According to a recent report by The Daily Mirror, Manchester United are confident that they can beat Chelsea in what is expected to be a two-way race to sign the £120m-rated Borussia Dortmund winger Jadon Sancho at the end of this campaign. The same source has also stated that the Red Devils executive vice-chairman Ed Woodward has identified the Bundesliga playmaker as one of his chief targets for the summer transfer window and is willing to spend big to make the transfer happen.
Sancho’s Sensational Rise In European Football
Sancho has established himself as one of the most productive playmakers in German football after putting in some dazzling displays for Lucien Favre’s side this season. He has excelled as a wide player and has also made himself a mainstay in Gareth Southgate’s England national team. His incredible rise to prominence in Europe has inspired many other young British players to travel abroad in search of regular playing time.
With 15 goals and 17 assists to his name in 29 matches, the English playmaker has proven that he can perform at a high level for Dortmund in all competitions. He has also averaged 1.9 shots, 2.5 key passes and 2.8 dribbles per game in the German first division (stats via whoscored). The 19-year-old is a generational talent who has successfully managed to answer his critics by putting in a consistent run of performances every week.
Despite his recent success, there is no hiding from the fact that Sancho has endured a fractured relationship with the Bundesliga outfit. He was substituted after just 36 minutes in the 4-0 loss to Bayern Munich earlier this season which left the player ‘humiliated and scapegoated’, as reported by The Athletic (subscription needed). One can argue whether he would be better off seeking a move away from Germany in search of a fresh start and a more familiar environment.
Sancho has scored two goals in 11 matches for the Three Lions thus far. The Dortmund prospect has impressed a lot of people through his performances for England, so he could be in line to start for his nation when the UEFA Euro 2020 kicks off later this summer.
What Will The England International Bring To The Theatre Of Dreams?
Sancho has a low centre of gravity that allows him to make clever turns with the ball to get himself out of tight situations. The Bundesliga prospect excels at running at the opposition with pace and can create some decent goal-scoring chances for his teammates in the final third.
However, what makes Sancho such a highly sought after talent is his ability to score and assist goals regularly at the top level. The talented teenager is more than capable of securing a permanent place in Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s Man United starting XI. The Old Trafford gaffer has often played Mason Greenwood and Juan Mata out of position by deploying them down the right flank.
In Sancho, the Norwegian head coach will finally get a natural wide player who won’t be afraid to run the channels out on the wings. Furthermore, the Bundesliga playmaker has the potential to get the best out of the underperforming and injury-prone first-team players like Anthony Martial and Marcus Rashford by striking up a good relationship with them both on and off the pitch.
