Alexis Sanchez was at the heart of one of the most controversial transfers in recent Premier League history.
Unfortunately for Sanchez, Arsenal and Manchester United, nobody emerged from the surprise deal which saw Sanchez swap the Emirates for Old Trafford back in 2018 feeling like winners.
Sanchez had established as one of the Premier League's most influential and exciting forward players after joining the Gunners from Barcelona before the opportunity to join the Red Devils arose. Unfortunately, Sanchez failed to replicate his dazzling form at the Theatre of Dreams, scoring just five times in 45 appearances.
After going from one of the Emirates' favourite sons to an afterthought at one of their biggest rivals, Sanchez was left with plenty of regrets at his decision to up sticks - something he alluded to a couple of years later in a frank video shared on his social media channels.
Speaking in an Instagram video back in 2020, Sanchez said: "I want to tell you about my period at United, about many things that were said and that made me look bad. I got the opportunity to go to United and it seemed tempting to me. It was something nice for me because when I was a kid I liked that club a lot.
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"I ended up signing without much information about what was happening in the move. The first days that I was with my colleagues, sometimes there are things that you do not realise until you arrive.
"The first training I had I realised many things. I got home and I told my representative: 'Can't the contract be terminated to return to Arsenal?' They start laughing and I told them that something did not sit right with me. It had already been signed."
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Sanchez failed to impress at Old Trafford (PA)After falling out of favour at United under Jose Mourinho, Sanchez knew he had to move on for the good of his career. He added: "In a game with West Ham I wasn't picked. That had never happened to me as a player. It bothered me and I said it couldn't be possible.
"To go from being one of the best in the Premier League to not playing in five months. I came to my house and I was very sad. The next day I trained in a double shift because I love what I do."
Sanchez would go on to join Inter Milan on loan where he enjoyed moderate success. He would link up with French giants Marseille in the summer of 2022, only to re-join Inter 12 months later. He summed up his time at United by saying on the video: "I only have words of thanks to United for giving me the opportunity to defend the shirt. It bothered me that things did not go the way I wanted.
"If the atmosphere had been more positive, it would have turned out differently. I tell it all now because I have already passed a period of learning as a player and a person. I would have liked to win everything."
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