Manchester United winger Alexis Sanchez has been linked with a move away from Old Trafford, but who could come in to take his place?
The Chilean superstar’s 10-month spell at Old Trafford has been underwhelming to say the least, with many supporters and experts running out of excuses to defend his poor performances at the start of the new season.
In 26 appearances for the club, the mercurial attacker has scored just four goals, which is an incredibly low figure for a man who became one of the best players in the Premier League during his time at Arsenal.
MORE: Alexis Sanchez picks preferred next club as he and Manchester United agreed on transfer
Over the course of his four years at the Emirates, Sanchez scored 80 goals in 164 matches, looking one of the best players in the Premier League, with his intelligent runs in the final third, superb finishing ability and magical dribbling skills.
Unfortunately for United supporters, he has looked nothing like the same player during his time in Manchester and according to the Daily Mirror, the enigmatic star is hopeful of securing a move to Paris Saint Germain in the new year.
At 29 years of age he seems to have plateaued in a United side devoid of confidence and suffering from a lack of inspiration going forward, despite plenty of playing time and a prominent role in Jose Mourinho’s starting XI.
At this stage, very few fans would be sad to see him go, but it does beg the question, who would be the ideal man to fill his boots?
Caught Offside names five players that not only have the ability to succeed at Old Trafford but also have the star power to make Sanchez seem like nothing more than an unfortunate footnote in the club’s illustrious history..
Antoine Griezmann (Atletico Madrid)
First on the list is Atletico’s French talisman Griezmann, who has been the Spanish club’s focal point in attack for the last few years, winning the Europa League and European Super Cup along the way.
The 27-year-old became a World Cup winner in Russia over the summer and contributed four goals during Les Bleus’ run to glory, which capped off a fine individual season for the diminutive striker.
Griezmann is capable of playing as a winger or as a centre-forward, which means he could fill any void left by Sanchez or indeed replace Romelu Lukaku up front, who has also struggled for form recently in a Man United shirt.
The Frenchman would not come cheap, but he certainly has the experience and quality to add a new dimension to Jose Mourinho’s team.
Memphis Depay (Lyon)
Next up is a man who already blew his big chance at the Theatre of Dreams, after joining the Red Devils from PSV Eindhoven back in 2015.
The Dutchman featured 53 times for United over two years, scoring a modest seven goals and never managed to live up to the club’s expectations, despite showing glimpses of quality sporadically.
Depay secured a move to Lyon last year and he has fared much better in Ligue 1, restoring his reputation as one of the most talented wingers in Europe, as underlined in his recent man of the match performance in the Champions League against Manchester City.
United inserted a buy-back clause in his contract with the French outfit (as reported by the Sun) and if he continues to impress Mourinho might be tempted to call him back and let’s face it, even if he were to flop again, he couldn’t possibly be more ineffective than Sanchez, could he?
Ivan Perisic (Inter Milan)
This Croatian winger is already very well known to Manchester United fans, having reportedly rejected the chance to move to Old Trafford twice in consecutive summer transfer windows – as per the Daily Express.
The 29-year-old is one of Inter’s most influential players and his dynamism and guile on the left-wing has torn defences to shreds in Serie A over the last three years, while also catching the eye of several other top European clubs.
At international level, Perisic was vital in Croatia’s run to the World Cup final this year and there is another key reason that Mourinho has pursued him so relentlessly in recent times.
Sanchez tends to let his head drop if things are going against him, but Perisic is a workhorse with an aggressive streak that makes him a nightmare to play against.
Don’t be surprised if United end up going for him again in 2019 and supporters will hope it is a case of third time lucky for Mourinho in his pursuit of this enterprising, energetic and effective superstar.
Neymar (Paris Saint Germain)
Next up is a man who needs no introduction, the former Barcelona superstar who became the world’s most expensive signing when he swapped the Camp Nou for the Parc Des Princes last summer: the ever-elusive and controversial superstar Neymar.
The Brazilian winger is widely regarded as one of the most talented footballers of his generation and the fact that he slotted into a front three alongside Lionel Messi and Luis Suarez so seamlessly at Barca is a testament to his immense ability.
In recent times he has found himself in the headlines more for his egotistical nature and theatrically on the pitch, but there is still no denying that he remains an extremely dangerous player capable of match-winning moments.
According to ESPN, he recently rubbished reports of a move back to the Catalan capital, which may have put several other top European clubs on red alert with the January window just around the corner.
He would command a fee in the region of €200 million, but United supporters would surely be salivating at the prospect of him flying down the wing in the famous red shirt one day, with his eye for a defensive splitting pass and deceptively quick feet in the final third.
Jadon Sancho (Borussia Dortmund)
The final man on the list is teenage sensation Sancho, who hails from England and has stormed onto the biggest stage with his performances in the Bundesliga over the last three months.
At 18 years of age he is still very much a raw talent with much to learn, but with six assists and two goals in his first eight league appearances in Germany this season, this kid has already proved he is the real deal.
England manager Gareth Southgate has certainly been impressed, drafting him into the national squad for games against Croatia and Spain during the last international break and as he continues to develop, a whole host of top clubs will surely be keeping a close eye on him.
Sancho is also a product of Manchester City’s youth system and the prospect of luring him to Old Trafford in the future while taking a swipe at the local neighbours in the process is a tantalising one, to say the least, especially if he continues to improve at such a dramatic rate.