Arsene Wenger believes that Alexis Sanchez “has lost confidence” at Manchester United.
Wenger sanctioned the January swap deal that saw Sanchez head to Old Trafford.
Arsenal received Henrikh Mkhitaryan in return, with neither particularly impressing with their new clubs.
Wenger, who left his role as Arsenal manager in the summer, believes the Chilean is now “refreshed” after Jose Mourinho saw fit to rest him.
“I believe he has lost confidence,” Wenger told beIN Sports.
“The strength of Alexis Sanchez is to take initiative to dribble and to take people on.
“Those are the players who are most vulnerable when they lose confidence their game is based on that and having that feeling to take initiative, he has lost that slowly.
“Since the start of the season he had a high level of physical energy but he has lost that as well.
“Certainly he is refreshed now because Mourinho left him out for a while.”
