Chilean star Alexis Sanchez has officially completed his move to Manchester United, with the Red Devils’ Armenian star Henrikh Mkhitaryan moving in the other direction to the Emirates in a direct swap between the two clubs.
Alexis’ Arsenal contract was due to expire this summer and the forward was widely expected to complete a move to Man City, who had bid £60m for him in the summer only for the deal to fall through because the Gunners weren’t able to sign Thomas Lemar from Monaco. City were also in the running for him in the winter transfer window, but United trumped them by offering financial incentives that City were reportedly not willing to match.
Alexis will earn £350,000 a week after tax at Man Utd (he was on £130,000 a week at Arsenal). He said that his decision to leave the Gunners was not too dissimilar to club legend Thierry Henry switching to the Nou Camp around a decade ago.
Arsenal had originally wanted Anthony Martial in a swap deal, but have settled for Mkhitaryan, the talented Armenian who wasn’t quite been able to replicate his Dortmund form at Man Utd. In some ways Mkhitaryan is a classic Wenger signing, and the Frenchman will be hoping that the combination of Mkhi and Mesut Ozil, along with the potential arrival of Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, can rejuvenate the Gunners.
