Manchester United boss Ole Gunnar Solskjaer has admitted that he is out of ideas when it comes to salvaging Alexis Sanchez after the Chilean put in another pallid cameo performance against PSG in the Champions League.
Sanchez replaced the injured Jesse Lingard at half-time but was largely anonymous in the second half, contributing little of note, much to the chagrin of his coach.
Speaking after the game, Solksjaer addressed the issue in front of the assembled media:
I can’t do anything about Alexis Sanchez. When he plays he needs to find himself.
We know there’s a quality player there.
Might we suggest a gap yahr backpacking through Thailand, or perhaps a soy-based yoga retreat in the mountains of Tibet?
The more we see of latter day Sanchez, the more he looks ready for MLS or the Chinese Super League. The technique is there in flashes, but the inclination and application – the relentless aggro that once propelled him – clearly is not.
The truth is he was beginning to look shot during his final season at Arsenal, and as the insipid performances continue to stack up, perhaps it’s time to realise that there isn’t anything left to salvage.
At 30, he may, without wishing to sound overly dramatic, be finished at the very top level.