How Arsenal 'had their dreams come true' when Man United snapped up Alexis Sanchez
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Arsenal 'had their dreams come true' when Manchester United snapped up Alexis Sanchez after most in football believed he was bound for rival's Man City.
A reunion between Pep Guardiola and the Chilean was considered a done deal but Sanchez's wage demands and Arsenal's asking price saw the Premier League leaders bow out.
When United came knocking and offered up Henrikh Mkhitaryan, Arsenal had the wantaway forward off their hands and a talent they rated highly on his way to the Emirates.
Late interest from Chelsea only seemed to advance proceedings between United and the Gunners.
(Image: Getty)
The left everyone but City pleased with the outcome, according to former Liverpool managing director Christian Purslow, who says the Etihad club have every reason to feel betrayed.
"I think everyone thought that was a done deal [to Manchester City],” former Reds managing director Purslow told Sky Sports .
"We will never quite know the sequence of events that led to that potential transaction winding away into a United purchase.
"It has the look from the outside, I don't know this to be true, that Arsenal out of nowhere had their dreams come true.
(Image: REUTERS)
"Rather than being in a unilateral discussion with City taking their best player nearly on a free they had a little auction going when Mourinho and Antonio Conte both spoke up in early January that actually getting Sanchez was a once in a generation opportunity to buy a top player for not much money down.
"I think Arsenal suddenly had a little auction going. I suspect when Sanchez's agent said to Manchester City's executive team you might have to improve my deal up a bit because United are here - that [would have] felt like a breach in trust.
(Image: AMA/Getty)
"They thought they had a handshake deal at best. I bet they were very angry about that and I suspect they thought actually let's walk away from this deal leaving Manchester United to sweep him up.
"Brilliant outcome for United, pretty good outcome for Arsenal on balance but I suspect not a very happy camp at City around the way that deal was conducted."