TENACIOUS

him £400,000 a week.

Sanchez was shocked to be left out of the starting line-up for the League Cup semi-final first leg at Chelsea on Wednesday night and that has only strengthened his resolve to leave this month.

City were prepared to wait until the summer to sign him as a free agent at the end of his contract but a knee injury to Gabriel Jesus has left Guardiola with just one fit striker in Sergio Aguero.

The two clubs have been haggling over a figure in recent days, with City reluctant to pay over the odds for a player who will cost nothing in five months. However, they did not count on United’s intervention.

Sanchez has been linked with a move to Old Trafford twice before — when he left Udinese for Barcelona in a £23 million deal in 2011 and again when he joined Arsenal three years later for £31.7 million. Daily Mail make them more competitive against City next season.

Arsenal will do everything they can to stop these players going to United.

This is a smart move from Mourinho. In recent weeks, he has been moody because he has had to accept that City will win the Premier League.

By going in for Sanchez, Mourinho is showing that he is still a fighter. He and Pep Guardiola will battle it out for every player.

When these two managers arrived in Manchester, they both inherited clubs that needed improving.

This season Guardiola has galloped ahead but if United could sign Sanchez and Ozil it would help them close the gap.

United's move for Sanchez shows that Mourinho is still enjoying trying to take on Guardiola. Daily Mail