Alexis Sanchez narrowly avoids bizarre injury before completing Marseille deal
FT Desk
- 10 Aug 2022 10:00 BST
- 3 min read
Alexis Sanchez is about to complete his free transfer to Marseille from Inter Milan, but his career in France was inches away from being over before it started.
Former Barcelona and Arsenal star Alexis is in Marseille after this week terminating his contract with Inter, and he was presented to the fans on Tuesday.
Marseille are nine-time French champions and arguably have the most passionate fans in Ligue 1. Hundreds of them turned up at Marseille Provence Airport to welcome the Chilean forward, but things nearly went wrong.
Alexis greeted the fans holding up his new No.70 jersey, but he then missed the canister of a smoke bomb by matter of inches as he was running past the fans' barricades. A little less luck and the 33-year-old would surely have rolled his ankle.
J’espère qu’il sait pas blesser .. 😅 #TeamOM pic.twitter.com/pkzLt4MqIy
— MougMoug’Zer 🤷🏽♂️🇩🇿 (@ChaouchiYanis) August 9, 2022
Alexis will undergo his Marseille medical on Wednesday, and from the looks of things will have gotten away with his near miss at the airport.
Does Alexis still have it?
From promising player with Udinese to world-class operator with Barca and Arsenal - as well as a two-time Copa America winner with Chile - Alexis's career went off the rails following his move to Manchester United in 2018.
Sanchez only scored five goals in 45 appearances with the Red Devils before being shipped off to Inter, initially on loan, in 2019.
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He has recovered his career to some degree in Italy, though, and had 14 goal involvements from 30 games as Inter lifted the Serie A title in 2020/21.
The move to Marseille will also give Alexis the chance to add to his 13 goals and 16 assists in the Champions League.
Sanchez could make his debut against Brest on Saturday. His arrival could prove particularly timely with Bayern Munich the latest to be credited with an interest in Konrad De La Fuente.
