Arsenal midfielder Alexis Sanchez has paid to send two lorries carrying aid supplies to his hometown of Tocopilla in Chile.

The city, which is in the North of the country in the Antofagasta region, was recently affected by storms and flooding, just eight years after 27,000 residents were left homeless by a 7.7 magnitude earthquake.

Mayor Fernando San Roman told Chilean newspaper La Tercera: "He hasn't forgotten about his land and that's why he wanted to be involved.

"He spoke to us in order to send aid to the people of Tocopilla. We initially discussed bottled water, some basic first-aid products and clothing among other things and it's already in the region."

Sanchez was in Chile over the summer, helping his country win the Copa America on home soil.

Written by
Sian Cowper