Jadon Sancho’s career path is an unfamiliar one, eyebrows were raised everywhere in the sporting world when the attacker opted for Germany as the next stage of his career.
A decision which at the time seemed like a huge gamble, has paid off big time. During his time with Dortmund, Sancho’s development has likely excelled far quicker than it would have anywhere else.
And with that, it was only a matter of time before the biggest clubs in England turned their attentions to the 20-year-old.
Averaging a goal or an assist every 127 minutes, Sancho is consistently racking up numbers that put him in the company of the game’s elite.
Jadon Sancho’s assist today. Utterly sublime ?pic.twitter.com/c4SfSr5VBJ
— BT Sport (@btsport) April 27, 2019
If Ed Woodward is genuine about his desire to restore Manchester United to the level its fans have grown accustomed to, then the England international surely has to be top priority when the transfer window opens up.
So far, every signing that Ole Gunnar Solskjær has made during his tenure has significantly improved a side that has lacked direction for years. For any of his flaws, it’s the first time in a long time, that the club appears to have something that resembles a plan.
Solksjaer’s desire to play free-flowing, counter-attacking football is a mould shaped perfectly for Sancho. Now with Bruno Fernandes and a rejuvenated Fred behind the front three, there is genuine quality for that attacking trio to feed off – which could be the deal-breaker in tempting the Dortmund man.
Following his impressive start, Dan James has tailed off in terms of goals – though it’s worth noting that his work on the pitch goes far beyond that. In the weeks leading up to the current enforced break, it became clear that James’ biggest problem came from sheer burnout. His playing style relies on being explosive, not to mention being kicked around, which only reinforces the need for rotation.
New season, same Sancho ?pic.twitter.com/dmaOcV7FTq
— BT Sport (@btsport) August 3, 2019
A frontline that features Rashford, Martial and Sancho would surely make United’s attacking threat one of the most lethal in the Premier League. Throw Mason Greenwood and James into that rotation and all of a sudden, things look nicely set for the long term.
All of that combined with a solid looking back four, would a surprise push for the title next year be completely out of the question?
There’s no denying that Woodward would have to splash big to seal any potential transfer – but if it comes down to choosing one or the other, Sancho simply has to take priority over any other signing for Manchester United.
Featured image credit: Getty