Alexis Sanchez was the hottest property in the Premier League when he moved to Manchester United in January 2018.
Eighteen months later, he has proved to be a costly mistake, not only failing to deliver on the pitch but his contract is a ticking time-bomb under Old Trafford.
No-one should forget that Sanchez was seen as a world-class talent on arrival.
He’d been a superstar at Arsenal, and Manchester City boss Pep Guardiola had been desperate for a reunion with a player he’d managed at Barcelona.
Sanchez was seen as a marquee signing — one United were using as a statement, to put two fingers up to “noisy neighbours” City and prove they could still attract the biggest names and talent.
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(Image: alexis_officia1/Instagram)
But two City titles and no United trophies of any kind later, the Reds have ended up with a past-his-best striker, who scored just one Premier League goal all season and has lost his way as well as his place in their team.
As disappointing as his play has been though, perhaps the most damaging aspect of Sanchez’s transfer has been the effect it has had on the rest of the dressing room.
United paid over the odds for a man whose contract was six months away from expiring, they had to give him a massive deal — and his £500,000-a-week wages have had a hugely destabilising effect on his team-mates, and the club.
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(Image: Action Images via Reuters)
Sanchez is the biggest earner at United and the rest of the players want parity — David de Gea has stalled on re-signing because he wants wages in the same ball-park having contributed far more to the cause than the Chilean.
It has been a similar story for other players, with demands for the same money as Sanchez as soon as negotiations begin.
The contract furore also seems to have affected De Gea’s form. He has lost his focus and is no longer widely accepted as the best keeper in the world.
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(Image: Getty Images)
Sanchez, now 30, was renowned at Arsenal for his incredible work rate, spectacular goals and never-say-die spirit on the pitch. He epitomised the South American style of striker, and the hunger and desire were there for all to see.
But he seems to have lost that part of his game amid all the cash.
There were warning signs at Arsenal, with talk of him being a diva, hard to manage — and also losing his motivation after Chile failed to qualify for last summer’s World Cup.
Everyone was convinced a fresh start at United would relight his fire but it did not pan out like that and he looks a pale shadow of his old self.
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(Image: AFP/Getty Images)
Sanchez this week apologised to United fans on the back of a poor season and, in a rabble-rousing post on social media, insisted they would return to the sort of glory days enjoyed under Sir Alex Ferguson.
But the steady stream of silverware in Fergie’s heyday seems a long way off with current manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer struggling to get the best out of Sanchez just as Jose Mourinho did before him.
However, Sanchez seems to symbolise everything wrong with United now as an overpaid, underperforming superstar who does not look capable of getting the club back to former glories.
In fact, United probably cannot go forward until they start getting players like Sanchez off the books which is why they will have to be ready to take a financial hit on him.