Chelsea manager heaps praise on top summer transfer target

Chelsea manager Antonio Conte has hailed Arsenal forward Alexis Sanchez a ‘top player’ as a summer move gathers pace.

Sanchez will only have 12 months left to run on his existing deal at Arsenal in the summer and looks destined to leave the club with contract talks shelved until the end of the season.

Antonio Conte has reportedly switched his attentions from Real Madrid striker Alvaro Morata to the Arsenal ace and has lavished praise on the Chile international as the Blues close in on the Premier League title.

“I think it’s very disrespectful of players from other teams [to talk about this], but for sure, he’s a top player. I can say this,” the London Evening Standard quote Conte as saying.

“But I don’t like to talk about players from other teams because it’s disrespectful for the players of other teams, other clubs and my own players.

“For us the most important thing is for us to try and finish this league and try to win. Then, once the season is finished, with the club together we will talk about the right way to try and improve our team and our squad.

“That will be very important, but I don’t see any problems about this. This club has great ambitions. It was so in the past, and it will be so in the future. I’m very happy to be coach of this club.”

Sanchez has played a direct hand in more goals than any other Premier League player this season (28) and is the second highest rated player in the league, behind Chelsea star and Real Madrid target Eden Hazard.

For more stats on Alexis Sanchez, click here to visit his WhoScored player page