Jose Mourinho on Alexis Sanchez Transfer: 'We Are There ... But it Is Not Done'
Manchester United manager Jose Mourinho has spoken on the ongoing Alexis Sanchez, confirming that the Old Trafford club are, as expected, trying to sign the player from Arsenal, but equally declaring that a deal is 'not done' as yet.
It had been hoped that the proposed swap with Henrikh Mkhitaryan would be finalized before 12 p.m. on Friday, the registration deadline for the pair to be eligible to play for the their new clubs in the Premier League this weekend.
But when Mkhitaryan was spotted arriving for training at United's Carrington facilities earlier in the day, it was clear that things weren't quite so close to being signed off.
"I think clearly everybody knows that we are there, and especially when the Arsenal manager speaks so clearly like he did there is no point in trying to hide or deny," Mourinho explained to the media on Friday afternoon, referring to Arsene Wenger's comments a day earlier.
"But it is not done at all," he added.
"In this moment Mkhitaryan is our player, Sanchez is an Arsenal player. With a match tomorrow I want to switch off and focus on the most important thing, which is the match."
No conclusion is now expected until early week. And Mourinho, who confirmed that Mkhitaryan will not be selected for United's trip to Burnley, further commented that he did not know what the specific delay is as it is not his area of expertise.
"Sometimes people think transfers involve the managers a lot in the negotiations," the United boss is quoted as saying by Sky Sports as he explained his particular role in transfers.
"I will just be calmly waiting for news. No more than that. My involvement in the situation is just to say the reasons why I would like to have the player and no more than that. I'm out."
