I admire how City stood back and left them to it

WILL Alexis Sanchez improve Manchester United? Of course. How much closer does he bring them to competing with Manchester City? While you would say City remain stronger, this is still a great piece of business for Jose Mourinho.

Straight away, it brings competition for places in United’s front line. The likes of Anthony Martial, Jesse Lingard and Marcus Rashford will have to up their game.

Sanchez was most productive for Barcelona playing off the right but he could occupy any of the places behind the centre forward.

As much as this move is excellent for United, I admire how City have conducted themselves. United may be the bigger club historically but Pep Guardiola’s side are the more attractive proposition. By pulling out of the deal, City have effectively said to Sanchez: ‘It’s your loss.’

Arsenal have come out of this affair well, too. They have lost a player who wanted to leave and have been given a top- quality talent in Henrikh Mkhitaryan. He did not get many opportunities at Old Trafford and maybe he will feel more loved by Arsene Wenger than Mourinho.

We have not seen the football that we know Sanchez can produce this season. Given the vast sums of money involved in this move, he has to hit the ground running and recapture his best form.

He will be scrutinised more than ever and under huge pressure to perform. But Mourinho is building something at Old Trafford and, in Sanchez, he has a top-quality player who will lift United.