Manchester United stars leave the Lowry Hotel for Burnley clash... but there's no sign of Henrikh Mkhitaryan as his Arsenal move nears completion
- Manchester United face Burnley in the Premier League on Saturday afternoon
- Henrikh Mkhitaryan did not leave the team hotel to travel with the squad
- The Armenia international's move to Arsenal appears to be nearing completion
- Alexis Sanchez is poised to move the other way in a deal worth £35million
Henrikh Mkhitaryan was a notable absentee when Manchester United left the Lowry Hotel to travel to Turf Moor on Saturday afternoon.
The final details of Mkhitaryan's proposed move to Arsenal were bashed out on Friday, paving the way for Alexis Sanchez to make a £35million move the other way.
Boss Jose Mourinho made no attempt to hide the fact a deal was in the offing between the two clubs in his press conference ahead of the Burnley clash.
Manchester United left their HQ, the Lowry Hotel, to travel to Burnley on Saturday afternoon
Stars Paul Pogba and Chris Smalling left with the squad but there was a notable absentee
‘I think clearly everybody knows that we are there,' said the United manager of the deal. 'Especially when the Arsenal manager speaks so clearly like he did, there is no point in trying to hide or deny but not done at all.
‘So in this moment, Mkhitaryan is our player, Sanchez is an Arsenal player and with a match tomorrow I want to switch off and focus on the most important thing, which is the match.
‘Sometimes people thinks transfers involve a lot the managers in the negotiations. I think it depends on the profile of the club, the way we establish our jobs. In my case, when it goes to the table of negotiations, I like to be out. I am out and I will just calmly waiting for news, no more than that.'
Midfielder Nemanja Matic and goalkeeper Joel Pereira stride out of their Manchester HQ
Marcus Rashford and Victor Lindelof were there, but there was no sign of Henrikh Mkhitaryan
Juan Mata and Sergio Romero head to Burnley to prepare for life after Mkhitaryan
That news is expected to come within the next 24 hours, with London-bound Mkhitaryan omitted from United's squad for the Turf Moor clash.
Gunners boss Arsene Wenger was giving serious consideration to including Sanchez in his match-day squad to face Crystal Palace on Saturday after Danny Welbeck sustained an injury in training on Thursday.
But after being informed a breakthrough had been made between the clubs, Sanchez said goodbye to both players and staff ahead his move north.
Mourinho was adamant the cloud surrounding the two transfers would not derail his preparations to play Burnley.
With the Mkhitaryan leg of the deal now mostly wrapped up, it will be one less thing off the Portuguese's mind.
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