Henrikh Mkhitaryan has revealed the harrowing experience of working with Jose Mourinho at Manchester United in his new autobiography, La mia vita sempre al centro (My Life Always at the Centre).
The Armenian footballer has highlighted that their relationship between 2016 and 2018 was unbearable.
“I told him that you have been criticising me for a year and a half, since I arrived at Manchester United,” Mkhitaryan wrote in his book.
Mkhitaryan wrote that Mourinho then called him a scoundrel, to which he responded.
“Mourinho said that I was a scoundrel, and I just lost my temper and said, ‘You are the scoundrel.’ He (Mourinho) said, ‘Get out of here, I never want to see you again,’” the Armenian footballer wrote.
During training, the coach did not speak to Mkhitaryan, maintaining a long silence, but every evening he sent a WhatsApp message: “Mickey, leave, please.”
“The situation had become unbearable. I gave the same copied answer every time: I will leave if I find a suitable team, otherwise I will wait until the summer. In mid-January, the text changed slightly: “Mickey, please leave so that I can bring Alexis Sanchez,” the Armenian footballer wrote.
According to him, Mino Raiola was working on this exchange with Arsenal. So his answer also changed under these circumstances: “I am not leaving just to please you, and please stop writing to me. If you want, talk to Mino.”
The exchange finally took place: Alexis Sanchez came to Manchester United, and Mkhitaryan continued his performances for Arsenal, representing the Premier League.
“And everyone lived happily ever after,” the Armenian footballer wrote sarcastically in his book.
