The all-time Premier League top scorer turned pundit Alan Shearer has stated his belief that Alexis Sánchez will not leave Arsenal for financial gain, with the Chilean believed to be edging closer to a bumper move to Manchester United.
Going to be a toss up between the two Manchester clubs
The 29-year-old's transfer saga has dominated media outlets over the past weeks, only escalating in the last few days with Manchester City supposedly dropping their interest as the Red Devils came in with a reportedly better offer.
The figures that are being spoken of are substantial considering Sánchez will become a free agent in the summer, it was also no secret that the Chilean wanted to reunite to with his former Barcelona coach Pep Guardiola at The Etihad Stadium.
Which either side of Manchester he chooses the 29-year-old is expected to be paid handsomely, but Shearer insisted that finances will not influence where Sánchez will end up.
“United are supposedly willing to pay £35m for a player who has only got a few months left on his contract," Shearer conceded on the potential Sánchez deal. "Which might seem a lot."
“But a player of Alexis’ class with 18 months left would go for about £80-90m nowadays," the former striker stated. "So it would still be decent business.”
“[Pep] Guardiola might be having the greater impact at the moment but Mourinho is still a top manager," the pundit highlighted. "And also has a fantastic record wherever he has been.”
“So Sanchez would still have a good chance of success at United, and he’d also walk straight into their team," Shearer added. "It will be his decision and, whether he ends up at City or United, it will have nothing to do with finances for him because, wherever he goes, he is going to be a very wealthy man.”
I did it to protect him
A lot has been reported on the possible in's and out's of the deal to bring Sánchez to the Theatre of Dreams, with many outlets reporting that Henrikh Mkhitaryan could be use as leverage in any deal.
The Armenian has fallen very much out of favour after a good start to the season, rumours were fuelled further when he was omitted from the starting XI for the 3-0 win over Stoke City and coach José Mourinho admitted that the decision was much more than a "pure tactical decision".
"I would lie if I said it was a pure tactical decision," he admitted post-match. "It was just a choice of the players that we know, in this moment, they have 100 percent their heads in Manchester United."
"I don't think it's easy for a player to play when there are doubts about his future," Mourinho concluded. "It's added pressure that a player doesn't need, so I think it's the best for him and for us, while the doubt is in the air, to protect him."