Former Arsenal forward Paul Merson has claimed that he would not be surprised if Alexis Sanchez left the Gunners to join Chelsea at the end of the season.

Sanchez is Arsenal's leading scorer in all competitions this season with 22 goals, while he has netted 18 times in 28 Premier League appearances for the London side.

The Chilean's contract will expire at the end of next season, however, and contract talks have been placed on hold until the end of the current campaign.

Merson doubts whether Arsenal will be able to secure a top-four finish in the Premier League table this season, and the Englishman has backed Chelsea to pursue Sanchez in a £50m deal this summer.

"I think Sanchez will leave this summer," Merson said to Sporting Life. "I don't think Arsenal will finish in the top four and if they don't finish in the top four then I don't see him staying.

"I know the way Arsenal work so there is no way they will let Sanchez leave for nothing if they can get £50m for him in the summer. They will have no qualms in selling him to Chelsea. Arsenal will have no choice - if Chelsea are the team that are prepared to pay £50m then Arsenal won't let him see his contract out.

"People say, 'Oh well, they won't sell to Chelsea', but they sold Robin van Persie to Manchester United so they won't be fussed about that. I definitely think Sanchez could be a Chelsea player next season. He is a world-class footballer so he would fit in at Chelsea.

"People say he is not the same player but he will get you a lot more goals than Hazard. If they can sign Sanchez for £50m and get £100m for Hazard then I think that is good business."

Sanchez, 28, has scored 64 times in 132 appearances for Arsenal since joining the Gunners from Barcelona in the summer of 2014.