Ben Guest
Inter Milan are keen on keeping on-loan Manchester United winger Alexis Sanchez at the club on a permanent basis, though it is being reported that a deal could rely on the Red Devils handing their hugely expensive flop a pay-off.
Hopes were high that Sanchez could help spark Manchester United‘s revival when he joined from Arsenal in January 2018, though his time at Old Trafford has been wildly underwhelming, scoring just five goals in 45 outings for the Red Devils.
His form saw him swap Manchester for Milan last summer, joining Antonio Conte’s Inter side on a season-long loan, and despite early struggles which saw him miss three months of the season with an ankle injury, he has recently shown signs of improvement.
The Chilean has scored three goals and provided seven assists in 13 appearances since Serie A’s restart last month, form which has seen Inter decide that they would like to keep the 31-year-old at the club on a permanent basis.
However, according to the Telegraph, Milan’s desire to sign Sanchez ‘could hinge on Manchester United’s willingness to give their misfit striker a pay-off’.
Sanchez is due to return to United on August 7 following the conclusion of the Italian domestic season, but crucially, it is before the onset of the Europa League’s World Cup style finale in Germany next month, a tournament in which both sides are still involved and could still face each other in the final.
The Premier League side are keen to get Sanchez’s £400,000-a-week wages off the books, though they are currently subsidising his salary to the tune of £175,000-a-week during his time at the San Siro.
While the report says there is a ‘willingness’ from all parties to do a deal, it could depend on Sanchez’s openness to taking a wage cut to fit into the Inter’s wage structure, with top earner Romelu Lukaku earning £250,000-a-week.
If the forward wants to keep hold of the money, United could end up having to hand him a pay-off to cover the difference, Sanchez still having two years remaining on his current deal at Old Trafford.
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