Alexis Sanchez reportedly landed a £1m ‘loyalty’ bonus just before joining Inter Milan on a season-long loan from Manchester United, Italian reports claim.
The United flop was owed the payment under the terms of the massive financial package which already saw him pick up wages of £505,000-per-week at Old Trafford following his move from Arsenal in January 2018.
Bosses at the Theatre of Dreams are contributing £6.5m towards Sanchez’s wages at the San Siro, with the Italian giants picking up the slack for the remainder of this campaign.
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United fans, however, will dispute the Chile international was entitled to any type of ‘loyalty’ bonus after 19 months in which he managed 45 appearances and scored just five goals.
Ironically, Sanchez will remain one of the highest-paid players on the United payroll this season and the fear must be the South American will fail to impress also in Serie A.
Inter don’t have an option to buy but United insiders have stated the money-men are ready to offer the former Arsenal man favourable pay-off terms, next summer, should the executive in Milan decide they do want to make Sanchez’s stay a permanent one.
Manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer had talked up Sanchez’s quality before the player’s departure to Inter but there is little to suggest the Norwegian will fight tooth and nail to keep the Chilean if an offer does come in next summer.
It’s understood United have paid Sanchez around £25m in wages since his arrival from the Emirates Stadium just over 18 months ago – not including signing-on and agent fees – said be worth a further £20m.
The 30-year-old insisted earlier this week he did not regret snubbing a move to champions Manchester City in favour of United, which is hardly surprising when you see the huge numbers involved – more associated with the type of cash Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo are able to command.
United are currently preparing for their next Premier League outing after the international break when they host Brendan Rodgers’ Leicester City on September 14.
The Red Devils got their season off to a flying start when beating Chelsea 4-0, but since then they have drawn with Wolves (1-1) and Southampton (1-1), while also losing at home to Crystal Palace (1-2).
United find themselves in eighth place in the Premier League table ahead of the arrival of the so-far unbeaten Foxes, who currently sit in third place in the standings after four matches of the campaign.
