Five reasons why Manchester United are right to let Alexis Sanchez leave on loan
Alexis Sanchez has joined Inter Milan in a loan deal for the rest of the season. The Chilean had joined Manchester United on January 2018, in a swap deal that saw Henrikh Mikhitaryan move to Arsenal. Sanchez was handed the coveted No. 7 shirt at Old Trafford and was expected to carry the legacy of the fabled jersey forward.
United were in much need of a proper number 7 ever since Cristiano Ronaldo had left and after a few hits and misses, the Chilean was expected to become the next great to don the shirt.
However, nothing remotely similar happened. Alexis Sanchez's time at Manchester United was akin to a horrible dream, both for the player and the fans.
The club has struggled to find a suitor for the Chilean this summer, so the loan deal looks like the next best thing. Sanchez is still contracted to United until the summer of 2022, though and the loan deal does not include an option to buy at the end of the season.
Even though very few United fans will be sad to see him leave, there is a growing belief that the Red Devils should have held on to the Chilean.
This is because United are alarmingly thin in the forward department; indeed, Sanchez's departure leaves 23-year-old Anthony Martial as Solskjaer's most experienced forward. However, Manchester United's decision to let Alexis Sanchez leave on loan is justified and here are five reasons why.
#5 Age
Sanchez will be 31 years old this December. For a player who is already on the decline, this is an indication that the Chilean might have left his best days behind him.
The attributes that once made his such a feared player on the pitch - his tenacity, his free spirit and his drive, have been absent since his arrival at Old Trafford and will be very hard to recapture now.
At United, Solskjaer has based his tactics on the very essence of speed. The Norwegian wants his team to attack and defend as a unit, and he expects his players to work their socks off on the field.
He has been emphasizing on fitness over the summer and his tactics require players who can provide energy and intensity on the pitch for prolonged periods. Sadly, Sanchez no longer fits the bill. As such, letting him leave on loan certainly is justified.
