LONDON: Arsenal FC manager Arsene Wenger said on Friday that forward Alexis Sanchez remains an integral part of the club’s fold despite transfer rumours and a dimishing contract limit. Sanchez, who has a year left on his contract, has been linked to Manchester City and Paris Saint-Germain, but Wenger remains confident that the Chilean will hang about at the Emirates for years to come. Talking to a press conference, Wenger said that despite Sanchez’s contract duration running out, he is confident that the forward remains 100 percent committed to the club. “My conviction, and if you look well, it’s always in your interests, even if you have a short contract, to do well. And the kind of character he (Sanchez) is, he will continue to perform at high standards,” he said. Lauding the 28-year-old, Wenger said that he is a ‘winner’ and is always looking to achieve excellence through his performances. “He is a winner. When he goes on the football pitch, he wants to win. He is a guy who loves football,” Wenger added. Arsenal, who failed to qualify for UEFA Champions League (UCL) after clinging on to fifth position in English league, will contest in UEFA Europa League but the gunners coach does not regard the competition as the best possible route to UCL qualification. “I was always against the idea of winning Europa league to qualify for UCL. I will always play a team that has a good chance to win the next game. In the Europa League if we can afford sometimes to rest some players we will do it,” Wenger said.