The Arsenal contract rebel looks bound for Old Trafford unless Chelsea make a late bid to snatch him from under Jose Mourinho’s nose.

And joining United comes off the back of almost a year of incessant speculation linking Sanchez with a move to their local rivals City.

An Etihad switch would have reunited the Chilean with Guardiola, the man who signed him for Barcelona back in 2011.

However, the latest reports suggest one of the City gaffer’s selection policies pushed Sanchez towards Mourinho’s clutches.

According to the Manchester Evening News, Sanchez had fears about how much he would play at City due to Guardiola’s decision to regularly rotate his attackers.

Guardiola has Sergio Aguero, Gabriel Jesus, Leroy Sane and Raheem Sterling at his disposal, all of whom are capable of playing across the front line.

And Sanchez was apparently hesitant to be added to that rotation having previously shown frustration when taken off or rested at Arsenal.

Sanchez is more than likely to start every game he’s available for at United, with Mourinho having fewer stellar options at his disposal.

And his ability to play in a variety of frontline positions is part of the reason United are prepared to pay more than City for the 29-year-old.

The Red Devils are hoping to offload Henrikh Mkhitaryan to Arsenal in part-exchange for Sanchez.

But the Armenian’s hefty wage demands are currently proving a stumbling block to a deal being pushed through.