Alexis Sanchez: Manchester United Trapped In The Past

In case you got lost in the mess that is the Lionel Messi transfer rumors, you might have missed the bit about how Manchester United, the vultures that they are, are circling. They are prepared to drop a massive £53 million on Alexis Sanchez, according to the Mirror. I had written this off as jealousy when the rumors first rolled in, but now it looks like something else. It sounds nostalgic.

We here at Pain in the Arsenal recently covered how Arsenal made the transition, or are at least nearing the end of the transition, to being a buying club. It was not long ago that they were still in the midst of paying off the Emirates. Samir Nasri, Bacary Sagna, Robin van Persie and more all took the money and fled to a near rival. It was a rough time to be an Arsenal supporter. But it must be pointed out that through it all, Arsenal stayed relevant. And yes, that does count for something.

Manchester United are stuck in this era. An era where they were still a powerhouse under Sir Alex Ferguson. This was an era where the Red Devils could pull in anyone they wanted to play under Ferguson and an era where Arsenal couldn’t pull anyone in, or at least maintain anyone.

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But that era is over. Arsenal is a proud team with players that have immense pride in what Arsene Wenger is doing there. They believe in his way and they are going to stick to the plan. Plus, Arsenal are not in dire financial straits anymore. Alexis Sanchez and Mesut Ozil are both being coveted by other teams but it really is not worrisome in the least. They are not going anywhere.

Manchester United may have been able to throw big wads of cash at Monaco and at PSV Eindhoven for young talents that they are still waiting to pan out. But you cannot just throw money at Alexis Sanchez and Arsenal and expect similar results. It’s laughable, really. Manchester United has the prestige of their past, but without Sir Alex Ferguson, they have turned into a collection of mercenaries. What made Arsenal’s and Manchester United’s rivalry so special throughout the years was that they were very similar in how they were built.

Nowadays, United run under a different policy: buy, buy and buy. If a guy does not want to come to Manchester, throw more money at him. That doesn’t work with guys like Alexis Sanchez. Alexis Sanchez came to Arsenal, turning down a similar Liverpool paycheck, so as to learn under Arsene Wenger. Louis van Gaal is a great coach, but he sold himself short by announcing that he would retire in 2017. Arsene Wenger is a living legend. The man has been at Arsenal forever and knows the game as well as the best in the business. That is an attractive environment for elite players to come into. Elite players like Alexis Sanchez.

Next: 5 Reasons Lionel Messi Will Never Join Arsenal

If that was not enough to deter a potential move for Alexis Sanchez, think of how Manchester United and Angel Di Maria worked out. The money they spent went for nothing as they only gave him a year to pan out. In that one year, he did not. So they sold him. There is no security there.

As long as Arsenal is doing what they are doing and Manchester United is doing what they are doing, we are not in danger. Alexis Sanchez is here for more than just the money.

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Manchester United Trapped In The Past With Alexis Sanchez Bidding

By Josh Sippie | Nov 17, 2015