Manchester United could be paying close to £180m in total for Alexis Sanchez by the end of his contract, as the Old Trafford club edge ever closer to a swap deal involving Arsenal and Henrikh Mkhitaryan.
According to the Telegraph his pre-tax wages will reach approximately £490,000 for four and a half years (just under £27m-a-year before tax) added to the £30m transfer fee, agent fees of a £10m and a signing-on fee of £29m. That totals up to just under £180m.
While Sanchez’s deal is agreed, the final bit of haggling is over Mkhitaryan and whether Arsenal will use one of their ‘high-earner’ slots for him which Sanchez is vacating. The 28-year-old earns £180,000-a-week at Old Trafford, but Arsene Wenger on Thursday insisted “the wages will not be a problem” for Arsenal.
United and Arsenal are both expecting to showcase the fruits of their laborious swap deal this weekend as both Sanchez and Mkhitaryan should make their respective debuts, providing there are no last-minute hiccups.
Borussia Dortmund pulling out of the chase for the Armenian coupled with a late change of heart has seen the complicated transfer accelerate over the last 24 hours so much so that both clubs are confident of debuts on Saturday.
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The Independent reported on Wednesday that sources around the Bundesliga club admitted that there was now “nearly 0 per cent” chance of their former player returning to the Westfalonstadion.
United travel to Burnley on Saturday so Sanchez would have to wait for his home debut, but Arsenal host Crystal Palace at the same time meaning the Emirates will see Mkhitaryan immediately.
The Chiliean will wear the No 7 shirt at Old Trafford once he is unveiled by the club after Wenger admitted the deal was now “likely to happen”.
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