Inter Milan chief executive Giuseppe Marotta has confirmed that the club are interested in keeping Manchester United loanee Alexis Sanchez on a permanent basis.

The 31-year-old joined Inter on a temporary deal last summer and initially struggled to make his mark in Milan, missing a large chunk of the campaign through injury.

However, the coronavirus stoppage gave him time to return to fitness and he has since rediscovered his best form, scoring three goals and contributing seven assists in his last eight games.

Sanchez is currently due to return to United after the end of the Serie A campaign, with United unwilling to let him stay for the remainder of Inter's Europa League involvement.

The Italian outfit are now keen to keep him beyond that, although Marotta admitted that the Chilean's mammoth wages - thought to be worth up to £560,000 per week - are proving to be a major stumbling block in negotiations.

"It's not easy, he has a contract with United for another two years. A heavy contract and therefore it must be evaluated," Marotta is quoted as saying by the Daily Mail.

"He's a great player and a great guy. We would be happy to have him today, tomorrow and the day after. We are sorry because he is a great guy."

Inter have been paying around £150,000 of Sanchez's weekly wages during his loan spell but would need the attacker to take a pay cut, while they are also keen to reduce United's demands of an £18m transfer fee.