Manchester United are reportedly “concerned” about Alexis Sanchez.
When he joined from Arsenal in January, Sanchez was expected to be the missing piece in Jose Mourinho’s team, the world-class player who would help United challenge for the Champions League this season and the Premier League next year. The Chilean was supposed to be the anti-Henrikh Mkhitaryan, who was shipped off to Arsenal as part of the swap deal after failing to thrive within Mourinho’s side.
However, it hasn’t worked out so far for Sanchez at Old Trafford. The forward has scored just one goal so far and has largely struggled to make an impact. He was anonymous during the team’s defeat to Sevilla in the Champions League and played as though his teammates were strangers.
"When I learned that he was going to join United I said, 'Oh, f****** hell, no, now this guy's going to be here'" https://t.co/53oYxsyEJD
— FootballJOE (@FootballJOE) March 20, 2018
There’s still plenty of time for Sanchez to show his best form at United, but according to a report in The Daily Mail, there are “concerns” behind the scenes about the player.
The report claims that:
- Sanchez has a reputation for being “single-minded and sullen”.
- He seems “unhappy” and is an “isolated figure” at the club.
- Apparently, he “often eats alone in the canteen” – (which doesn’t seem like enough to cause a club to regret signing a player).
- United are worried that Sanchez’s transfer could become “a repeat of the Angel Di Maria fiasco.” The Argentine winger was a big-money signing for the club in 2014, but lasted just one season and never settled at Old Trafford before leaving for Paris Saint-Germain.
This shows how much he has struggled https://t.co/GNgX95GyTx
— FootballJOE (@FootballJOE) March 14, 2018
There have also been reports that United are worried that Sanchez’s incredible wages – worth a reported £350,000 a week – will eat into the club’s profits and upset dressing-room harmony. While, on the pitch, the team still seem unsure about how to get the most from the player. These issues seem a lot more pressing to the club than Sanchez eating lunch alone.
The former Barcelona forward was reportedly distant from his teammates at Arsenal, and he has just joined a new club and moved to a new city. So, it shouldn’t be a surprise if it is true that he prefers his own company at the moment.
