Manchester United forward Alexis Sanchez is struggling at Inter Milan this season. The Chilean international joined the Italian club on a season-long loan from United in the summer.
Alexis Sanchez Faces Crucial Period at Inter Milan
There is an option for Inter to buy Sanchez at the end of the season. But boss Antonio Conte is unsure about making a permanent move for the 31-year-old. It seems likely that Inter will only purchase if he improves his form in the final third of the season, or for a lower asking price from United.
Sanchez faces an important end to the season. He needs to impress both United and Inter to gain first-team football next season.
Difficult Season at Inter
Since his arrival in Milan, Sanchez struggled with injuries. In October, he suffered an ankle tendon injury which kept him sidelined until January.
This limited the Chilean’s playing time and he only featured 13 times for Inter this season. He scored just one goal and made three assists.
The winger only completed 90 minutes once, in the 2-0 win over Ludogorets in the Europa League last week. With only four starts all season, Sanchez seems to be out of favour under Conte, even when fit.
Not Suited for Conte’s System
Longer-term, it’s difficult to see how Sanchez will fit into Conte’s preferred 3-5-2 formation. Sanchez is unlikely to feature at wing-back as Antonio Candreva, Ashley Young and Cristiano Biraghi offer more suitable options.
Sanchez plays upfront when selected. But with Romelu Lukaku and Lautaro Martínez leading the line effectively with 28 goals between them this season, Sanchez would struggle to break into the starting line-up.
He may be considered as a back-up by Conte, which would explain the option of offering a lower price to United.
A Second Chance at United
Ole Gunnar Solskjaer said recently that he wants Sanchez to be successful on his return to Manchester United next season.
With limited attacking options and Marcus Rashford‘s back injury keeping him out long term, Solskjaer would certainly welcome Sanchez’s experience.
But if his form continues to dip, the Chilean forward could find himself out of favour with both United and Inter by the end of the season.
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