Petr Cech insists that Arsenal need to keep hold of Alexis Sanchez and Mesut Ozil after missing out on Champions League football next season.
The Gunners, who beat Everton 3-1 on Sunday, finished their Premier League campaign in fifth spot with 75 points from 38 games, just one point fewer than fourth-placed Liverpool.
As a result, Arsenal will not be featuring in the Champions League next season, their first absence from the premium continental competition in 20 years.
With no Champions League football, there will be a question mark over Arsenal’s ability to keep Sanchez and Ozil.
And Cech, who reserved special praise for Sanchez, insisted that Arsenal want to keep hold of the Chilean and Ozil.
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"Obviously they are both fantastic players this season”, Cech was quoted as saying by ITV.
"Alexis has been brilliant, scoring a lot of goals.
“They are both exceptional players and obviously you always want to keep your exceptional players."
Cech, who feels Arsenal need to keep their team together and strengthen the areas which manager Arsene Wenger deems fit this summer, went on to add that missing out on Champions League football once in two decades is not a problem.
"If you have one odd year in 20 years, it is not a problem”, he continued.
"I think the club has a strong foundation, a strong organisation and everything to be one year out and come straight back in, like Chelsea did last season.
"Obviously, it helped them not to be involved this season because they could keep all their energy for the league.
"For next season, you need to respect every competition as we've always been doing and carry on the momentum, trying to win as many games as you can and keep the team together.
"That's the main thing – we need to keep the team together and try to strengthen it in the areas where the manager would like to and then we will be ready to go again."
