ARSENAL legend Paul Merson believes Alexis Sanchez can still become a star at Manchester United.
The Chilean has flopped massively at Old Trafford since his move from the Gunners in 2018.
Sanchez, 31, was shipped out on loan to Inter Milan this season but injuries and a lack of form has limited him to just two league starts.
Boss Ole Gunnar Solskjaer has been determined to let him leave on a permanent basis but are struggling to find a buyer.
His whopping £505,000-a-week wages remain the biggest stumbling block with two years still left on his contract.
And with Sanchez returning to Manchester once the Serie A season finally comes to an end, Merson believes he can still be at the forefront of Solskjaer’s plans for these three reasons.
Financial impact of coronavirus
With a lack of revenue and fixtures, clubs won’t have the cash available to push on with their transfer plans.
The likes of Jadon Sancho and Jack Grealish have been heavily linked with a switch to Manchester when the market finally opens.
But United may be forced to shelve plans for another year, according to Merson.
He told Sky Sports: “With what is currently going on, I cannot see a team going out and spending £100m on a player anymore.
“Teams are going to have to stick with what they have got so Manchester United keeping hold of Alexis Sanchez and bringing him back into the fold would come as no surprise.
“The other options would be to go and find a replacement and they would have to spend £60m or £70m to do it. I just don’t think clubs are going to do that anymore, and actually, I do not think people care.
“The clubs cannot ask the government to pay the wages of their staff and then once this has passed, and hopefully it will, go and spend £60m, £70m and even £80m on players. That’s taking the mick at the highest level!
“For that reason, I can understand Sanchez coming back to play a part at Old Trafford because, on his day, he is a great player.”
Still has the quality
Sanchez was once one of the Premier League’s most feared forwards when he was playing for Arsenal.
During the 2016/17 campaign, he scored 24 goals in 38 league appearances and assisted ten.
And Merson thinks he can replicate his form if given the opportunity.
He added: “After this, people are going to appreciate things a lot more now – and that includes some of the footballers who get bundles of money and think they can just stroll through.
“Sanchez was one of those players, but I think he will probably now think this life goes very quickly, especially a football career.
“Players might start to appreciate that more and he could come back, work hard and be a success because you cannot go from being that good at Arsenal to be that bad at Manchester United, you just can’t.”
United have better players
Merson believes the Red Devils have more quality in the side that will let Sanchez thrive.
A brilliant run of form had seen them close the gap on fourth-place Chelsea to just three points.
He concluded: “It’s definitely a better United than the one he left too.
“They were flying before the suspension of the league. They have had some excellent performances and some brilliant results so that will benefit him too.
“He’s got to come back and appreciate he’s at one of the biggest clubs in the world, if not the biggest.
“There is logic in Sanchez going back at Old Trafford, he’s a top player and if they can get even half the player he was at Barcelona and Arsenal back, he will be an asset.”
