Manchester United are not prepared to part ways with underperforming winger Alexis Sanchez, despite fears that their reluctance to offer David de Gea a similar wage to the Chilean could force him out the exit door at Old Trafford.
Sanchez, who is said to be earning around £400,000-a-week at United, has struggled greatly for form since moving to the club in January 2018. He has recently found himself behind the likes of Marcus Rashford and Anthony Martial in the pecking order at the club, prompting rumours of an imminent departure for the 30-year-old.
Alexis Sánchez has played the full 90 minutes for Man Utd across all competitions just once in 2018/19.
— Squawka Football (@Squawka) March 2, 2019
It was the first game of the season vs. Leicester. 🤕 pic.twitter.com/PiKjQREQ90
However, according to the Evening Standard, club officials remain hopeful that Sanchez can still recover his best form once he moves on from his injury struggles, and they have no intention of allowing him to leave Old Trafford.
Many fans have claimed that Sanchez's performances have not merited such a high salary, and this wage could also prove problematic in their attempts to persuade De Gea to extend his stay with the Red Devils.
The Spaniard, who will be out of contract at the end of next season, is said to be demanding that United make him their highest-earning player, meaning he would need a salary of over £400,000-a-week.
However, United are only prepared to offer £350,000-a-week, which would still make him the world's best-paid goalkeeper, but the two parties are yet to agree on an extension as a result of De Gea's wage demands.
The Red Devils have previously shown no reluctance to part ways with expensive, underperforming players, with both Wayne Rooney and Bastian Schweinsteiger leaving the club in recent years to join Everton and Chicago Fire respectively.
Despite this, they still believe Sanchez has the talent to justify his high salary, and want their new manager to focus his efforts on getting the best out of the Chilean.
A move to a Chinese Super League side has been touted, but United are yet to receive any interest in Sanchez from clubs outside Europe. As a result, they remain committed to the winger, and are ready to accept the consequences of doing so.
Source : 90min