27 January 2024 , 06:15
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Alexis Sanchez's move to Manchester United will forever go down in history as one of the most underwhelming transfers in Premier League history, but the man himself may not be solely to blame.
The Chile international sparked controversy after he left Arsenal to join fierce rivals the Red Devils, following in the footsteps of another ex-Gunners star in Robin van Persie. However, Sanchez failed to taste success like the Dutchman - and lasted just two years at Old Trafford.
At the time of his arrival in Manchester, self-proclaimed 'special one' Jose Mourinho was at the helm and the two failed to click. Sanchez would go on to reveal that the iconic manager was a hindrance when it came to getting the best out of the former Arsenal talisman.
"I say things as they are and in my opinion," Sanchez told the BBC. "Mourinho is one of the best coaches in the world in the way that he coaches, how he studies videos, the way he goes about things.
"But then, within the group there was that feeling that you were in the team then out. Sometimes I didn't play, then I did, then I didn't and as a player you lose confidence, each player lost their confidence, do you understand? And then an atmosphere was created that wasn't healthy.
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"Sometimes I'm playing well and I score a goal and he took me off. And I'd say, 'I love football, I love football. I've played football since I was five and if I have the ball taken away from me, it's as if I lose my joy. I'm like that."
For Sanchez to suggest that Mourinho stripped him of his football joy, it paints a bleak picture of what life was like for the forward during his ill-fated stint at Old Trafford. His infamous admission that he wanted to return to Arsenal after one training session with United is also a damning indicator of how badly Sanchez settled.
"I realised a lot of things, the former Barcelona ace explained. "After my first training session, I got home and told my family and my agent – can I not rip up my contract and go back to Arsenal?
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Alexis Sanchez once explained what he didn't like about ex-Man Utd boss Jose MourinhoThe Chile ace did manage to revive his career after calling time on his United stay. Sanchez joined Inter Milan on loan in the summer of 2019, 18 months after signing for the Red Devils, before eventually signing for the Serie A giants on a permanent basis 12 months later.
His Inter Milan contract was terminated in the summer of 2022, which inspired a transfer to Marseille. However, August 2023 saw Sanchez return to the San Siro on a one-year deal, where he remains to this day.
As for Mourinho, he has had two different managerial jobs since he was dismissed from his post in December 2018. Just under a year on from his United sacking, he joined Premier League rivals Tottenham, lasting 17 months before bing dismissed on the eve of the 2021 Carabao Cup final.
He was appointed Roma boss four weeks after leaving Spurs, but met the same fate as his two previous reigns last week when the Italian outfit oped to part ways.