Manchester United are facing a fresh battle over Alexis Sanchez this summer, with the Chile striker’s astronomical wages proving a major obstacle to their attempts to find a buyer.

The 31-year-old is reluctant to take a pay cut just to secure a move, despite it being made clear he is not in Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s plans.

Sanchez still has two more years to run on a contract worth around £450,000-a-week, forcing Old Trafford’s hierarchy to weigh up their options as to how to handle their highest-paid player.

The forward has been on loan at Inter Milan this season, with United still paying a significant portion of his salary.

A permanent move to the Italian giants is believed to be his preferred option, but after an injury-hit campaign he looks likely to return to Manchester.

Another loan move could be the best solution for United, who would face having to top up his salary again.

Alternatively, they could try to buy the former Arsenal star out of his contract to allow him to leave on a free transfer.

Even amid talks between the Premier League and the PFA over a proposed 30 per cent reduction to players’ wages, Sanchez’s salary would still place him out of reach for all but a select few clubs in Europe.

And the financial impact of coronavirus is expected to see football’s spending power significantly reduced.

Solskjaer made it clear Sanchez didn’t fit into his Old Trafford revolution when allowing the misfit to leave last summer without signing a replacement.

While the Norwegian openly admitted he left himself short in attack – particularly after injuries to Anthony Martial and Marcus Rashford – it was felt it was the right decision to show Sanchez and Romelu Lukaku the door as United worked on creating new dressing room culture.

Within Old Trafford, it has been suggested the former Barcelona player struggled to handle a move to a club of United’s stature.

Sanchez had difficulty settling from the start due to a language barrier with much of United’s coaching staff.

Sources close to him insist his passion was never in question, but United couldn’t get through to him.

That was evident on the pitch with a player who was once considered among the most lethal forwards in the world scoring just five goals in 45 appearances.