Antonio Conte Says Alexis Sanchez Not Ready to Start for Inter Milan vs. Lazio

Inter Milan manager Antonio Conte has said summer signing Alexis Sanchez still isn't ready to start for the club. 

Sanchez made the move to the Italian side from Manchester United, joining on an initial season-long loan. Inter supporters have had to be patient to get a proper glimpse of their new acquisition, though, with the Chile international only playing 10 minutes of football so far this term.

Speaking ahead of the team's clash with Lazio in Serie A on Wednesday, Conte said Sanchez will not be in the XI once again, per Jamie Smith of Goal.

"For him, it is worth the words I give for everyone else," the manager said. "When I see ready players, they will be inserted [into the XI]. I have to work in the interest of Inter, not of individuals."

The decision to hold Sanchez back in the early weeks of the campaign is understandable for Conte.

After all, the former Arsenal and Barcelona man only completed his switch to Inter late in the summer market. Additionally, Sanchez played for Chile at the summer's Copa America, meaning his preparations for the new campaign were disrupted.

Sanchez's only outing so far was a 10-minute substitute appearance in the team's 1-0 win over Udinese on September 14.

Here is the moment the Chilean made his Inter debut:

There's no major rush to get Sanchez into the starting XI either, as the team is performing well as it is. The Nerazzurri sit top of the Italian top flight after four games, having won all of their matches so far in Serie A.

On Sunday, they got one over on rivals AC Milan, with Marcelo Brozovic and Romelu Lukaku on the scoresheet in a 2-0 win:

With Conte working his magic at Inter, it would appear that Sanchez will eventually come into a side that's functioning well.

Lukaku has enjoyed a strong start to the season in attack and appears ready to seize his chance of a fresh start away from United following a permanent transfer. Lautauro Martinez has typically lined up alongside the Belgian in attack, although has yet to hit top gear.

Italian football journalist Adam Digby said he thinks Sanchez can help Inter become even more potent in attack:

Sanchez was one of the most feared attacking players in the Premier League before he made the switch to Manchester United in January 2018. At Old Trafford, he was a shadow of the player who terrified opposition defenders with his movement, aggression and incision with the ball at his feet in an Arsenal shirt.

Conte is potentially an ideal coach for Sanchez, as he's not only tactically astute but renowned for lighting a fire under underperforming players. When he eventually gets a run of games, it'll be fascinating to see what version of the Chilean Inter get.