Quick Read
- Henrikh Mkhitaryan revealed Mourinho texted him nightly to leave Manchester United after a training ground argument in 2016.
- Mourinho’s messages intensified in January 2018 to facilitate Alexis Sanchez’s transfer from Arsenal.
- Mkhitaryan eventually left for Arsenal, but neither he nor Sanchez found success at their new clubs.
- Later, at Roma, Mkhitaryan and Mourinho reconciled, with Mkhitaryan playing 40 matches and winning the Conference League.
Mkhitaryan Opens Up: The Silent Treatment and Relentless Messages
In the world of football, relationships between coaches and players often shape careers in ways that fans rarely see. Henrikh Mkhitaryan, the Armenian midfielder whose journey has taken him from Dortmund to Manchester, Roma, and Inter, recently peeled back the curtain on his turbulent time at Manchester United under Jose Mourinho. The revelations, shared in his new autobiography, offer a rare glimpse into the emotional battleground that can exist behind the scenes of top-tier clubs.
According to Mkhitaryan, the breakdown began after a heated argument on the training ground in 2016. Mourinho, once a manager celebrated for his tactical brilliance at clubs like Chelsea, Inter Milan, and Real Madrid, had taken the helm at Manchester United with high expectations. But as the months wore on, tension grew. Mkhitaryan recalls, “I told him, you’ve been criticising me for a year-and-a-half now, ever since I arrived at Manchester United. Mourinho told me I was ‘s***’ and I just lost my temper. ‘You are the s***. An enormous one.’ Mou replied: ‘Get out of here, I never want to see you again.’”
What followed was a period of silence at the training ground. Mourinho, according to Mkhitaryan, refused to speak to him directly during sessions. Yet, every evening, the silence was broken—by WhatsApp. “Miki, leave, please,” Mourinho would text, day after day. It was a ritual, one that seemed to underscore the manager’s determination to see the back of his midfielder.
The Alexis Sanchez Saga: A Transfer Twist
In football, transfers can be the ultimate game-changer—not just for clubs, but for the individuals caught in the whirlwind. In January 2018, Manchester United’s interest in Alexis Sanchez from Arsenal added fuel to the fire. Mourinho’s nightly messages took on a new urgency. “Miki, please leave, that way I can get Alexis Sanchez,” he wrote, as the transfer window heated up.
Mkhitaryan, though, held his ground. His replies were measured, almost mechanical. “I will leave if I find the right team, otherwise I’ll wait for the summer.” But as Mourinho’s requests became more pointed, the midfielder’s patience wore thin. “I am not leaving just to do you a favour, and please stop writing to me. If you want, talk to Mino,” he retorted, referencing his agent Mino Raiola. Eventually, the swap deal went through—Mkhitaryan joined Arsenal, Sanchez moved to Manchester. Ironically, neither player found lasting success in their new homes.
A Relationship Revisited: From Manchester to Rome
Football is nothing if not cyclical, and Mkhitaryan’s story with Mourinho didn’t end in Manchester. After moving to Roma, he found himself once again under the Portuguese manager’s tutelage. This time, however, the dynamic shifted. Mourinho, frequently criticized for his confrontational style and high-profile clashes with players, used Mkhitaryan to silence his doubters. The two patched up their differences, and Mkhitaryan became a regular feature in Roma’s lineup—playing 40 matches under Mourinho in the 2021-22 season and helping the club lift the UEFA Europa Conference League trophy.
The irony is striking: the coach who once texted him nightly to leave Manchester now relied on his experience and skill to bolster Roma’s campaign. It’s a testament to football’s unpredictable nature, where professional respect can sometimes outlast personal grievances.
Personal Costs: The Human Side of Professional Football
Mkhitaryan’s account offers more than just a behind-the-scenes narrative; it highlights the psychological toll that these high-stakes relationships can take. While Mourinho’s tactics might have been designed to push a player out, the constant messaging and cold treatment could easily erode confidence and well-being. This isn’t unique to Mkhitaryan. Other figures, like referee Anthony Taylor, have spoken publicly about the effects of Mourinho’s outbursts on their personal lives, underscoring the emotional impact of football’s intense environment (MozzartSportKe).
For Mkhitaryan, the story ends with a sense of professional closure. After his time at Roma, he moved on to Inter Milan—free from the nightly texts, but carrying with him the lessons learned in the crucible of Old Trafford.
Legacy and Lessons: What Does It Mean for Football?
The tale of Mourinho’s persistent texting is more than just a quirky anecdote. It serves as a window into the sometimes harsh realities of elite sport, where communication can be both weapon and lifeline. For coaches, it’s a reminder that persistence can border on harassment. For players, it’s evidence that standing firm, even under pressure, can preserve dignity and autonomy.
As football continues to evolve, stories like Mkhitaryan’s challenge fans to look beyond the headlines and consider the complex human stories that play out in the shadows of the stadium lights.
Mkhitaryan’s journey reveals the power dynamics that exist between managers and players—where words, silence, and persistence can shape careers as much as goals and trophies. In the end, the ability to reconcile and move forward may be as vital as any tactical decision made on the pitch.