Alexis Sanchez almost joined Man City before becoming United’s No.7

Despite his close friendship with Pep Guardiola, Sanchez couldn’t reject a phone call from Jose Mourinho.

Alexis Sanchez has opened up on his interest in joining Manchester City from Arsenal.

The Gunners signed Sanchez on a €42.5m deal from Barcelona in 2014. The Chile international scored 80 goals and provided 45 assists in his 166 appearances under Arsene Wenger.

However, he came close to leaving London to join Man City in 2018.

“I was about to go to City. I spoke to Guardiola every day, he told me happy birthday. He was like my dad, He was my dad at Barcelona and he was like my dad at City,” Sanchez told La Tercera (via Sport Witness).

“We talked, we talked every day, he sent me messages. And everything was ready, there was a player who was going to go to Arsenal. Then Wenger tells me you are not leaving because the other player did not want to come and they do not have another.

“Suddenly the cell phone rings. Mourinho tells me: ‘Alexis, here is the seven available for you.’”

Sanchez’s spell at Man Utd saw him suffer a serious dip in form. He scored only five goals in his 45 appearances for the club before leaving for Inter in 2019.

“It wasn’t a money thing, so everyone knows. It was the same with United and City. And he said to me here is the seven, we are playing in the Champions League and we are going to give everything. I wanted to leave at that moment, but I had Guardiola’s word.

“That’s when I said to myself, Chilean footballer playing for Manchester United, something that has never happened. With the seven of Cantona, Beckham, Cristiano Ronaldo and now a Chilean had it, it was a dream.

“I don’t regret going to United, things happen for a reason. I would have liked to have gone to City, yes. We would have won the Champions League by now. In the final I would have done something.”