Arsenal news: Alexis Sanchez will risk further injury to play for Chile despite Manchester United match looming

Sanchez has suffered a low-grade tear to his quadricep but has told friends in Chile he will still play against Uruguay next week with the injury

Alexis Sanchez suffered a quadricep tear but could still play for Chile against Uruguay next week (Getty)

Arsenal striker Alexis Sanchez is willing to risk the prospect of worsening his thigh injury by playing in Chile’s 2018 World Cup qualifier against Uruguay on Tuesday, potentially infuriating manager Arsene Wenger.

Sanchez suffered “a low-grade muscle tear” in his right quadricep while training with his national team earlier this week, with a scan revealing the damage and ruling him out of Thursday’s World Cup qualifier against Colombia.

But with Chile struggling in the South American World Cup qualification, Sanchez is ready to risk further injury in order to return much earlier than expected. Chile are currently in fifth place in the South American table, with only the top four guaranteed a place at the next World Cup in Russia. Finishing fifth would mean they would face a play-off against a nation from the Oceania region, with the winner qualifying for Russia 2018.

Arsenal are still in contact with the Chilean Football Association over Sanchez’s condition, but they will be dismayed to read of Sanchez apparently telling friends that he will play next week despite the threat of worsening his muscle tear.

According to Chilean newspaper El Mercurio, Sanchez told friends: "It is hurting a bit but I'm fine. I'll be back for Tuesday."

However, there are already fears that Sanchez’s injury could be worse than originally thought, despite Chile cutting down his expected recovery time from six weeks to three. A source close to the national team claimed that a muscle tear can “evolve” in the 24 hours after it happens, and it could get worse in the time between Sanchez having his initial scan and a secondary one in the next few days.

"The ultrasound was performed immediately. The doctors commented that with these injuries you must wait 24 hours to determine the recovery time, because the tear evolves," the source told El Mercurio.

"If it's nine millimetres today then it could be eleven tomorrow [Wednesday]."

Should the 27-year-old decide to take the risk and play against Uruguay next week, he is likely to infuriate Arsenal manager Wenger, who has already spoken of his desire to manage Sanchez’s playing time in an effort to prevent him injuring himself or burning out. The two have clashed in the past when Wenger substituted the forward, and his displeasure at being replaced reared its head once again this season when he was withdrawn in the games against Ludogorets at the Emirates Stadium and Swansea.

With Arsenal playing Manchester United once the Premier League resumes after the international break, Wenger will want one of his star players – and joint-top scorer – available for the trip to Old Trafford, and having voiced his unhappiness with how players are handled on international duty in the past, the pair could well be on a collision course.

Wenger is already reluctant to use Sanchez immediately after an international break due to his late return to London after travelling back from Chile, and his mood will not be helped if he arrives with a long-term injury caused by playing with a muscle tear next week.