Cape Town - Manchester United manager Jose Mourinho aimed a dig at Pep Guardiola by slamming Manchester City's sour grapes after beating their rivals to the signature of Alexis Sanchez.

According to a MailOnline report, Mourinho denied that Sanchez's decision to choose the red half of Manchester over their rivals was motivated by money.

The 29-year-old Chile striker, who came close to joining City last summer, signed what is believed to be a four-and-a-half-year contract that will make him the highest-paid player in the Premier League.

It has been widely reported that Sanchez will earn a pre-tax salary of £500 000 a week at Old Trafford.'You go and analyse the numbers and Manchester City spent more money than us. Chelsea spent more money than us. Even Everton spent more money than us. I don't think that's the problem.

"Alexis could go everywhere. He had lots of choices. He decided to come here and you have to ask him why."

Mourinho added that City were using money as an excuse for missing out on their long-time target who had 'one-and-a-half foot in the door at City'.

"Alexis reminds me a little bit of a metaphor," he said. "When you see the tree with amazing oranges at the top of the tree and cannot get there, you say: "Oh, I got the lower ones because I don't like the ones at the top"."

"You like the ones at the top. They are so nice, so orange, so round, so full of juice, but you cannot get there so you say: "I don't want to go there" or "I didn't like it, I prefer the other one". It reminds me of that story."

"Honestly, I think it was fair," said Mourinho.

"I cannot say that it was expensive because it wasn't. I cannot say it was cheap because if you add all the values of his contract, it's not also cheap.

"But I think it's a very good deal for us and the player has a fantastic contract. It's a contract according to his qualities as a player and according to the situation - no transfer fee.

"How much would Alexis Sanchez cost in normal transfer, club to club, as a player with two or three years on his contract? We look at the numbers now and I would say roughly between £100-150m.

"So you put things in perspective. You go to the numbers that the club didn't pay on the transfer.

"I know he has a big passion for football. I know he wanted to play in a different club, for his reasons he wanted to leave Arsenal. Obviously, he wanted to be paid according to his quality."

The Portuguese tactician signed a contract extension that will keep him at Old Trafford until at least 2020, the club said Thursday, putting an end to rumours he is unhappy at Old Trafford.