Mourinho’s turbulent Manchester United spell included bitter fallout with Mkhitaryan

One of Jose Mourinho’s most turbulent spells in England included a silent war inside the dressing room — and a player who felt pushed out to make room for a star signing.

A relationship marked by tension

Jose Mourinho’s time at Manchester United was never short on controversy. Among the most explosive episodes was his fractured relationship with Henrikh Mkhitaryan, a player the Portuguese manager reportedly never wanted as part of his long-term plans.

At the same time, Alexis Sánchez was shining at Arsenal, emerging as Mourinho’s primary target. The Chilean forward became the obsession, and Mkhitaryan — according to his own account — quickly turned into an obstacle.

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Alexis Sánchez enters the equation

By January, Mourinho’s message became more direct.

“That’s when it changed to: ‘Miki, please leave so I can sign Alexis,’” Mkhitaryan writes.

This time, the midfielder pushed back harder, making it clear he would not sacrifice his career simply to satisfy his manager.

“I told him I wouldn’t leave just to please him and asked him to stop messaging me. I told him to speak with Mino Raiola instead.”

A swap deal that changed everything

In January 2018, the standoff came to an end. Mkhitaryan left Manchester United to join Arsenal, while Alexis Sánchez moved to Old Trafford in a high-profile swap deal.

Despite the excitement surrounding Sánchez’s arrival — especially given his status as one of South America’s biggest stars — his spell in northwest England proved inconsistent, ultimately becoming one of the most uneven chapters of his career.