The Alexis Sanchez transfer show can finally be put to bed as Manchester United have officially signed the striker from Arsenal.
A move to Manchester City was on the cards this transfer window after the Gunners rejected Pep Guardiola’s £55 million bid for the Chilean last August, but City’s unwillingness to meet Arsenal’s asking price this time around meant the proposed move fell through.
The move sees Henrikh Mkhitaryan move to north London in exchange for Sanchez, who will bolster the Red Devils' front line as they look to claim second place in the Premier League.
Red Devils to finish second?
The league has all-but been wrapped up by current leaders Manchester City, as evidenced by their 1/2500 (1.00) price on dabblebet to come top, but the online bookmaker offers a tasty evens (2.00) that Jose Mourinho can lead his side to second place, cut from the7/4 (2.75) price they were this time last week - although the Red Devils' 1-0 win at Burnley and Liverpool's 1-0 loss at Swansea City also influenced the market.
Although United have scored 49 goals this season, the fourth-most in the league, the Old Trafford faithful will have been expecting more when Romelu Lukaku was signed for £75 million at the start of the campaign.
Sanchez’s seven goals this term make him the Red Devils second-top scorer behind the Belgium international and dabblebet offer 80/1 (81.0) that the South American takes the Premier League Golden Boot for the first time in his career, although he has some way to go to catch up with Harry Kane’s 21.
Champions League Odds
dabblebet
One of the main draws of signing Sanchez for Manchester United will have been the fact that he is not cup-tied due to Arsenal’s involvement in the Europa League, and a testing Round of 16 tie against Sevilla has suddenly been made a slightly easier task for Mourinho.
The Red Devils are 11/8 (2.38) to take a first-leg lead back to Old Trafford when the sides meet in Spain on 21 February, and are clearly the bookies' favourites to reach the quarter-finals at just 2/5 (1.40) .
United are currently 14/1 (15.0) to win their fourth European Cup - exactly 50 years after lifting their first - which would make them the first team since Porto in 2004 to win the Europa League followed by the Champions League the next season.
The final piece of silverware on offer is the FA Cup – a trophy which the Red Devils are very familiar with, having lifted it 12 times and most recently in 2016 – and the oldest football competition in the world represents an excellent chance for Jose’s men as they travel to League Two Yeovil Town in the fourth round making the 5/1 (6.0) price to win it all at Wembley on May 19 is tempting.
dabblebet
