Arsenal hero Paul Merson has encouraged Alexis Sanchez to return to Manchester United.

The Chilean has had a less-than-impressive loan spell with Inter Milan this season having been deemed surplus to requirements last summer by Ole Gunnar Solskjaer.

"I can understand Sanchez coming back to play a part at Old Trafford because, on his day, he is a great player," Merson wrote for Sky Sports.

"It's definitely a better United than the one he left too. They were flying before the suspension of the league. They've had some excellent performances and some brilliant results so that will benefit him too.

"He's got to come back and appreciate he's at one of the biggest clubs in the world, if not the biggest.

"There is logic in Sanchez going back at Old Trafford, he's a top player and if they can get even half the player he was at Barcelona and Arsenal back, he'll be an asset."