- Sanchez set to join Man Utd, Mkhitaryan moving in opposite direction
- However, report claims another player was of interest to Arsenal
- Recent run in side results in approach being rejected by Red Devils
- READ MORE: Photos: Henrikh Mkhitaryan in London, Alexis Sanchez swap deal 48 hours away from completion
Man Utd are reportedly on the verge of completing a swap deal involving Alexis Sanchez and Henrikh Mkhitaryan, but it’s claimed Arsenal had their eye on another player.
As noted by BBC Sport, United are set to complete a deal with Arsenal as Sanchez and Mkhitaryan prepare to swap places in a deal that suits all parties.
The Gunners will avoid losing Sanchez for nothing this summer when his contract is set to expire, while Mkhitaryan has struggled for form at Old Trafford this season and his creative class and technical quality arguably makes him a perfect fit for the Emirates.
From a Man Utd perspective, they’re adding a world class talent to their squad in the peak years of his career, and they’ll hope he can help bridge the gap to rivals Man City.
In turn, it’s a sensible bit of transfer business. However, according to The Sun, Arsenal had tried their luck to get left-back Luke Shaw included in the deal.
That evidently wasn’t an appealing option for the Red Devils, especially as the 22-year-old is now earning the trust of Jose Mourinho on a regular basis, having started four consecutive Premier League games before being left on the bench at Burnley this weekend.
It’s a far cry from his previous fitness woes and his inability to break into the team at all, and coupled with the praise that Mourinho gave him earlier this week, as noted by the club’s official site, it would suggest that United have no intention of selling him any time soon.
“I’m really happy. You like the transfer market and I can say in this moment, I don’t see many left-backs better than Luke Shaw,” Mourinho said.
Further, it doesn’t particularly make much sense from an Arsenal perspective either following the signing of Sead Kolasinac last summer.
While there is a lack of depth behind him with Ainsley Maitland-Niles played out of position in his absence, it arguably shouldn’t be seen as a priority for the Gunners with Mkhitaryan the more important addition to help fill the void left behind by Sanchez in the final third.