Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger has suggested that he has some "regret" over how the closing stages of the summer transfer window unfolded last Thursday.

While Manchester City wanted to sign Alexis Sanchez, Wenger made a big-money offer on deadline day for AS Monaco winger Thomas Lemar, though neither deal materialised with it being considered too late for both deals to be made official.

Wenger has previously spoken about his desire to keep Sanchez until the end of his contract - which expires in 2018 - but the long-serving boss has indicated that he would have given the green light for a sale had he moved faster with Lemar.

The Frenchman told reporters: "My view is that it is very difficult to speak about Lemar because he is now in Monaco and his focus is there and Sanchez's focus is here. I believe we have to keep a certain confidentiality about the transfer market. Many things happen in the last second which I regret.

"It's uncomfortable and every manager would agree that it's important not to have players that are half-out and half-in."

Wenger has claimed that he has no doubts over the state of mind of Sanchez ahead of the Chilean's return to action with the Gunners.