Alexis Sanchez’s team-mates at Inter Milan want his loan from Manchester United turned into a permanent deal.

The Chile forward, 31, has only started three games during his season-long move to the San Siro and looks set to compete with Christian Eriksen for one of Antonio Conte’s creative roles.

But Sanchez has still been a popular figure in the dressing room at Inter and has been part of the squad during his three months out with ankle ligament damage.

He has two full seasons left on his deal at United and some of his current team-mates would like to see him stay longer than this season.

United will have a decision to make on their plan for Sanchez, whose basic salary at Old Trafford starts at around £400,000-a-week and can rise with bonuses.

They may decide to offload the player who struggled to deliver when he arrived two years ago on big wages as he was in the final stage of his contract at Arsenal.