Alexis Sanchez makes brutal Man City comment as he reminisces on Man Utd transfer
Alexis Sanchez believes that he could have won the Champions League with Manchester City if he had not chosen to sign with Manchester United instead.
He is of the opinion that he would have been able to contribute to a victory in the final had he been a part of the City team. Sanchez rejected the opportunity to play under Pep Guardiola at City and surprised the football community by opting to join United from Arsenal in January 2018.
However, he struggled during his 18-month stint with United before moving to Inter Milan on loan in August 2019.
Despite claiming that he has no regrets about his decision, his comment regarding the Champions League suggests that he believes City was a stronger team than United in that competition. United have not advanced beyond the semi-finals of the prestigious European club competition since 2011.
“I was about to go to City,” said Sanchez, as quoted by La Tercera. “I spoke to 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, we talked every day, he sent me messages.
“And everything was ready, there was a player who was going to go to Arsenal. Then [Arsenal manager Arsene] Wenger tells me you are not leaving because the other player did not want to come and they do not have another.”
When Sanchez made the decision to join Manchester United instead of Manchester City, he was 29 years old and considered to be one of the top strikers in the Premier League.
He had previously played for several clubs, including Udinese, River Plate, and Barcelona, and had established himself as a prolific scorer. During his last 18 months at Arsenal, he scored a total of 38 goals in all competitions.
The international record of the two-time FA Cup champion was even better. He was a member of the Chilean squad that won the Copa America in back-to-back years, defeating Argentina and Lionel Messi in both finals. Sanchez has earned 152 senior caps to date.
Therefore, City and United’s interest in Sanchez was not unexpected. Due to his relationship with Guardiola at his former club, they were the favorites to sign him. City was also storming towards the Premier League championship, ultimately accumulating 100 points.
However, Jose Mourinho’s Manchester United convinced him to move to Old Trafford.
Sanchez added, “Suddenly the cell phone rings. Mourinho tells me, ‘Alexis, here is the [number] seven available for you’.
“It wasn’t a money thing, so everyone knows. It was the same with 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 Guardiola’s word.
“That’s when I said to myself, Chilean footballer playing for Manchester United, something that has never happened. With the seven of [Eric] Cantona, [David] Beckham, Cristiano Ronaldo and now a Chilean had it, it was a dream.
“I don’t regret going to United, things happen for a reason. I would have liked to have gone to City, yes. We would have won the Champions League by now [something City have failed to achieve]. In the final I would have done something.”
Sanchez’s stint at Old Trafford didn’t go as intended, as he only managed to score five goals in 45 matches and didn’t win any championships.
However, he later played for Inter and had much greater success, winning three trophies, one of which was the Serie A title.
He joined Marseille last summer and has been performing well in France this season, scoring a total of 16 goals across all competitions.
Alexis Sanchez makes brutal Man City comment as he reminisces on Man Utd transfer
