Alexis Sanchez handed the famous number 7 shirt after completing move from Arsenal to Manchester United
United announced that the 29-year-old will move to Old Trafford from Arsenal on a four-and-a-half year deal, worth around £14m-a-year
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Your support makes all the difference.Alexis Sanchez is now officially a Manchester United player – and the club have announced that their new signing will wear the famous number 7 shirt.
United today announced that the 29-year-old will move to Old Trafford from Arsenal on a four-and-a-half year deal, worth around £14m-a-year.
Henrikh Mkhitaryan moves in the opposite direction after moving to United from Borussia Dortmund in the summer of 2016.
Sanchez, who is in line to make his Manchester United debut against Yeovil Town in the FA Cup on Friday, has been handed the iconic number 7 shirt, which has weighed heavily on a series of star players since the club sold Cristiano Ronaldo to Real Madrid nine years ago.
Michael Owen took the shirt after Ronaldo’s departure, but scored only five Premier League goals in three seasons at the club and eventually departed for Stoke.
Antonio Valencia was the next player to wear the famous shirt, but struggled with the extra pressure that came with wearing the number 7. After his first season was plagued by poor form and injuries, he decided to vacate one of the most illustrious shirts in football and revert to the number 25 instead.
After Valencia, United handed the jersey to £59.7m new signing Angel Di Maria. But the Argentinian failed to make the grade and departed for Paris Saint-Germain after just one season at Old Trafford.
The last player to wear the shirt was Dutch winger Memphis Depay, who arguably struggled more than any of his predecessors.
Despite arriving at United amid much excitement, the young forward struggled to adjust to the Premier League and soon left for Lyon.
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