Manchester United are hoping to Manchester City to the signing of Alexis Sanchez according to reports.
Sanchez was heavily linked with a move to the Etihad this summer, submitting a deadline Day offer of around £60m, only for the deal to collapse due to Arsenal’s failure to sign a replacement for the Chilean.
Arsenal were looking to sign Monaco midfielder Thomas Lemar as a replacement for Sanchez, but the young Frenchman rejected the move, ending City’s hopes of signing Sanchez.
City’s interest in signing Sanchez always seemed peculiar, especially considering the wealth of attacking options at Pep Guardiola’s disposal. Fast forward five games into the Premier League season and those attacking options have fired City to the top of the League, with Sergio Aguero and Gabriel Jesus forming a formidable partnership up front for the Cityzen, and could force the club to reassess whether they need to sign Sanchez at all.
The Sun claim that Jose Mourinho is now looking to beat his great rival Guardiola to the signing of Sanchez, who will be available on a free contract next summer.
It is claimed that Sanchez would demand a signing on fee of £25m, a fee that would be easily achievable by every top club in Europe, and United are hoping to lure him to Old Trafford. He would be able to sign a pre-contract agreement in the New Year.
A move to Manchester United would see Sanchez follow the same path as a Robin van Persie, who made the controversial move to Old Trafford in 2012, where he went on to fire Sir Alex Ferguson’s side to the Premier League title in the dutchmans first season at the club. Jose Mourinho will be hoping for a similar effect should Sanchez decide to join him.