Arsene Wenger expects Alexis Sanchez to be sold to Manchester United with Henrikh Mkhitaryan returning to Arsenal as a make-weight.

Arsenal would still be on the market for another attacking player and they retain a strong interest in Borussia Dortmund’s Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang. Wenger, however, appeared to rule out a move for the Bordeaux winger Malcom.

On Sanchez, Wenger said: “I’ve worked on transfers for 30 years, so it is likely to happen. But at any moment, at any minute, things can break down. That’s how the transfer market is. As long as it’s not over the line, you have to accept that it can, as well, not happen. It’s now in the next 24 to 48 hours that it will happen or not.”

Wenger was asked whether Mkhitaryan would come as part of the Sanchez move. “It’s my understanding, yes,” he said. “If it’s a possibility, it’s because I like the player. We played many times against him when he was at Dortmund. He certainly appreciated the quality of our game and the way we play football.

“The wages would not be a problem. Look, this would be an exchange of players and I think one would replace the other. Are we still on the transfer market after that? Yes.”