Jose Mourinho eyes stunning move for Alexis Sanchez: Arsenal fans would hate this

Posted Sunday, March 12, 2017 by Express.co.uk

Jose Mourinho eyes stunning move for Alexis Sanchez: Arsenal fans would hate this
Could Arsenal star Alexis Sanchez make the controversial move to Manchester United?

MANCHESTER UNITED are plotting a sensational move for Arsenal star Alexis Sanchez.

Manchester United boss Jose Mourinho has made Atletico Madrid ace Antoine Griezmann his No 1 summer transfer target.

But Griezmann claimed last night that he is NOT thinking about leaving Atletico Madrid.

And Express Sport understands Manchester United are monitoring Sanchez's situation at Arsenal.

Alexis Sanchez will have just one year left on his £130,000-a-week contract at the Emirates this summer, when Arsenal may decide to cash in rather than risk losing him for free.

Sanchez had a bust-up in Arsenal training last week, causing boss Wenger to drop him for their 3-1 defeat to Liverpool on Saturday.

He was back in the team for the 5-1 thrashing to Bayern Munich on Tuesday night, but was pictured smirking on the bench after being substituted as Arsenal capitulated at the Emirates.

Arsenal do not want to sell their star man to a rival club in the Premier League - despite interest from Manchester United, Manchester City and Chelsea.

Paris Saint-Germain, Juventus and Atletico Madrid are all in for Sanchez, who is also expected to be offered big money by clubs in China.

But Manchester United will be watching his situation at Arsenal with interest in the hope of luring him to Old Trafford.

Mourinho knows he needs to bolster his forward ranks, with top scorer Zlatan Ibrahimovic's future still not secured.

Ibrahimovic has 15 Premier League goals this season (26 in all competitions this season) but Mourinho's other strikers Anthony Martial, Marcus Rashford and Wayne Rooney have just eight in the league between them.

Sanchez has 17 league goals and 20 in all competitions and would walk straight into United's team.

Sir Alex Ferguson angered Arsene Wenger by signing Robin van Persie for £24million in 2012, after he had announced he wouldn't sign a new contract with the Gunners.

And dspite the long-standing rivalry between the two clubs they have done business in recent years, with Danny Welbeck going the other way in 2014.

Arsenal would hate to lose Sanchez to anyone, but former Red Devils defender Rio Ferdinand reckons he is just following a well-trodden road at the north London.

"I think we're at a place where Arsenal football club, and Arsenal fans, are used to their star player wanting to leave for pastures new to win trophies," Ferdinand said.

"We've seen it with Cesc Fabregas, with (Bacary) Sagna, with Robin van Persie, with (Gael) Clichy with (Samir) Nasri, they were all integral parts of this football club left to go win trophies and we're here again with Sanchez."