After one training session, I requested that my contract be terminated – Former Arsenal star narrates his ordeal on his spell at Man United

Alexis Sanchez disclosed his regrettable transfer from Arsenal to Manchester United, during which he scored only five goals in 45 games for the Red Devils before his contract was mutually terminated.

Just one day after signing with Manchester United, Alexis Sanchez disclosed that he intended to terminate his contract.

In 2018, the prominent forward, who scored 80 goals for Arsenal, acknowledged that he had second thoughts about his decision to transfer from the Gunners to United. Alexis was initially expected to join Manchester City after impressing during his tenure in north London. However, a sudden change of heart resulted in him donning the United jersey.

Sanchez’s tenure at United was marked by a turbulent beginning under the leadership of Jose Mourinho, despite his aspirations to replicate his exceptional performances on the Old Trafford pitch. Previously, Sanchez expressed his remorse regarding the transfer on Instagram, stating, “I had an agreement with Manchester City; however, I accepted the opportunity to move to United due to football issues.” It was an opportunity that was both appealing and beneficial to me.

“When I was a child, I had a strong affinity for this club.” Finally, I signed the contract; however, I refrained from seeking information regarding the club’s internal operations. Sometimes, one may not realise certain aspects of a situation until they arrive. I recall the initial training session, during which I came to a number of realisations.

He further stated, “I returned home after the session and informed my family and agent that I was considering terminating my contract in order to return to Arsenal.” They chuckled, and I informed them that there is something amiss; it does not appear to be in the best interest of the situation. However, I had already signed and was present. I continued to experience the same sentiment after the initial few months; we were not cohesive as a team at that time.

Sanchez’s tenure at Old Trafford could only be described as a misadventure. Despite scoring only five goals in 45 matches, his tenure at United was terminated in 2020. He subsequently transferred to Inter Milan, where he achieved greater success, tallying 20 goals in 109 appearances. Subsequently, he signed with Marseille in 2022.The Chilean returned to the San Siro in 2023, but his performance was less than stellar, as he scored only four goals in 33 appearances across all competitions. Sanchez’s most recent relocation was to Udinese this summer. According to Football London, his debut for the Italian club is expected to occur in mid-October, despite his current absence due to calf issues.

Arsenal has also experienced their fair share of disastrous acquisitions over the years, despite United’s difficulties with the Sanchez deal. This encompasses the club-record acquisition of Nicolas Pepe for an astonishing £72 million in 2019. Despite contributing 35 league goals in 74 games from the right wing and igniting Ligue 1 with Lille, Pepe was unable to establish a presence in the Premier League.

In 80 appearances in England’s highest tier, the Ivory Coast international scored a mere 16 goals. In his final season with the Gunners in 2022/23, he was even loaned out to Nice before ultimately transferring to Trabzonspor on a free transfer, despite having one year remaining on his contract.

Nevertheless, it appears that Arsenal has incorporated the lessons learnt from their previous transfer disasters. The emphasis has shifted to the recruitment of younger players who have already demonstrated their abilities in the Premier League, such as Declan Rice and Kai Havertz, and the development of juveniles under Edu and Mikel Arteta.
Arsenal has been more prudent in its approach to the acquisition of senior players. Leandro Trossard, who was 28 years old, was acquired from Brighton for a reasonable £27 million, while Jorginho was acquired for a mere £12 million.

In contrast, United have made some costly errors in the transfer market since Sir Alex Ferguson’s tenure. The most notable of these errors was the re-signing of Paul Pogba for a record-breaking fee of £89million from Juventus in 2016, only to allow him to return to his former club on a free transfer six years later.

Jadon Sancho, who transferred from Borussia Dortmund to Old Trafford in 2021 for an astonishing £73 million, has found it exceedingly challenging to establish himself in the red shirt. He has scored only 12 goals in 83 games for the club and is currently on a season-long loan with Chelsea, a team in the Premier League. His objective is to establish himself and secure a permanent contract.