Inter Milan winger Alexis Sanchez has had his say on why his transfer to Manchester City failed to come to fruition, and why he ended up joining Manchester United instead.
It seemed like the Sky Blues were set to sign yet another player from Arsenal, after snapping up the likes of Gael Clichy, Samir Nasri and Bacary Sagna in recent years.
However, Alexis Sanchez eventually took the transfer decision of signing for Manchester United, and he has now explained the reasons behind snubbing Manchester City in a conversation with TVN, as relayed by La Terrera.
Ex-Manchester United star Alexis Sanchez on failed Manchester City transfer
Ultimately, it all worked out in City’s favour as Sanchez did not live up to the billing at Old Trafford, while Pep Guardiola’s side asserted their dominance over English football.
Even so, Alexis Sanchez has now revealed why he rejected a transfer to Manchester City in favour of signing for arch-rivals Manchester United.
“I was about to go to [Manchester] City. I spoke to [Pep] Guardiola every day, he told me, ‘Happy Birthday’. He was like my dad. He was my dad at Barcelona and he was like my dad at City.”
“We talked every day, he sent me messages. And everything was ready [for a transfer to Manchester City], there was a player who was going to go to Arsenal. Then [Arsene] Wenger tells me, ‘You are not leaving because the other player did not want to come and they do not have another’.”
Alexis Sanchez elaborated on why he picked a transfer to Manchester United over Manchester City, saying, “Suddenly the cell phone rings. [Jose[ Mourinho tells me: ‘Alexis, here is the No.7 available for you.’ It wasn’t a money thing, so everyone knows. It was the same at United and City. And he said to me, ‘Here is the seven, we are playing in the Champions League and we are going to give everything’.”
“I wanted to leave at that moment, but I had (Pep) Guardiola’s word. That’s when I said to myself, ‘A Chilean footballer playing for Manchester United, something that has never happened’.”
As United aim to now reportedly sign Romeo Lavia, the Sky Blues should hope that they do not take another player that they hope plays at the Etihad Stadium one day.
