Alexis can justify his £495,000-a-week CHEAP...AND C

EXCLUSIVE Special’ Sanchez is a steal who will help crown Jose king of Europe

ALEXIS SANCHEZ will catapult Manchester United from Champions League outsiders to potential winners in Kiev in May after his big-money move to Old Trafford.

That’s the view of former United striker and MUTV pundit Lou Macari, who reckons Jose Mourinho has got the Chilean attacker on the cheap despite wages of a staggering £495,000 a week.

He believes Sanchez – who had a medical last night in readiness for his move today – is exactly the kind of stellar signing United have been crying out for as they try to recapture their glory days when the biggest prizes were always within reach.

“He’s a special player and one of an elite group in football who are genuinely world class,” said Macari. “And for United to have got him is a game-changer.

Target

“Maybe the Premier League is a step too far this season with Manchester City so far in front. But in my opinion the arrival of Sanchez makes catching City more of a possibility than before. But for me it suddenly makes the Champions League final an achievable target.

“United have already got a decent tie against Sevilla in the last 16 next month and if they get lucky with the quarter-final draw the possibilities are there.

“Without Sanchez you maybe couldn’t see United getting past the quarter-finals. With him on board it’s a different picture entirely.

“The more top players you have the more chance of reaching the Champions League final and I’m certain that is the way Mourinho will be thinking.

“Stranger things have happened and sometimes a team just needs the final piece of the jigsaw puzzle and maybe for United that is Sanchez.”

Macari believes Sanchez will bring real world-class quality to Mourinho’s dressing room. And despite shock and awe at the huge money United are investing in the South American striker, former Old Trafford star Macari – who played more than 400 games for the Reds during an 11-year stint that ended in 1984 – is sure it will prove a bargain deal.

“If we concentrate on the transfer fee, which is thought to be around £35million, when you take into account Henrikh Mkhitaryan in the deal, then it’s an absolute bargain. “We all know the money has got out of control, but in this day and age the figures look about right for a worldclass player at the end of his contract. “The money is cheap by Manchester United’s standards no matter what you give Arsenal and Sanchez because at the end of all the calculations you are getting a player who is right up there amongst the very best around today. The very best players can make the difference in games and Sanchez is definitely in that bracket.

Coup

“Before United declared an interest in Sanchez people were asking me on MUTV who the club could get in January and to be honest I was struggling for a name.

“Generally players like Sanchez don’t become available in this window and I’m certain he’ll be the only one in January