Arsenal forward Alexis Sanchez unveils statue of... himself

The Gunners front man may be causing unrest at club level with a failure to commit to fresh terms, but he remains a hero to those in his native Chile

Arsenal forward Alexis Sanchez has been immortalized in statue form by his home town of Tocopilla in Chile.
The 28-year-old is one of his country’s finest sporting exports, having graced the very top of the game in Europe with the Gunners, Barcelona and Udinese.

He is also a centurion at international level, with two Copa America titles helping to enhance his standing on that particular stage.

As a hero to millions around the world, Alexis has now been honored with his very own tribute in the town square around where he grew up.
The man himself was on hand to help with the unveiling, with Arsenal’s 22-goal leading marksman currently away on international duty.
Alexis has been embraced wherever he has been, although Gunners supporters are seeing their patience tested by an ongoing contract saga.

No extension has been agreed as yet to a deal which is due to expire in 2018, with transfer speculation sparked on the back of the standoff.
The hard-working front man is, however, assured of legendary status in his homeland and is grateful to all of those who have taken the time to recognize his achievements.
Chile are next in 2018 World Cup qualifying action against Venezuela on Tuesday, while Arsenal return to Premier League competition with a crunch clash at home to Manchester City on April 2.