As fans, we love to speculate about how a player would have fared at another club. We love to consider the what ifs and maybes, but in football nothing is definitive and we can never truly know how different a player’s career would have been somewhere else.
In this scenario, we’re going to look at some Arsenal players, both past and present, that would fit in perfectly at Old Trafford.
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Perhaps it's due to their characteristics, personality or playing style, but these five players seem to resemble figures more suited to Manchester United than Arsenal. So much so, that you could almost vividly imagine them playing under the bright lights of Old Trafford.
Here are 5 Arsenal players who would have been perfect at Manchester United.
#5 Hector Bellerín
For those who watched Manchester United through the entirety of last season, you would have noticed the pattern of Jose Mourinho favouring his right-back in the attacking phase. Antonio Valencia was afforded acres of attacking freedom down the right. With all that freedom, Valencia only mustered 4 assists all season. Hector Bellerín was able to produce the same amount of assists in almost half the game time, with less freedom.
Seeing as Mourinho values the contribution of attacking full-backs so much, Hector Bellerín would be perfect for his philosophy. Bellerín is the youngest and brightest right-back in world football today and under Jose Mourinho, he could learn how to effectively defend in a low-block, something Arsène Wenger doesn’t teach.
#4 Ashley Cole
Ashley Cole or Cashley Cole as many seem to call him is one of the best full-backs England has ever seen. Despite a few twists and turns at Old Trafford against Cristiano Ronaldo, Cole has been heralded as the epitome of defending in England. He would have taken to Ferguson’s high octane style of play at the Theatre of Dreams like a fish takes to water.
For all the great teams that have been assembled at Old Trafford, none of them truly had a world-class left-back. Patrice Evra was the closest Ferguson got to playing one, now imagine how dominant United would have been if you add Ashley Cole to the mix.
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The left-back was one of the first defenders to perfectly maintain the balance between supporting the attack and retaining defensive responsibilities. He was a model footballer and one of the left-backs that created the blueprint for the modern game.
#3 Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain
Raw pace, power and tenacity, Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain possesses everything a player at Manchester United should. Chamberlain embodies the principles of winning at all costs that Sir Alex Ferguson instilled into the club. As the Englishman is versatile in terms of playing positions, the Ox could fit it anywhere Jose Mourinho decided to play him.
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As a central midfielder he’s direct and powerful through the middle, on the wing he can go past players with ease whilst delivering quality crosses, as a full-back he’s unbeatable in 1v1 situations due to his pace. He’s a player that Jose Mourinho has expressed an admiration for in the past, thus the making match even more appealing.
#2 Alexis Sánchez
As the Chilean contemplates over his Arsenal future, it’d be remiss of us not to consider how the 28-year old would fare in a Manchester United shirt. As the man who carried Arsenal through their darkest times last season, Alexis Sánchez’s stock in world football has risen immensely. He’s no longer a supporting act to Lionel Messi, he’s the main man of a global franchise.
At Manchester United, Alexis Sánchez could have become the winner he’s always wanted to be. His hard-working style would have been a hit under Sir Alex and Jose Mourinho, and with the two managers’ winning mentality, he could possibly have won more silverware than just the FA Cups he has managed at Arsenal.
#1 Thierry Henry
Thierry Henry is the player that every top manager of recent times wishes they’d spotted earlier. Sir Alex has gone on record many a time to vent his anguish at not signing the Frenchman, because, in reality, Henry would have been perfect for the Red Devils. The striker’s pace, versatility and eye for goal would have done wonders in a team alongside Cristiano Ronaldo and Wayne Rooney.
Imagine that front three with Thierry Henry instead of Carlos Tevez? That’s a quadruple-winning team. The best striker to ever grace the Premier League alongside the best winger and best Englishman ever would have created memories to last a lifetime.
