The eye-watering cost of Manchester United’s move for Alexis Sanchez was underlined on Thursday as Ed Woodward claimed Jose Mourinho and the players were “fully united” in their bid to arrest the club’s dismal start to the season.

United’s latest quarterly accounts showed that the wage bill had jumped more than 10 per cent owing predominantly to Sanchez’s enormous salary.

Sanchez arrived from Arsenal in January on a deal worth £350,000 a week, rising to £500,000 a week with bonuses and image rights, and the impact of the costs was reflected in a 10.2 per cent hike in the wage bill to £77 million for the three months to Sept 30 this year.

United handed a new contract to midfielder Marouane Fellaini and signed Fred, Diogo Dalot and Lee Grant in that time, even if some of that expenditure was offset by the departures of Daley Blind and Sam Johnstone, but Sanchez’s capture is the main factor behind the huge rise in wages.

United have seen little for their return, though, and Sanchez is said to be looking for an exit route from Old Trafford only 10 months into his four-year contract. The Chile striker was dropped for United’s 3-1 defeat to Manchester City on Sunday, which left the club languishing in eighth, 12 points adrift of the Premier League leaders, and is reported to be cutting a lonely, isolated figure in Manchester.