Alexis Sanchez has defended the past record of long-serving Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger and insisted that the ongoing fan demonstrations are "very bad" for the club.

Calls for the Frenchman to leave have grown in recent weeks following another disappointing campaign, culminating in around 15,000 supporters staying away for the 2-0 home win over Sunderland in midweek.

Protests stepped up last month when fans projected a 'Wenger Out' banner onto famous London landmarks, but Sanchez has warned supporters to be careful what they wish for as Wenger has been such a key figure in their recent history.

"For me, [the protests] is very bad," he is quoted as saying by The Mirror. "He is the manager who gave a stadium to the club, won cups, and he has been 21 years in the job. He is the creator of the stadium, the players and style of the club."

Sanchez, who trails only Romelu Lukaku in the Premier League scoring charts, also hinted that he will not sign a new deal this summer.