It looks like Alexis Sanchez may be part of the arsenal for much longer…

Arsenal Football Club officials are ready to sit down and offer the 26-year-old soccer star a lucrative, new long-term contract, according to ESPN FC.

Sanchez enjoyed a stellar debut campaign with the Gunners last season, helping them win the Emirates Football Association Challenge Cup, known as the FA Cup, following his big-money arrival from Barcelona.

Sanchez has established himself as one of manager Arsene Wenger‘s key players and the club is keen to reward him for the impact he has made with a new contract.

Sanchez’s current deal expires in 2018, but the Arsenal are ready to offer him improved terms as they do not want their top stars entering the final two years of their contracts.

The Gunners are so determined to keep the forward in North London that they are prepared to make him the highest-paid player at the club.

Talks are expected to take place between Arsenal and Sanchez’s advisers before Christmas as they look to tie him to a new deal as soon as possible.

After a slow start to the season following a summer in which he helped Chile win the Copa America, Sanchez has been back to his best in recent weeks — he followed up his hat trick against Leicester with a goal against Olympiakos and a brace in the 3-0 win against Manchester United earlier this month.