Hector Bellerin has admitted that Alexis Sanchez's demanding attitude could be "too much" for his teammates at times, but downplayed talk about a dressing room divide over the Chilean.
Sanchez left Arsenal for Manchester United in January after refusing to sign a new contract with the club, in a deal that saw Henrikh Mkhitaryan go the other way.
Sanchez's attitude had been widely questioned after he struggled to reach his top form during the first half of the season, and Bellerin was asked during a recent Q&A session with students at the Oxford Union whether other players were relieved to see the Chilean go.
"Alexis is an amazing player, for me one of the best players in the Premier League for sure. But he's a player who always wants to win. He demands from everyone, and sometimes it can be quite too much," Bellerin responded.
"But the good thing about him, he just wants to win, it doesn't matter who he's playing for. At that time when he was playing for Arsenal, he just wanted to give 100 percent for Arsenal.
"It's true that this season maybe things weren't going as well for him, but I truly believe that he was giving his 100 percent in every game."
Bellerin also brought up Sanchez's two-goal performance against Crystal Palace, when former Gunner turned TV pundit Thierry Henry questioned whether there was a dressing room divide after some players didn't celebrate the Chilean's first goal.
Bellerin was among the players who didn't rush up the pitch to celebrate with Sanchez, but said he had a legitimate reason.
"I remember even I stayed back, and I was talking to Calum Chambers because there was some tactical stuff that for me was more important to solve than going to celebrate a goal," Bellerin said. "And then the press comes out and says like, oh the dressing room is divided. And they sold that story.
"It's just the way it works, but what you see in the papers, they never actually know what's going on inside. As bad as people think it was, Alexis always wanted what is best for the club and us players wish him all the best."
The Oxford Union posted a full video of the talk on Thursday evening, with Bellerin also addressing a range of issues including his charity work, interest in fashion, racism in football and the difficulties players have in addressing mental problems.
However, his most scrutinised comments were those about popular Youtube show Arsenal Fan TV, as he said fans of the club shouldn't try to earn money from criticising the team after losses.
"I think it's so wrong for someone who claims to be a fan and their success is fed off a failure. How can that be a fan? There's just people hustling, trying to make money their way, which everyone is entitled to do," Bellerin said.
"But for us players it doesn't affect us. Listen, if people want to have fun with it, let them have fun. But when you grow you realise what is important to you to listen to.
"If a coach comes to me and says you've done something bad I'm going to take that advice. If someone from Arsenal Fan TV says this guy needs to do this or that I'm not going to listen to him.
"But they're entitled to their opinion and the way they want to do it. If people find it funny, then go watch it."
The 22-year-old Spaniard was also asked whether he would rather win the World Cup with Spain or the Champions League with Arsenal -- and said he would prefer international glory.
"I think playing for your country means a lot more than playing for a club, if that makes sense. You're representing your whole nation, where you're from, where you've grown up. All your family and friends are from there, so it just has that bit more of a meaning," the right-back said.
"But I'm sure players who have grown up supporting Arsenal and then play for Arsenal and have a chance to win a Champions League with them, they would also feel that feeling.
"I'm a person that, I didn't grow up supporting Arsenal as I wasn't born here. Still, playing for that shirt, I know how much it means to everyone, I know how big the club is so I always give 100 percent for it.
"Still when it comes to your country, it just has that little bit more of a meaning."