Football
Rob Dawson, Correspondent 6y

Mourinho: Man United have 'chance' at Alexis, while Mkhitaryan may exit

MANCHESTER -- Jose Mourinho says Manchester United have "a chance" of signing Alexis Sanchez from Arsenal, while admitting Henrikh Mkhitaryan could leave.

Sanchez has been linked with a move to Old Trafford with Mkhitaryan going the other way. Meanwhile, sources have told ESPN FC that Manchester City have now pulled out of the race for the Chilean.

And asked after the game whether he was confident of signing Sanchez, the United manager would only say he was "relaxed" about the prospect.

Mourinho told a news conference: "Not confident but also not, what is the opposite? Unconfident.

"Just relaxed. We have a feeling he is an Arsenal player, he can stay there but also a feeling he can move and if he moves I think we have a chance, but most probably a player like him has other big clubs interested and who knows.

"I think him, [Arsenal coach Arsene] Wenger, [CEO Ivan] Gazidis, they are the ones who know what is going to happen. I don't know anything about it and I don't have one single information, so let's see what happens."

Sources have told ESPN FC that Arsenal initially asked United to include Anthony Martial in negotiations for Sanchez before being told the Frenchman is not for sale. That has led Arsenal to turn their attention to Mkhitaryan.

And despite Mourinho insisting on Friday the midfielder would be involved against Stoke, the 28-year-old was left in the stands.

Mourinho, who also said Mkhitaryan could still remain with the club, added: "I didn't select him today because I wanted players fully focused and I understand that with so much talk and speculation it is not easy for Mkhitaryan to play at home with this feeling can happen, so I prefer to protect him and the situation.

"If he stays here he is a very good player that season started very, very well and come a little bit down but last season did he amazing things for us, helped us to win the Europa League, being one of the most important players."

Mkhitaryan joined United from Borussia Dortmund in a £26 million move 18 months ago but has started just two of the last 16 games.

Earlier, Mourinho only said he hoped to maintain his squad at its current level when asked by Sky Sports if Mkhitaryan would be involved in a deal for Sanchez.

"I have a squad of 22 players and I want to keep a squad of 22 players," he said.

Mourinho did admit that Axel Tuanzebe could be headed for a loan move this month, saying: "Maybe, just because I want to make the kid a good player, and I'm not giving him the chances I'm giving to Scott McTominay, for example.

"Axel Tuanzebe, because he plays in a position where I have so many players -- today on the bench I had Marcos Rojo and [Victor] Lindelof and Eric Bailly still in recovery -- so I'm not giving chances to Axel.

"So Axel probably is the only one I open the door for him to go and play because I believe he is a really a good player and he needs to play."

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