20 Wednesday, January 17, 2018 SPORTS City drop Sanchez interest as United deal with Mourinho waits Stoke amid Sanchez talk Manchester unimpressed as United raced into an early anchester United took time off from lead through Valencia, back in the United their pursuit of Arsenal forward Alexis line-up after a month out through injury. MSanchez to coast to a comfortable 3-0 victory The right-back received a pass after good against Stoke at Old Trafford on Monday. work outside the area from Paul Pogba and Antonio Valencia and Anthony Martial darted into the box, running at teenage in the first half, and Romelu Lukaku after defender Joshua Tymon, starting just the the break, were on the scoresheet as Jose second league game of his career. Mourinho finally beat struggling Stoke as Valencia was given room to advance United manager at the fourth time of asking. before firing past the dive of Jack Butland But this performance, and numerous from 16 yards out with a left-foot shot - missed chances, still provided Mourinho something of a collector’s item. Alexis Sanchez with plenty of evidence that he needs to add Tymon was also at fault for United’s Arsenal’s Sanchez to his squad during the second, after 38 minutes, losing Manchester January transfer window, despite cutting the ball to Lukaku before he in anchester City withdrew Chelsea join neighbours Manchester City’s lead at the top turn pulled it back for Pogba. Mfrom the battle to secure of the Premier League to 12 points. The French midfielder the services of Arsenal’s Chilean Sanchez race “Obviously we see Manchester City in spotted compatriot Martial forward Alexis Sanchez, leaving London front of us and they lost,” United’s Paul lurking unmarked on the edge Jose Mourinho’s Manchester ose Mourinho hopes Pogba told Sky Sports. of the Stoke area and his pass United as the most likely Manchester United will “They are first so we always want to catch allowed the forward to place a destination for the 29-year- Jfend off late interest from them, so it was good that they lost, so for us magnificent strike into the old. Chelsea to sign Alexis Sanchez we have to think about ourselves. top corner of the visitors’ On Monday, the after Manchester City pulled “It’s good that they lose points but we have net. (AFP) Manchester Evening News out of the race for the Arsenal to go back to winning because we want to reported that City, long- striker in another dramatic catch them again.” term suitors of Sanchez, twist to the extraordinary He added: “We’re not looking to the had decided to drop their transfer saga. past. We’re just looking to the interest in the Chilean after Although Chelsea are future and the next games. holding meetings with thought to have entered the “We just want to catch the club to discuss the running for Sanchez, United City. We just have to focus financial aspects of the remain the frontrunners on ourselves, keep winning and I deal. and have offered Armenia think we will be OK.” While City manager playmaker Henrikh United believe they have won the battle Pep Guardiola, who Mkhitaryan as a makeweight for the £35 million-rated player, who is coached Sanchez at as they seek to match out of contract with Arsenal at the end of Barcelona, was keen Arsenal’s £35m valuation of the season, especially after rivals City let to add the forward the Chilean. United are also the Gunners know on to his squad, his prepared to meet Sanchez’s Monday that they are wage demands demand for a signing-on fee no longer interested in and transfer fee worth as much as £20m, in Sanchez, given his fee and were considered addition to footing a bill of up salary demands. Manchester United’s Anthony excessive by the to £10m for the player’s agent, New Stoke manager Martial in action with Stoke City’s club given he is out Fernando Felicevich. Paul Lambert, appointed on Moritz Bauer and Joe Allen of contract at the That would value the overall the morning of this game, was end of the season. deal at £65m for a 29 year-old watching from the stands before officially Mourinho who is out of contract at the starting work yesterday and must have been confirmed that end of the season and does not United were include the £350,000-a-week interested in wages, including bonuses and Sanchez but said image rights, Sanchez is in he was “neither line to earn and which would Sanchez Man Utd transfer confident nor make him the highest-paid unconfident” about player in the Premier League. securing his signature. (telegraph) ‘hinges on Mkhitaryan deal’ “I am just relaxed with the London Britain’s Times newspaper that Sanchez’s feeling that he is an Arsenal knows? I think him, Mr (Arsene) anchester United’s bid to sign Alexis transfer to United was reliant on his client player, he can stay there, Wenger, Mr (Arsenal CEO Ivan) Sanchez from Arsenal hinges on Henrikh joining Arsenal as part of the deal. but also with the feeling that Gazidis, they are the ones that MMkhitaryan moving the other way, the “Manchester United are not going to he can move and if he moves I know really what is going to Armenian player’s agent said yesterday. sign Sanchez unless Mkhi agrees to join think we have a chance,” he told happen,” added Mourinho. There has been speculation Mkhitaryan will Arsenal,” Raiola told the newspaper. reporters after Monday’s 3-0 Earlier speaking to the BBC, be offered as a makeweight from United to land “Mkhi is going to do what is best for him. win over Stoke City at the United manager said: “He Sanchez, and Mourinho left the playmaker out He has two-and-a-half years left on his Old Trafford. is an Arsenal player, if he stays of the squad to face Stoke on Monday due to contract so it’s his decision. Sanchez is “I think most it’s great for Arsenal, if he comes “doubts about his future”. part of the Mkhi deal, not the other way probably a player to us, great for us, if he goes to Mkhitaryan’s agent Mino Raiola told around.” (AFP) like him has other big another club, great for them.” clubs interested. Who (Reuters)