Chile forward Sanchez, 29, who almost joined Manchester City last summer, has signed a four-and-a-half-year deal.

City decided earlier this month that they would not pursue their interest in him as they felt making him their best-paid player may affect team morale.

Mkhitaryan, 29, moves in the opposite direction to Sanchez after scoring 13 goals in 63 appearances for United.

The Armenia international moved to Old Trafford from Borussia Dortmund for £26.3m in July 2016.

He has made only 10 Premier League starts this season and it is understood there was a breakdown in trust with Mourinho, who has made Sanchez his first signing of the January transfer window.

How did it come to this?

Sanchez, who is set to receive a reported salary of £500,000 a week at United and will wear the number seven jersey, was announced by the club Twitter account with him playing ‘Glory, Glory Man Utd’ on a piano.

He has scored 80 goals for the Gunners since joining from Barcelona for £30m in July 2014, and was last season’s top scorer with 30 goals in all competitions.

The Chilean almost teamed up with former Barcelona boss Pep Guardiola in a £60m move last summer but that deadline-day deal collapsed when Arsenal failed to sign Monaco midfielder Thomas Lemar.

Since that move did not materialise, Sanchez has had less of an impact, scoring 0.37 goals per game compared to 0.63 last season, with several pundits commenting on his on-field demeanour.

Former Gunners striker Ian Wright said in December that Sanchez looked as though he had “clocked off”.

Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger denied there was a rift between Sanchez and his team-mates, but admitted the uncertainty over his future has affected team morale.

And, with his contract at Arsenal due to expire at the end of the season – when he would be available on a free transfer, United have moved in.

Mkhitaryan ends underwhelming United spell

Mkhitaryan, who has scored once and contributed five assists in 15 Premier League appearances this season, joined United when Mourinho pipped Wenger to sign him.

His last appearance was in the FA Cup third-round win over Derby on 5 January, and he was left out of subsequent Premier League matches against Stoke and Burnley.

In November, Mourinho said Mkhitaryan’s performances had been “decreasing step by step”.

Mkhitaryan made a modest start to his United career and did not start a Premier League game in almost three months after he was substituted at half-time during his full debut against Manchester City.

Yet his form improved during the second half of last season and he scored as United beat Ajax in the Europa League final in Stockholm in May.

Before he moved to Old Trafford, the Armenia captain was the 2015-16 Bundesliga player of the season, and scored 23 goals in all competitions

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Source: BBC Sport

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Sanchez, 29, is out of contract in June and is thought to have agreed personal terms with the Old Trafford club.

“I worked on transfers for 30 years so it is likely to happen, but at any moment it can break down,” said Wenger.

Wenger also said it was a “possibility” United midfielder Henrikh Mkhitaryan will be a part of the deal.

“I like the player,” added Wenger. “We played many times against him when he was at Dortmund. He appreciated the quality of our games. The wages would not be a problem.”

Armenia international Mkhitaryan, 28, has not agreed terms on a move but was left out of the league win over Stoke on Monday, with manager Jose Mourinho confirming the decision was not tactical.

Aubameyang? Malcom? Or will Sanchez remain?

At a news conference on Thursday, Wenger said Chile international Sanchez will feature against Crystal Palace on Saturday if he does not complete a transfer.

“As long as it’s not over the line you have to accept it may not happen,” added the Frenchman. “These kind of things are not guaranteed.

“I have no problem with Sanchez’s attitude. He was in training yesterday fully committed. He is 29 years old and the next contract will of course be very important to him.”

Arsenal sold forward Theo Walcott to Everton on Wednesday and Wenger has been linked with moves for Borussia Dortmund striker Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang and Bordeaux forward Malcom to bolster his squad.

He said the club were not close to completing a deal for 20-year-old Brazilian Malcolm but added that Aubameyang, 28, would “fit in”.

Asked about any deal for the Gabon international, Wenger said: “This kind of thing is better when it’s secret and when you don’t comment before announcing it when it’s over the line.

“Would he fit in? Yes, because character can be a very positive note and negative – but overall you look at the achievement of a player over his career.

“When it’s been positive the character has been used in a positive way.”

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Source: BBC

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It is also understood Sanchez’s agent wants £5m for his part in the deal, taking the overall tally to £40m – double what City are willing to pay.

Sanchez, 29, will leave the Gunners in January if a suitable offer arrives and a replacement is secured.

United boss Jose Mourinho said Sanchez is a “phenomenal player” on Friday.

“Sanchez is an Arsenal player,” Mourinho added. “I don’t know but probably this weekend he is going to defend Arsenal colours, so I don’t think it’s correct to say things about Alexis Sanchez.

“Myself and the Manchester United board and owners, we don’t believe a lot in the January market. We don’t believe in signing a player just to sign a player.

“What we believe is there are some players in the football world, if you have the chance to sign them in January, March or July, you have to try. And that’s it.”

French side Paris St-Germain have also been linked with the Chile forward but Sanchez’s preference is to join Manchester City.

However, given Gabriel Jesus’ knee injury is now not as bad as initially feared – City boss Pep Guardiola said on Thursday the Brazil forward could be back in action “in two or three weeks” – the club do not view such a huge outlay on a player who would be available for nothing in the summer as being worthwhile.

City also feel the player is determined to leave Arsenal come what may this month, so their stance could lead to him joining a rival club.

Guardiola would not be drawn on his interest in Sanchez at Friday’s news conference before their trip to Liverpool on Sunday.

He said: “I don’t answer. I understand the question, you do your job, you know my answer. I’m focused on Liverpool.”

It is understood the Gunners hierarchy have accepted that Sanchez is likely to depart after three and a half years at Emirates Stadium.

However, Arsenal are reluctant to sell without replacing him and their first choice is Bordeaux’s 20-year-old Brazilian forward Malcom.

“Normally he would stay until the end of the season – but we’ll see,” said Gunners boss Arsene Wenger.

Speaking at a news conference on Friday, the Frenchman added: “Nothing is really concrete at the moment and nothing is decided one way or another. Of course I want a quick resolution.”

If a deal cannot be agreed with any club, Sanchez will be able to leave when his contract expires in the summer – a situation Arsenal are keen to avoid as they would receive nothing.

Sanchez almost joined City for about £60m on the final day of the summer window, only for the transfer to collapse when Arsenal failed to sign Monaco and France midfielder Thomas Lemar.

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Source: BBC

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City tabled a second bid for the Chilean international at lunchtime after having their opening gambit of £50million rejected by the Gunners yesterday.

It is understood that the increased offer – which will see City pay £55million up front and another £5million in add-ons – is deemed acceptable by Arsenal.

But the London club are waiting to see if their £90million offer for Monaco’s Thomas Lemar is accepted before doing a deal with the Manchester club.

Pep Guardiola made Sanchez a priority target when he accepted City’s offer to become their manager early in 2016.

Arsenal were unwilling to do business last summer – but Sanchez has allowed his contract to tick down into its final year and the Gunners face losing the forward for nothing at the end of the season.

Arsene Wenger wanted Raheem Sterling included in a deal for Sanchez – but that idea was knocked back immediately by Guardiola.

Arsenal then set the bar for the former Barcelona star at £70million, but know that they faced being left with an unhappy player who would join City for free next year.

Arsenal have been desperate to keep Sanchez out of the clutches of a Premier League rival.

But the 28-year-old priced himself out of moves to Bayern Munich and Paris St Germain by demanding wages in excess of £400,000-a-week.

City’s package will be worth £300,000-a-week – less than what Sanchez could have earned at the Emirates – but it will be bolstered by a lucrative raft of bonuses.

City, meanwhile, have agreed a £170,000 fee with Borussia Dortmund for Jadon Sancho.

The teenage winger has not been turning up for training after demanding a move away from the club, but City don’t want him to join Manchester United, Arsenal or Tottenham.

They have now done a cut-price deal with Dortmund, but Sancho still has to agree personal terms.

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Source: Mirror.co.uk

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