SANCHO’S SIMPLY PRICELESS
Ferdinand: Money should be no object for forward
RIO FERDINAND says Manchester United must sign Jadon Sancho to show they are serious about getting back to the top under Ole Gunnar Solskjaer.
The former United defender hailed Sancho as one of the best young players in the world and said signing him this summer would be a huge statement of intent from the Red Devils.
Borussia Dortmund will not sell Sancho unless United meet their £100millon asking price, but Ferdinand believes his former club must pull out all the stops to land the 20-yearold England forward.
“He’s fantastic,” said Ferdinand. “If he comes, he’ll be an added value in terms of quality, no doubt.
“Manchester United should be in the market for the best players in the world.
“They need to sign top players who are going to have an effect on their first team and Jadon Sancho falls into that category.
“If you look at successful Manchester United sides over the years there were players fighting for every position and if you substituted one and brought one on, there was no change in the quality.”
Ferdinand, below, who won six Premier League titles with United as well as the FA Cup and Champions League, said Solskjaer has the club heading in the right direction after seven turbulent years since Sir Alex Ferguson retired.
United have won the FA Cup, League Cup and Europa League post-Ferguson, but have failed to challenge for the Premier League or Champions League titles.
But Solskjaer has restored their attacking identity since his appointment in 2018.
“Since Fergie left, Manchester United teams have been a shadow of their former selves in terms of that attacking, vibrant football they were playing before,” said Ferdinand.
“Win or lose, you’d come away thinking, ‘Well they didn’t get the result, but they still showed you something and you enjoyed paying for your ticket’, whereas they went away from that.
“Ole has got that back. But he’s not only got that back, he’s ticked a box in terms of getting the team back into the Champions League.
“This could be part of setting a new culture at the club.
“It’s a sustained period of winning you’re looking for.
“It is challenging for the league on a yearly basis and getting your foot in finals every year.
“If they can create that culture now and start it with the young players they’ve got coming in, the way that Ole’s trying to mould this team, we’ll be in for a good future. But again, we’ve got to execute.”
United need to be in the market for the best players in the world