Alexis Sanchez: Arsene Wenger confirms forward will miss the Community Shield and the start of the season after Copa America win

The player is on holiday after heroics for Chile

Alexis Sanchez's penalty sparks wild celebrations in Chile (GETTY IMAGES)

Arsenal Wenger has confirmed that Alexis Sanchez will miss the Community Shield and is doubtful for the start of the season as he returns to training on 3 August – the day after the Shield and five days before the start of the Premier League season as he has been given an extended holiday after guiding Chile to success at Copa America.

"Alexis Sanchez will be back in training on [Monday] August 3," the Arsenal manager said in Singapore today.

FA Cup winners Arsenal face Premier League winners Chelsea at Wembley on 2 August.

The Gunners are in Asia at the moment for their pre-season tour - they play a Singapore Select XI tomorrrow.

Sanchez is on holiday after his heroics for Chile at the Copa America in his native country, where he scored the decisive penalty in the shoot-out.

Meanwhile, Wenger says his club "never considered" a move for Raheem Sterling, because he already has "plenty" of players similar to the England forward.

Sterling, 20, is close to moving from Liverpool to Manchester City in a deal worth up to £49million and £200,000-a-week in wages; the forward had previously been linked with a potential move to Arsenal or Manchester United but only City officially bid.

The French manager, who arrived with his squad in Singapore on Sunday night, said that Sterling had never been a target for Arsenal as they have a wealth of options in attacking midfield and on the wing.

“It is a good buy for Manchester City. It looked a done deal for a while because Sterling was adamant he wanted the move,” said Wenger.

"It is an expensive one but they can afford it. We never considered it because he plays in an area where we have plenty of players.

"We have [Theo] Walcott, [Alex Oxlade-]Chamberlain, [Alexis] Sanchez, [Jack] Wilshere who can play wide, [Serge] Gnabry, so we have plenty of players and he’s a wide player basically, or behind the striker.”