Will Alexis Sanchez sign for Man Utd today?
Express Sport understands the transfer saga is set to come to an end today.
Manchester United are preparing to put Alexis Sanchez through a medical in a deal which will see Henrikh Mkhitaryan move in the opposite direction.
So why hasn’t the deal been done yet?
It all hinges on Mkhitaryan. The finer details of the Armenia internatioanl’s move to Arsenal were still being ironed out yesterday after his agent Mino Raiola arrived in London to discuss his client’s personal terms.
Raiola made clear earlier this week that the Armenia captain, who trained with United at Carrington yesterday, had to agree to a move before the Sanchez deal could be completed.
Mourinho had considered the possibility of asking the club’s executive vice-chairman Ed Woodward to go ahead with a deal for Sanchez even if Mkhitaryan could not agree a move.
But he is reluctant to antagonise Raiola, who also represents United players Paul Pogba, Romelu Lukaku and Zlatan Ibrahimovic.
For that reason, Raiola has been given every chance to secure Mkhitaryan’s move to Arsenal, whose manager Arsene Wenger seemed to be cranking up preparations for life after Sanchez when he made him train away from the rest of the squad.
The Frenchman is convinced Sanchez’s move to Old Trafford is reaching a critical stage.
He said yesterday: “It’s the deadline now: in the next 24 to 48 hours this will happen… or not.”
Will Alexis Sanchez make his debut against Burnley tomorrow?
Manchester United face a race to get Alexis Sanchez signed and registered in time for tomorrow’s Premier League trip to Burnley.
Sanchez must be registered as a United player by noon today to be included in the squad for the Burnley game.
The deal was moving closer last night with Gunners boss Arsene Wenger admitting he expected it to get done quickly.
United’s kit manufacturers Adidas were so confident that they were already selling ‘Alexis 7’ shirts at their flagship store on London’s Oxford Street.
How much will Alexis Sanchez earn at Manchester United?
Sanchez, 29, has agreed a four-and-a-half-year contract with United worth £500,000 a week, which will make him the best-paid player in British football history.
Who else could Arsenal sign?
Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang is on the Arsenal radar but he has a dodgy disciplinary history with Dortmund and was last week handed his third suspension inside 12 months for failing to show up for a team meeting.
Asked whether Aubameyang would fit in at Arsenal, Wenger replied: “Yes, because a character can be very positive and very negative. Overall you look at the achievement of the player over his career.”
Aubameyang has been left out of Dortmund’s squad for tonight’s trip to Hertha Berlin, although it remain to be seen whether his absence is down to more disciplinary issues or Arsenal’s interest.
Zorc added: “Auba trains in Dortmund.
“We have the impression that he is busy with other things in his head and is not fully focused. It’s a difficult situation.”