Underwhelming performances and Alexis Sanchez. They’re going hand-in-hand now.

On Friday night, the Chilean scored a goal for his country, but missed a penalty as they slipped to a 3-2 loss to Costa Rica in a friendly. It was the sort of display that’s become all too common for Sanchez recently, yet it’s the fact that it came in national team colours which is the biggest cause for alarm.

Sanchez can usually be counted upon to deliver an all-action and responsible performance for Chile, regardless of what’s happening elsewhere. It’s true of many players that their form for country and club don’t always match – though until a year ago, Sanchez’s was rarely a concern on either front.

It’s tempting to say his move to Manchester United has been the cause for his downturn. Since joining in January, Sanchez has only four goals and seven assists in 29 appearances for his new club. Though he’s started to show some semblance of improvement in recent weeks – possibly spurred by scoring the dramatic late winner in United’s comeback from 2-0 down against Newcastle last month – he’s still far from his best.

But the decline may have even started earlier. His return of eight goals and four assists in 22 appearances for Arsenal last season before his transfer wasn’t poor, but it wasn’t at the standards he’d been setting in north London in previous campaigns.

That dip was put down to disappointment over a failed summer transfer, but given what’s transpired, perhaps that was the beginning of the decline.

Even for his country, he’s scored only four goals in 17 games since the start of last year, with that poor return compounded by Chile’s failure to qualify for the World Cup this summer.

It shouldn’t come as a surprise – Sanchez’s playing style, in which he often runs himself into the ground alongside producing magical moments in attack, while playing with the pressure of being the best player on his team at Arsenal and for Chile, means he’s accumulated quite the wear and tear.

Understandably, that has taken its toll on a player who turns 30 next month. And even with the benefit of having had the full summer off ahead of this season, for the first time since 2013, hitting top form will naturally take more effort than normal.

United are no doubt worried by Sanchez’s struggles – and reports that he already wants out of the club. But perhaps a solution has presented itself with perfect timing.

While the Chilean was struggling on Friday, a player over a decade his junior must have been revelling in the aftermath of making a stunning full debut for his national team.

Jadon Sancho starred for England on Thursday, stealing the show in a friendly against the USA which served as the farewell match for United legend Wayne Rooney.

Rooney’s old club have, according to English tabloids, emerged as the favourite to sign a player who’s taken the Bundesliga by storm for Borussia Dortmund this season. In his first England start, Sancho delivered an assist, and produced several examples of the pace, passing ability, skill, and vision which have made him one of the more hyped English teenagers since Rooney himself.

It was a display full of promise – but as he’s shown for Dortmund this season, Sancho has already started to deliver on his potential. His form in black and yellow has been instrumental in leading the side to the top of the league table.

Dortmund have reportedly slapped a £100milllion price tag on him. But as United thought when they spent £90million on Paul Pogba, that could end up being a bargain.

Imagine the prospect of an 18-year-old Sancho, 20-year-old Marcus Rashford, and 22-year-old Anthony Martial developing together. That’s an attack which could be running sides over for years to come. Even Romelu Lukaku, the United striker who like Sanchez has been experiencing his own slump, would have to worry about his future at the club.

And of course, there would be the bonus of seeing Sancho thrive in Manchester red, having been brought up by the noisy neighbours in blue before leaving Manchester City last summer in search of first-team football.

Sancho is the sort of player who could be around for 10, 15 years at a club, and United should do everything they can to make sure it’s with them. Including offloading Sanchez.