EPL news: Sanchez could be out of Arsenal... for FREE!

Arsenal risk losing striker Alexis Sanchez for free next season, according to manager Arsene Wenger, who confirmed the club have made no progress on a new contract for the Chilean striker.

Sanchez, 28, is currently in the final year of his contract. He has been linked with a move to Paris St Germain in the current transfer window.

"We have not progressed on that front," Wenger said in a news conference before Arsenal head to StokeCity on Saturday.

"At the moment, he is a player who goes into the final year of his contract and prepares for the season. We have not made any progress on the other front.

"It's not an ideal situation on the financial side and it demands some sacrifice ... but it doesn't mean the players who are in the final year of their contract will not extend their contract. We will work on that as well."

Wenger said Sanchez is still recovering from an abdominal strain but is expected to regain full fitness before the club's match in Liverpool on August 27.

"For Sanchez, it (Stoke) looks a little early, but he works hard in training," Wenger added. "He should be available for next game against Liverpool.

"His recovery is going very well, he is working very hard. But you have to be very cautious. It was a muscle strain and (you have to be wary) not to have any setback on it."

The manager confirmed midfielders Jack Wilshere and Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain, who are also in the final year of their contracts, are firmly in his plans for the current season.

Wilshere returned to action from a fractured leg during Arsenal Under-23's 3-2 win over DerbyCounty earlier this week.

"It's good that he is back and available," Wenger said.

"I think he needs games now. He might play again on Monday night. He is not far away now."

Arsenal began their campaign with a 4-3 home victory over LeicesterCity last weekend.

Blow for Palace as Zaha ruled out for four weeks

CrystalPalace winger Wilfried Zaha has been ruled out for four weeks after injuring his right knee in his team's 3-0 home defeat by promoted HuddersfieldTown in their opening Premier League game of the season on Saturday.

The Ivory Coast international, who has been Palace's Player of the Year for the last two seasons and signed a new five-year deal in May, left SelhurstPark with his knee in a brace and his absence is a major setback for manager Frank de Boer.

British media reported that Zaha, who played the full 90 minutes, is likely to be out until after the upcoming international break and would miss Saturday's league trip to Liverpool and the home game against SwanseaCity on Aug. 26.

The 24-year-old would also miss a League Cup fixture against IpswichTown on Aug. 22 and Ivory Coast's home and away World Cup qualifiers against Gabon on Sept. 2 and Sept. 5, the reports said.

Palace battled relegation all of last season, only narrowly avoiding the drop under then manager Sam Allardyce. The shock defeat by Huddersfield leaves them second-bottom in the table, above only West Ham United, after the opening round of fixtures.

Stoke sign forward Rodriguez on loan from PSG

Stoke City have signed forward Jese Rodriguez on a season-long loan from France's Paris St Germain, making him the Premier League side's sixth recruit of the transfer window.

The 24-year-old moved to PSG from Real Madrid for 22 million pounds ($28.3 million) at the start of last season but failed to settle. He scored twice in nine appearances before being loaned to Spanish side Las Palmas for the second half of the season.

Before joining PSG, Rodriguez spent nine seasons at Real, scoring 12 times in 62 La Liga appearances. He won the Champions League in 2014 and 2016 before a knee injury stalled his progress.

"He hasn't had the happiest of periods in his career in Paris, but he's still only a young man and is hungry to make a big impression in the Premier League," Stoke chief executive Tony Scholes told the club's website (www.stokecityfc.com).

Rodriguez follows Darren Fletcher, Kurt Zouma, Eric Maxim Choupo-Moting, Bruno Martins Indi and Josh Tymon to the club.

Stoke, who host Arsenal in the league on Saturday, were beaten 1-0 by Everton in their season opener at the weekend.

Koeman backs record signing Sigurdsson to boost Everton attack

Everton manager Ronald Koeman said he expects Gylfi Sigurdsson to boost the club's goal-scoring options after the attacking-midfielder completed his medical before he transfers from SwanseaCity.

Sigurdsson will move to GoodisonPark after the two clubs agreed a fee of about 45 million pounds ($57.84 million), a record for Everton, according to the British media.

The 27-year-old played a key part in Swansea's avoiding relegation last season, scoring nine goals and 13 assists.

"The latest is that he had his medical this morning. What I heard from the doctor was no problem," Koeman told a news conference before the Europa League first-leg playoff against Croatian side Hajduk Split on Thursday.

"We worked a long time to get this deal in and he was one of the key players to bring in. We knew would lose Lukaku for this season and we need players who bring productivity to the team.

Romelu Lukaku moved to Manchester United last month, for a reported transfer fee of 75 million pounds.

Sigurdsson "is the type of player with a lot of productivity, Koeman said. "In my opinion, he is one of the best in the Premier League."

The manager also confirmed he is still waiting to find out the extent of a hamstring injury midfielder Ross Barkley suffered in training last week.

Barkley, who is in the final year of his contract, refused a new deal at the club and Koeman said last month he would be sold in the current transfer window.

"He stopped training last Monday," Koeman said. "It looks like a hamstring injury, but he needs to do more tests today and tomorrow to know exactly what the injury is."

Following their Europa League encounter at GoodisonPark, Everton visit ManchesterCity in the league on Monday.

Gundogan returns in Man City friendly after eight-month layoff

Ilkay Gundogan made his first appearance in eight months for ManchesterCity on Tuesday when he came on as a second-half substitute against Girona in a friendly in Spain.

The German midfielder, who suffered knee ligament damage against Watford last December, could be in contention for a place in the squad for Monday's home tie against Everton.

Girona beat City 1-0, with the 26-year-old coming on as a substitute in the 71st minute.

City beat promoted Brighton and Hove Albion 2-0 in their Premier League opener on Saturday.