Alexis: Henry didn't tell me to leave Arsenal & one day he should manage them!

Alexis Sanchez has denied that Thierry Henry told him to leave Arsenal for Manchester United, and insists that the Frenchman should one day manage the club.

The 29-year-old completed his move to Old Trafford earlier this week, with Armenia international Henrikh Mkhitaryan moving the other way.

Upon making his move, the Chile international wrote an Instagram post, mentioning the Gunners icon.

"I remember today, a conversation I had with Henry, a historic Arsenal player, who changed club for the same reason and today is my turn," he said.

Both Henry and Alexis, however, have now denied that the Frenchman had any say over the player's decision to quit Arsene Wenger's side.

Alexis wrote on Twitter: "I want to clarify that Henry never told me to leave the club, it was a personal decision. He LOVES the club and someday it would be nice to see him as the Arsenal coach because he loves the club."

Henry, meanwhile, wrote: "I know I don’t need to explain this to the majority of Arsenal fans but contrary to speculation at no time did I tell Alexis Sanchez to leave Arsenal.

"I had no idea he was going to sign for Man Utd until I saw it on the news like the rest of you."

Alexis has explained that a need to feel "loved" was behind his move to United, having spent the majority of the past year being linked with Manchester City prior to the Red Devils.

"He indicated it is important for the club for me to be here," Sanchez told MUTV. 

"I also believe that the club itself cared about me joining, and I got the impression that they were keen for me to come here and wear the number seven shirt.

"I think that also gets through to the player. Players sometimes need to feel important and loved by the club.

"That was one of the things that attracted me to come here, along with the manager, who is a person who won everything in Italy, the same as he did in Spain, and he's a manager who likes to win."