I wanted to rip up my contract and go back to Arsenal after my Manchester United transfer

Some of the greatest players in history have donned Manchester United’s iconic number 7 shirt. It has been the source of some annoyance in recent years.

Mourinho with Sanchez

At Manchester United, there’s a lot riding on the number 7 shirt. Football legends like Eric Cantona, Cristiano Ronaldo, and George Best have all worn it.

But recently, there have been some annoyances related to this well-known shirt. Because of the high transfer fees and subpar performances from those who have worn it, some fans even refer to it as the “number 7 curse” at United. The most recent player to don the shirt is Mason Mount, but his career has started slowly because of injuries.

Before continuing, a lot of players have encountered comparable difficulties with the number 7 shirt.

2014 transfer Angel Di Maria instilled optimism at Old Trafford. He was the big summer signing, having shone in the World Cup and Champions League finals. He had a fantastic debut for United, scoring a memorable goal against Leicester. But his early success was short-lived. Conflicts with then-manager Louis van Gaal and a decline in performance caused him to leave for PSG in 2015.

For £25 million, Memphis Depay, a young player with promise, moved from PSV to Manchester United. It appeared that he would control the left wing at Old Trafford at the age of just 21 following Di Maria’s departure. It appeared like a perfect fit because of his close relationship with United manager Van Gaal and fellow Dutchman. He got off to a great start, particularly in the Champions League play-off match against Club Brugge. But his performances declined as fall gave way to winter.

David De Gea’s unsuccessful header attempt against Stoke City summed up a difficult period for both him and the team. Jose Mourinho took over in 2016, and Depay had trouble getting into the game. After 53 games and seven goals, he moved to Lyon in January 2017 for a reported fee of £16–17 million, with add-ons potentially pushing that amount to £22 million.

Fans were thrilled to see Alexis Sanchez unveiled at United in January 2018. Some may argue that his piano performance in the United strip was one of his best ever, but it remains a memorable moment. Sanchez sadly caused disappointment later on after winning 3-2 against Manchester City in an exciting match that turned heads.

In 2019, he moved to Inter Milan after his poor second season, which resulted in Mourinho’s dismissal and only five goals in 45 appearances. Later on, Sanchez admitted, saying, “I realized a lot of things.” I told my family and my agent, “Can I not rip up my contract and go back to Arsenal?” after my first training session.