Gunners may not be able to hold onto their superstars

Arsenal manager Arsène Wenger has refused to offer any guarantees that Mesut Özil and Alexis Sánchez will remain at the club beyond the end of next season.

The pair's futures are in grave doubt due to their wage demands, with the North Londoners understood to be prepared to listen to offers.

Wenger is insistent that the duo will maintain their outstanding form despite continued doubt about their long-term plans.

"Eighteen months is a long time in football," the Frenchman said. "I can't give any assurances. But they have 18 months and are completely committed.

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"Beyond that we will try to extend that contract but I cannot make a subject of that. That's a normal part of negotiating. The less you talk about it, the better it is.

"I believe that we live in the world where Sánchez and Özil have a lot of money and can choose where they play.

"Contracts have always been difficult but it is a part of my job.

"Will it impact the dressing room? No, we are professionals. Eighteen months is a long time and I don't believe that is any problem.

"They've been hugely important. You can talk a lot but the most important thing is what they do on the pitch.

"Their commitment is absolutely total. The first quality of a professional guy is to give 100%. It's here and now, that's what it means to be professional."

Chelsea are believed to be interested in Sánchez, testing Arsenal's resolve, but Wenger, publicly at least, claims it is not an option to sell the pair early like they did with Robin van Persie in 2012.

"These players have 18 months left," said Wenger. "They will stay for 18 months and hopefully much longer. These players will stay for at least 18 months. At some stage you will accept negotiations are private and secret. We're professional and work until the last day of our contracts."

Arsenal have indicated that they will reluctantly listen to offers for Özil if he does not lower his astronomical wage demands.

Arsenal club sources say that Özil is currently thought to be more expendable if Arsenal are forced to consider cashing in.

Some sources claim Özil and Sánchez want £20-million-a-year, £384,000-a-week, to resign with the Gunners and Wenger has appealed to them not to let money decide their future.

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Arsenal could risk letting the pair enter the final 12 months of their agreements if no compromise deals can be struck, but Telegraph Sport understands any big offers for Özil would be looked at if he does not sign an extension.

Özil last week hinted he is open to a return to Real Madrid, and Bayern Munich could also be interested in taking the 28-year-old back to Germany.

While Wenger and Arsenal have no desire to let Özil go, it would appear the club think he would be easier to replace than Sánchez.

Neither Özil nor Sánchez would be prepared to earn less than the other at the Emirates. Arsenal could afford to pay £15-million-a-year, £288000-a-week, to one of them but it is unlikely they would sanction such a big contract for both men.

Özil is currently the highest paid player at Arsenal on £140,000-a-week, £10,000 more than Sánchez. Manchester City and Juventus have so far shown the most interest in the Chile international, with Chelsea now watching developments closely.

Replacing either Özil or Sánchez would be a hugely difficult task and Wenger has already lined up Borussia Dortmund's Marco Reus as a potential target at the end of the season.

But, as Wenger has found in recent years, finding top-class strikers who fit into Arsenal's budget is far harder than signing attacking midfielders.