Manchester United forward Alexis Sanchez to make 11-hour flight to US and go straight into squad for San Jose Earthquakes
Chilean superstar will have MLS outfit quaking in the boots after sorting out his visa issues
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ALEXIS SANCHEZ will make an 11-hour flight to the States today and go straight into the Manchester United team for Sunday’s game with San Jose Earthquakes.
The Chilean's arrival on tour has been delayed due to visa problems and he missed the opener against Club America.
But now they have been sorted out manager Jose Mourinho says he will waste no time in putting the 29-year-old into the team for the game in Santa Clara on Sunday.
He is worried that he is missing so many players due to their World Cup exertions and is desperate to get Sanchez working in tandem with Anthony Martial and Juan Mata out here to get an understanding for the start of the season.
Mourinho said: “It is not about when he can, but when he has to.
“We have no players and especially in attack we have no players. Today it was Martial and when Martial left the pitch was Mata and when Mata went to the sides it was a kid that who trained with us for the first time in this pre-season.
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"No Lukaku, no Rashford, not here and they probably won’t start the Premier League.
“So it is about when Alexis lands and when he lands he has to play because he trained with us five days before we depart to Los Angeles and we left one fitness coach behind with him.
“It is individual training and when he arrives he has to play. If he's coming he has to play.”
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Meanwhile, Mourinho says Antonio Valencia will be his club captain for the coming season.
Michael Carrick officially was skipper last season although he hardly played while on the pitch the armband was shared around with Valencia usually wearing it.
Mourinho said: “The captain was Valencia last season, I think he's going to be the captain and when he doesn't play we have to make decisions.
“It depends on who is on the pitch, if Chris Smalling is, if Ashley Young is, if Ander Herrera is or Juan Mata is.
“If they are on the pitch we have an option.
“Nemanja Matic has all the attributes to be Manchester United captain as well but he arrived only one year ago.
“But I never care much about the captaincy, I care more about the life in the dressing room and the leaders. The armband means what it means.”