Well, let's start by saying that this is his last chance to revive his career. Alexis has been a great (borderline world class) player for the better part of it, but it's undeniable that his time in Manchester has cast doubt on whether he's still got it. One could argue that very few United players have managed to live up to the expectations in the post-SAF era, but 18 months of poor performances suggest some caution before boarding the hype train. *calmly heads for the ticket office*
All things considered, we cut a good deal (low risk, high reward). A loan + option would have been better, but I'm confident he will push to make the move permanent if this season works out well. Anyway, rumour has it he's already agreed terms with us for an additional 2 years at €6,5m p/y.
From a tactical standpoint, I expect him to be used mostly as a SS. However, his arrival could also be important in allowing us to switch to a 3-men attack in case of need. All this provided his legs aren't completely gone, obviously. Otherwise, he should just be deployed as close as possible to the goal in order to take advantage of his shooting ability.
In short, he's definitely not a "niño" any more; the real question is whether he can still be a "maravilla" (or, at the very least, good) for us. Prime Sanchez would take Serie A by storm, his United counterpart would soon fade into irrelevance. Which version are we getting? Too many question marks to make a prediction as to what he can give to our cause. Considering the conditions of his arrival, though, I'd say he was definitely worth a punt. Let's see how this goes.
Lastly, based on this exclusive footage of him hitting the streets of Milan, he doesn't seem to have lost his trademark footwork.
[FBV]384762512232660[/FBV]
Encore