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This article is part of Football FanCast's Pundit View series, which provides opinion and analysis on recent quotes from journalists, pundits, players and managers...

Speaking to BT Sport, former Manchester United star Robin van Persie has insisted Alexis Sanchez is "still the same great player", but the negativity surrounding him may have become a "little too much".

What did he say?

The Chile international has endured a difficult career at Old Trafford since arriving from Arsenal in a swap deal with Henrikh Mkhitaryan. The 30-year-old has struggled with injuries and bad form, and has seen his name linked with a move away from Manchester in recent weeks and months.

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Now, van Persie has admitted the Chilean simply "doesn't look happy", but insisted the qualities that marked him out as a superstar at Arsenal are still within him.

He said: “Sanchez doesn’t look happy to me. I can’t properly judge it because I am not working with him but when I see him play I rarely see him smiling.

"I don’t know if it’s the pressure. Pressure is something you can’t see or touch but he has to manage that in his head. He is still the same great player. He has it all: he’s fast, he can assist, he can dribble, and he can score.

"There is just a lot of negativity around him from fans and people who have opinions on social media. Maybe it’s all become a little too much for him."

Escape route

The later deadline of the transfer window in other major European leagues has offered an exit route for Sanchez this summer. Ole Gunnar Solskjaer initially indicated he could see the Chilean staying at the club this season, but later opened the door for his departure.

Van Persie's assessment of the situation certainly feels like a vicious cycle. If Sanchez is feeling the pressure, then he will struggle to perform. If he struggles to perform, he starts to feel the pressure. The 30-year-old joined United at a time when the Red Devils weren't firing on all cylinders or winning Premier League titles on a regular basis, and has seemingly carried that weight.

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He has become a symbol of United's failings both on the pitch and off it. His performances for the club have been nowhere near good enough, registering just five goals and nine assists in 45 games across all competitions. Away from the field, his extortionate contract has become a stick to beat the Red Devils with. So if it all has become "too much for him", then Sanchez simply needs to make his escape as soon as possible.

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