Alexis Sanchez needed just one training session at Manchester United to realize he had made a mistake leaving Arsenal.
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Sanchez had thrilled Arsenal fans during his four years at the club, scoring 80 goals in 166 appearances following his £32m move from Barcelona in 2014.
He also lifted two FA Cups with the Gunners. The opportunity to join Manchester United, a dominant force in English football for decades, seemed irresistible. In January 2018, Sanchez signed for United in a swap deal for Henrikh Mkhitaryan and was handed the iconic No. 7 shirt at Old Trafford.
However, his time at United was a disappointment. Sanchez managed only five goals in 45 appearances before leaving for Inter Milan, initially on loan and later on a permanent deal. Reflecting on his move, Sanchez admitted he felt regret almost immediately.
“I accepted the opportunity to go to United. It felt tempting and good for me,” Sanchez explained. “I liked the club as a kid, but I didn’t investigate what was happening inside.
After my first training session, I went home and told my family and agent, ‘Can we tear up the contract and go back to Arsenal?’ They laughed, but something didn’t feel right. I had already signed, so I stayed. But that feeling never went away. We weren’t united as a team.”
Sanchez also revealed how his confidence plummeted when then-manager Jose Mourinho left him out of the squad for a game against West Ham.
“That had never happened to me before,” he said. “It upset me. To go from being one of the best players in the Premier League to not playing for five months was tough. I trained harder because I love football, but it was difficult.”
After leaving Manchester United, Sanchez returned to his former club Udinese on a two-year deal last summer, but injuries have restricted the 36-year-old to just one appearance so far.
Despite his struggles at United, some of his teammates were impressed with his talent. Jesse Lingard praised Sanchez’s skills in training, calling him “top quality,” but admitted that something didn’t translate to matches.
Lingard reflected on the club’s struggles with marquee signings: “A lot of players came in and didn’t click. Alexis in training was incredible, but in games, it just didn’t work.
Was it the pressure? I don’t know. Even with trophies under Mourinho, it felt like we weren’t consistent. After he left, it became even harder with constant managerial changes. We were told one thing but experienced another—it felt like fake promises.”
Sanchez’s time at Manchester United remains a cautionary tale of how even the most promising transfers can go awry in football’s unpredictable world.
