Manchester United's bid to bring Arsenal's Alexis Sanchez to Old Trafford hinges on Henrikh Mkhitaryan moving in the opposite direction, according to the Armenian's agent.
United boss Jose Mourinho admitted on Monday night that his side "have a chance" to sign Sanchez in this window, with previous suitors Manchester City understood to have now exited the race for the 29-year-old due to the cost involved.
There has been speculation Mkhitaryan will be offered as a makeweight from United to land Sanchez, and Mourinho left the playmaker out of the squad to face Stoke on Monday due to "doubts about his future".
Mkhitaryan's agent Mino Raiola has now claimed that Sanchez's transfer to United is reliant on his client joining Arsenal as part of the deal.
"Manchester United are not going to sign Sanchez unless Mkhi agrees to join Arsenal," Raiola told The Times.
"Mkhi is going to do what is best for him. He has two and a half years left on his contract so it's his decision.
"Sanchez is part of the Mkhi deal, not the other way around."
Mourinho refused to be drawn too much on the subject of the 29-year-old after his side's 3-0 win over Stoke but says there is "a chance" he could end up at Old Trafford.
When asked how confident he was of being able to bring Sanchez in this month, Mourinho said: "Not confident, but also not unconfident.
"Just relaxed, and with the feeling that he is an Arsenal player, with the feeling that he can stay there, but also with the feeling that he can move, and if he moves, I think we have a chance.
"I think most probably a player like him has other big clubs interested. Who knows?
"I think him, (Arsenal manager Arsene) Wenger, (Arsenal chief executive Ivan) Gazidis - I think they are the ones that know really what is going to happen."
