Arsenal legend Robert Pires has said he cannot understand why Alexis Sanchez is being allowed to join rivals Manchester United, adding that he believes the player wanted to stay.
Pires, an Arsenal ambassador, spoke out with Sanchez expected to complete his move in the next 24 hours, with Henrikh Mkhitaryan coming the other way.
"In my opinion, Alexis wanted to stay at Arsenal," he told La Tercera newspaper.
"I haven't spoken to him, but from what I see and feel he was doing very well in London, very well at Arsenal. What Alexis wanted was for Arsenal to spend money on players. That is my opinion and maybe I'm wrong.
"I know that if I have a player like Sanchez, the first thing I do is to renew his contract. Then I would buy players to make a better team and try to win the league.
"What I don't understand is that a team like Arsenal allows their best men to sign for a rival side."
http://www.espn.com/soccer/soccer-transfers/story/3356836/alexis-sanchez-wanted-to-stay-at-arsenal-but-will-be-united-hit-pires