Barring a miracle, Arsenal fans need to accept the fact this is going to be Alexis Sanchez's last season with the club.

The Chilean superstar is out of contract at the end of the season and has made it clear he would like to play for a club who can challenge for the big trophies.

Although Arsenal have won three of the last four FA Cups, their failings in the Champions League and indeed the Premier League title race have become running jokes.

Sanchez desperately wanted to move to Manchester City in the summer but a deal could not quite be agreed.

Now he is working his way back into the Arsenal team, and he rather surprisingly found himself on the bench as the Gunners travelled to Chelsea on Sunday.

However, even more surprisingly, Arsenal put in perhaps their most organised and solid performance away at a top-six side in years.

Writing for The Sun, club legend Ian Wright explained why Sanchez moving on might actually be a good thing for the club in the grand scheme of things.

"And if it was a glimpse of a future without Alexis Sanchez and Mesut Ozil, then maybe it is not such cause for gloom and doom. Everyone knows how highly I rate Sanchez and I’d like to see him play as much as possible before moving on.

"But you do wonder if he is a luxury you cannot afford in games like the ones against Liverpool and Chelsea. And I’m not just saying this because of their goalless draw at the Bridge — I’ve thought this way for a while," Wright continued.

"Sanchez will get you wonder goals, like he did against Cologne in the Europa League, but he does lose the ball a lot when he cuts inside.

"And that can spell real trouble. You can get away with it against most teams and, like I said, the good far outweighs the bad stuff with Sanchez."

There's no denying that Arsenal played better as a team than they have in recent memory with either Sanchez or Mesut Ozil. Wright went on to suggest that when things aren't going his way, Sanchez can cost the Gunners.

"The image of Sanchez throwing his arms up in the air after losing possession, and leaving four or five players chasing back like mad men, is one we can all picture," Wright said. "This isn’t having a pop at Sanchez. The Chilean is a great player and real match-winner."

Do you think Arsenal will fare better without Sanchez? Let us know in the comments below!