Alexis Sanchez to Man Utd: Henrikh Mkhitaryan told not to scupper United deal with Arsenal

HENRIKH MKHITARYAN has been warned not to scupper Alexis Sanchez's move to Manchester United.

Posted Wednesday, January 17, 2018 by Dailystar.co.uk

Alexis Sanchez to Man Utd: Henrikh Mkhitaryan told not to scupper United deal with Arsenal
Henrikh Mkhitaryan is key to the Alexis Sanchez deal

United are using Mkhitaryan as bait in a £65m deal to land Arsenal superstar Sanchez.

But talks have stalled after it emerged the Gunners are being held to ransom by the financial demands surrounding Mkhitaryan's move to the Emirates.

United remain confident a deal will still get done this week - and have put plans in place for Sanchez to undergo his medical.

But Starsport understands Mkhitaryan's agent Mino Raiola wants more than £5m to make the deal happen.

Armenian international Mkhitaryan, 28, also wants more than the £150,000-a-week he earns at Old Trafford and is also demanding compensation in the region of £15m from United as his contract runs until 2021.

A club source said: "If the Sanchez deals falls through because of Henrikh Mkhitaryan, he will be a hate figure at Old Trafford.

"He's not too popular to begin with considering how he's struggled to impress, but United will be a pretty ugly place for him if he causes the Sanchez transfer to fail."

Raiola said: "Sanchez is part of Miki's deal. Its not the other way round. Without him, Sanchez simply cannot go to United.

"His problems at Manchester United are purely football related. He has no problem with the manager. It's not personal and he has two-and-a-half years left on his contract.

"This is a great deal for Arsenal. They need better, younger players and they have to invest. So it's up to Arsenal to put a deal in place and right now a deal is a long way off."

The Gunners believe Raiola is playing hardball to get the best possible deal, despite the fact Mkhitaryan is keen on moving to London to link-up again with recruitment chief Sven Mislinat, who he signed him for Borussia Dortmund.

But United believe he could be using the current stalemate as leverage to earn better compensation terms for his injured megastar client Zlatan Ibrahimovic if and when he leaves Old Trafford.

United boss Jose Mourinho is close to agreeing a new deal.

Alexis Sanchez to Man Utd: Henrikh Mkhitaryan told not to scupper United deal with Arsenal
Alexis Sanchez looks set to leave Arsenal this month

Mourinho is reported to have agreed a two-year extension to his current contract, keeping him at Old Trafford beyond 2019.

Starsport understands a few small details have still to be finalised but Mourinho has agreed in principle and United could reveal the contract extension next week, once the signing of Sanchez has been completed.

The news will be a huge boost to United and will kill speculation that Mourinho is unsettled in Manchester and wants to leave.

Mourinho, who has been linked with a move to Paris Saint Germain this summer, took charge in 2016 and won two trophies in his first season in charge, as well as the Community Shield.