Manchester United have “free run” at Alexis Sánchez — reports

Intriguing developments in transferland: Manchester United, so the story goes, have been given a ‘free run’ at signing Arsenal’s Alexis Sánchez. This comes after Manchester City, who bid £60m in the summer and were presumed favourites to pick him up this January, have decided he isn’t worth the money. Well, he isn’t worth that much money.

This is one of those odd transfer stories that dropped from a number of different outlets at the same time, which strongly suggest that the briefing is accurate.. The story’s on the Mirror, ESPN, the Manchester Evening News, the Guardian, and the picture that emerges is:

— City won’t go above £20m, whereas United will go up to £30m or so, and Arsenal would very much like that;

— City’s aren’t that bothered, really, particularly since Gabriel Jesus has been to see Pep Guardiola’s favourite doctor and will be returning ahead of schedule;

— Sánchez really, really, really wants to get out of the Emirates this January.

All of which seems to add up to a possible United move, particularly since Ed Woodward never saw an agents fee he didn’t immediately want to pay.

Of course, transfer stories like this are always less about the content and more about the implication. Is this City actually walking away from a deal, or are they just trying to put the wind up Arsenal and Sánchez’s agent? And are United even really interested? Questions, questions ...

... be funny though, wouldn’t it?