have ‘nothing to hide’.
It is still unclear whether the FA or UK Anti-Doping will take any action against the 29-year-old Chilean, or whether he will have a strike against his name for a ‘whereabouts’ failure.
Players who miss three drugs tests in a 12-month period face a two-year ban.
Manchester United new boy Alexis Sanchez missed a drugs test on Monday
The missed test happened as he was wrapping up his transfer to Manchester United
But Wenger yesterday defended Sanchez, saying he sympathised with his former player.
The Frenchman accepted the responsibility may lie with Arsenal as Sanchez had not signed his £600,000-a-week contract with United when testers arrived at Arsenal’s training ground on Monday.
The Arsenal boss said: ‘On Monday there was a lot going on and it was a special day for Alexis Sanchez. You have to do paperwork, you have to travel. Is he still our player on Monday or not?
‘You don’t know, negotiations are going on. It is a special event for him to miss a drugs test as he was certainly busy somewhere else with his agent.
‘Although he has been tested so many times here, it is no worry for me that he has any doping problem. It was just a bad day for him to be tested.
‘Honestly, on the administration side, certainly it will still be our responsibility. On the day he had not moved so maybe it will be down to us.’
But Arsene Wenger has admitted that Arsenal bear the responsibility rather than the Chilean
Wenger explained the circumstances of the missed test at his Friday press conference
Meanwhile, talks between Arsenal and Borussia Dortmund over £53million-rated striker Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang have hit a brick wall.
The two clubs are ‘not close’ to an agreement meaning Olivier Giroud is set to stay at Arsenal.
Wenger said: ‘I cannot tell you more. Will anything else happen? It’s still possible but we are far from being close. At the moment we are not close to signing anybody.’
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