ALEXIS SANCHEZ must half his current £400k-a-week wages if he is to make his loan spell at Inter Milan permanent in the summer, according to reports.
The Chilean is currently enduring an injury-hit season with the Serie A high-flyers, having been borrowed for the year from Manchester United.
He has managed just one goal in 14 appearances for Antonio Conte’s side, having picked up a serious ankle injury while on international duty in October.
Despite this fairly porous return, Inter ARE interested in making the move permanent… but won’t match Sanchez’s current eyewatering wages.
According to Tuttosport, Inter agreed to pay just £4.5million of the former Arsenal man’s £21million annual salary this season.
And while the Italian giants are open to paying £22million for the 31-year-old, Sanchez will need to drop his wage demands by at least half, with £200k-a-week the absolute maximum that Inter may offer.
They are also interested in signing Napoli attacker Dries Mertens, but appear to have missed out on the diminutive Belgian.
The 32-year-old, who last week equalled Marek Hamsik as the San Paolo club’s all-time leading goalscorer, is reportedly set to put pen to paper on a new two-year contract.
Sanchez has featured in five Serie A matches since returning from his three-and-a-half month layoff – grabbing assists in wins against Udinese and AC Milan.
His 18 month spell at Old Trafford was similarly lean, as he bagged just five goals in 45 matches.
The Red Devils offloaded him despite still having to pay most of his enormous salary – but Ole Gunnar Solskjaer bizarrely claimed in January that Sanchez could be back in a United shirt next season.
The 47-year-old said ahead of his side’s League Cup semi-final second leg against Manchester City: “Alexis will come back in the summer and prove you all wrong.”
Sanchez is currently part of an Inter side battling for the league title under Conte, but have fallen eight points behind leaders Lazio after coronavirus-related postponements.
