ALEXIS SANCHEZ has revealed Jose Mourinho persuaded him to snub Manchester City and join Manchester United by promising him the No.7 shirt.
Sanchez completed a shock move to Old Trafford from Arsenal in January 2018, with Henrikh Mkhitaryan moving the other way.
A reunion with former Barcelona boss Pep Guardiola at the Eithad was on the cards for the Chilean before he moved to the red side of Manchester.
But Mourinho twisted his arm by promising him the iconic No.7 shirt.
Sanchez said: “I was about to go to City. 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.
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“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 [Arsene] Wenger tells me you are not leaving because the other player did not want to come and they do not have another.
“Suddenly the cell phone rings. Mourinho tells me: ‘Alexis, here is the seven [shirt] available for you.'”
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Sanchez incurred the wrath of the Emirates faithful with his move to Old Trafford, where he was pocketing a whopping £391,000 a week before bonuses.
But the Marseille man insists his departure from North London wasn’t driven by financial gain.
The 34-year-old said: “It wasn’t a money thing, so everyone knows,’ he said. ‘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.”
Sanchez’s failed to replicate his scintillating Arsenal form at Old Trafford, scoring five goals and providing nine assists in 45 appearances.
And with the benefit of hindsight, he would’ve chosen the Etihad over the Theatre of Dreams.
He said: “I don’t regret going to United. Things happen for a reason.
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“I would have liked to have gone to City, yes.
“We would have won the Champions League by now. In the final, I would have done something.”
Source: Soccer - thesun.co.uk
