Alexis Sanchez has had “a shocker” at Manchester United, says Charlie Nicholas, with the former Arsenal star expected to be “gone in the summer” as the Red Devils write him off as an expensive flop.
Those at Old Trafford required no fee to land the Chilean forward in January 2018, with a swap deal put in place with Premier League rivals, but did hand him a lucrative contract.
As Sanchez made his way to Manchester, Henrikh Mkhitarayn headed in the opposite direction to north London.
Neither player, despite their obvious ability, has made the expected impact in new surroundings, with both having struggled for form and fitness.
Sanchez is considered to be the most disappointing of the two, though, and having managed just five goals in 41 appearances is now being tipped to make another move when the next transfer window opens.
Ex-Arsenal star Nicholas, who saw the South American flourish at Emirates Stadium, told Sky Sports of a fading force: "It's been a shocker.
"I watched Manchester United with interest at the weekend [against Southampton]. Marcus Rashford played out wide of the right and when Romelu Lukaku is fit, he looks sharp.
"It looks like he's trimmed a few pounds off him so the sharpness has returned so he's the one that scares me, and Rashford's pace.
"I think they're running down the clock with Sanchez. I think he'll be gone in the summer - that's the reality.
"They'll look at things and say 'what have you done? Not very much', and he gets injured a lot these days. You have to look at what United have got coming through and they've just given [Anthony] Martial a new deal so when he's fit, he'll be playing.
"Sanchez had the huff with Arsenal over a contract so what type of mood is he going to be in when he doesn't get a game? I don't think you hang about for that and I think Sanchez will be gone in the summer.
"They can sell him, get some money, get him off the wage bill and they can get somebody else in. It might even be a younger version."
United tied Sanchez to a four-and-a-half-year deal upon his arrival, with that agreement supposed to run through to the summer of 2022.
It is, however, looking increasingly unlikely that he will see out that contract as despite regular claims from players past and present that he will come good, the Red Devils are still waiting on any kind of return on their sizeable investment.